UFC returns to Sky
Thursday 4 June 2015 15:13, UK
The UFC is returning to PICK TV and it's bringing a women's world championship fight.
The success of female competition in the UFC has soared due to the popularity of Ronda Rousey and now the organisation's newest championship - the women's straw-weight title - will be defended on PICK TV.
Sky Sports spoke to the champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and challenger Jessica Penne ahead of their scrap in Berlin...
The undefeated Pole became Europe's first UFC champion of the modern age when she won the 115-pound title in March and now makes her first defence in Germany.
Joanna said: I know that I am replacing Alexander Gustafsson at this event, and he’s a very well-known UFC superstar all around the world. It was exciting that he was coming to Europe, but now he’s injured and I want to put on an exciting fight to replace him. There’s a reason the UFC chose me for the main-event when he pulled out.
Jessica is a good fighter with lots of experience who likes to box but I don’t need to move to America to be a world champion. I represent Europe but this is a worldwide sport, you don’t need to go to America to be successful anymore.
Ronda Rousey is a real champion and works very hard for it. I hope in the future to be a champion like her.
Ronda Rousey is an Olympic medallist which gave her lots of competitive experience and helped her to become famous. It’s very difficult to get into an Olympic team and even harder to win a medal. She is a real champion and works very hard for it. I hope in the future to be a champion like her.
Watch PICK TV if you want to see a sport like you’ve never seen before.
Check out Sky Bet's UFC odds here including Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey
The Californian has competed just once in the UFC but her exciting debut has resulted in a title shot on German soil which isn't as far from home as it seems...
Jessica said: The UFC think they’re intentionally bringing me into enemy territory to fight a European champion but my mother is from Karlsruhe, Germany, and my father is Italian!
This is an amazing time for women in sports because of the UFC. Besides tennis and golf I feel like this sport puts women at the forefront more than anything else.
This is an amazing time for women in sports because of the UFC. Besides tennis and golf I feel like this sport puts women at the forefront more than anything else.
I’ve played sports my whole life and always dreamed of being a champion. I did everything from football to volleyball then started swimming and realised I preferred to compete individually. I’m now doing the ultimate individual sport.
This hasn’t happened overnight, the pioneers are no longer competing, but it’s only just been noticed what women have to offer. We put on very exciting fights, and bring something different to the table.
Tune into PICK TV if you want to see fighters constantly looking for the finish in one of the most exciting weight divisions in the UFC.
Watch UFC Fight Night Berlin on PICK TV on June 20 - which will be available to view on Sky (152), Freeview (11) Freesat (144) and Virgin Media (123) and UPC CH 133 in Ireland.
