Joanna Jedrzejczyk has mastered the art of pre-fight intimidation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 12: (L-R) Opponents Claudia Gadelha of Brazil and Joanna Jedrzejczyk of Poland face off during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in event at the Phoenix Convention Center on December 12, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The way that Joanna Jedrzejczyk stares at her opponent would give a grown man nightmares. And not just on Fight Night, but at press conferences ... media days ... and especially weigh-ins.
The UFC's strawweight champion has seemingly mastered the art of intimidation. She's also consistent in her tactics.
Take, for instance, her UFC debut, where she faced Julianna Lima, stashed away in the second fight on the UFC Fight Pass prelims at UFC Fight Night Jose.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jedrzejczyk went on to win that fight by decision, stuffing 15 of Lima's 16 takedown attempts in the process.
From there, Jedrzejczyk would face Claudia Gadelha in the FS1 prelims headlining fight at UFC Fight Night Phoenix. As such, the young champion's staredown prowess was on full display the night before the fight.
And then Jedrzejczyk hit her stride. After three straight wins, she was given a shot at then-titleholder Carla Esparza in the co-main event of UFC 185. The way Jedrzejczyk broke her opponent throughout fight week was nothing short of masterful.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Of course, Jedrzejczyk's weigh-in staredown was on point. I mean, just look at Joe Rogan's facial expression.
But she did most of her damage at media day earlier that week.
That was seemingly all she wrote for Esparza, who was finished in the second round a few nights later.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}With her confidence growing, Jedrzejczyk defended her belt against Esparza's "Ultimate Fighter" housemate and show semifinalist Jessica Penne. Both fighters engaged in some pre-fight trash talk, but things got nasty at the weigh-in.
Yes, Jedrzejczyk had two penne pasta necklaces on deck. Penne held her own at the weigh-in, but it appeared to only fuel the champ even more, as she landed a UFC career-high 126 significant strikes in her second title defense.
Joanna "Champion" fights in the co-main event of UFC 193 on Saturday night. Her opponent, Valerie Letourneau, returned some of the weigh-in venom (see above), but we'll see if she remains unbroken come fight night.