Megan Olivi interviews Joanna Jedrzejczyk backstage at UFC 299 in Miami after she was announced as the third member of the …
thank you so much guys Yana congratulations I’m already starting to cry and we are 2 seconds into this interview I I am so unbelievably happy for you were you surprised uh I was as you could see I Won’t Cry Anymore guys but it’s very emotional evening for me because my good friend m g won Dustin porier won and Felipe from at I’m very close I’m very loyal person you know this is how we do it in Poland you know and I’m very happy for my teammates but especially for my friends mat and DP but I have to be honest with you it was my one of my biggest dream after becoming like UFC fighter and UFC champion becoming the Hall of Famer you know that’s like a dream my dream my biggest dream just came true so I’m not ready to retire fully retired but I am I I won’t fight anymore so I need to make some changes in my life but it’s tough because I love you guys so I always I’m a manager right now so I always teach young Fighters and fighters in general like you can’t forget about these people who are working behind the scenes you know who are preparing their shows because very often the fight is like it’s all about me I’m fighting like doesn’t matter if you fight prelims or if you the main even come event the main event but uh there are people who are like preparing the the the arena for the next day they they taking the Octagon away out of the Arena like so I was always fully resecting all the people and I always tell the young Fighters like we all work for these three letters and amazing letters UFC uh and it’s been an honor and I will be around and like I I I just love you guys thank you Dana thank you Lorenzo H Hunter uh Sean mck like all of you guys all I I love all of you uh UFC employees Fighters and it was an honor for me to fight and perform there is no sport without any sport without fans so it was an honor for me guys thank you so much has been our honor and Yanna so much is said about you by you complimenting your teammates and talking about them and the employees that work behind the scenes that’s who I have to tell like the number I love you man like the owner of at like we won the award of uh the gym of the year six years in a row like then coaches Richie Primo all the employees I love you guys you made me like my manager Jennifer gin you all made me like better human you know not only good athlete but better human thank you guys you make us better and it has been such a joy and an honor and I’ve gotten to know you personally as well as professionally Yan you’ve also broken down so many barriers you were a fighter who wasn’t just one of the best women Fighters you were the best one of the fighters period you and wayy put on not just one of the best women’s fights one of the best fights period for you when you look back upon all the incredible battles you have is there one that stands out as your favorite in the Octagon fights uh probably the fight with wayy but I remember my first fight with Juliana Lima in San Jose and I I want some fighters who are about to get into the sign with the UFC I want you to know that some of you you stop working hard but when you sign with the EC you have to prove that you deserve the deal that you simply the best so work your ass even harder than before getting into the EFC but what I want to tell I always send this message spread this message and no matter where you from what color is your skin you’re your religion orientation gender you can approach anything and everything in your life you just have to work hard you can’t hurt anybody you can’t hurt anybody but you can really approach it you know your your dreams can be true but you have to just work hard and believe in yourself because there is going to be so many doubters like people who are not going to believe in you but you have to stick to this you know even if you are going to be the last men women standing you have to believe in yourself and Chase your dream and anything and everything is possible like youc Dana they changed my life you know I’ve been in this business for 20 years but after 12 years I got into thefc and my life got changed I became the pro pro professional fighter because I I got the right exposure I was uh getting the right money to say for me for my family for the future this is what means being the professional athlete you know you are unbelievable Yanna the way you just continue to put Praise on everyone else when it is your night speaks volumes about who you are as a person and a champion I absolutely adore you I am so happy to see you here and I was so happy to see you cry a little bit cuz it meant me surprised to you think we are it’s like March 9th we are day after the international women’s day and I just want to tell you girls like in the UFC there is no like better contract for guys than than girls like anything and everything is possible and big thanks to the UFC that they keep all of us men and women fighters on the same level and it’s all up to us you how you going to manage your career like we’ve been the Champions we’ve been we we’ve been the CEOs but we are always going to be the humans and that’s the most important so love you all love you I don’t miss you but I will be around I will we’re gonna see you in June you are the best JJ we love you we appreciate you what a what an absolute Legend future Hall of [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Famer