Following UFC Gdansk win, Karolina Kowalkiewicz wants to fight Jessica Andrade

Women’s strawweight contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz is eyeing a fight with Brazilian standout Jessica Andrade.

Karolina Kowalkiewicz got herself back in the win column with an impressive performance against Jodie Esquibel at UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Till in Gdansk, Poland. An emotional Kowalkiewicz was elated that she won in front of her home fans, thus ending her two-fight losing skid.

In the post-fight interview, Kowalkiewicz indicated that she wants her next bout to be against current #1-ranked contender Jessica Andrade.

“I never choose the opponent, I accept everybody who the UFC puts in front of me,” Kowalkiewicz said through an interpreter. “I heard that [Jessica Andrade] told everybody that I declined a fight with her. I didn’t do it, but we can do it now.”

Andrade (17-6) is coming off a sensational performance against Claudia Gadelha, besting her fellow Brazilian by lopsided unanimous decision at last month’s UFC Fight Night: Japan card. Both Andrade and Kowalkiewicz have challenged for the 115-pound title, only to lose by unanimous decision to Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Unlike Andrade, Kowalkiewicz couldn’t defeat Gadelha, who submitted her by rear-naked choke at UFC 212, but Karolina does hold a win over upcoming title challenger Rose Namajunas.

It’s certainly a highly intriguing matchup for both women, who’ve clearly proven they are among the division’s elite. Andrade doesn’t have a fight booked, so we may just see these two face each other in the near future.