UFC 212 Countdown: Claudia Gadelha vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz

>> Narrator: When UFC featherweight champion,
Jose Aldo headlines the promotion's return
to Rio de Janeiro,
he will be joined by longtime
friend and teammate, Claudia Gadelha,
who became the number-one ranked strawweight through
a career spent training primarily with Brazil's
premier fight camp.
>> I've trained in Nova Uniao my whole life.
I've trained with Aldo,
all these very good fighters and trainers.
I had these guys to help me along the way and I became
a very good fighter.
>> Narrator: With Nova Uniao, Gadelha won her first 12
professional fights, looking unstoppable.
>> Mauro Ranallo: The takedown by Gadelha.
Now Claudia Gadelha...
>> Narrator: In 2014, she competed in the UFC's first
ever strawweight bout.
>> Anik: Oh, nice combination there by Gadelha.
>> Stann: I will tell you what,
of all the strawweight women's fighters that fight
after this fight, have got a lot to live up to.
And a great double leg from Gadelha.
>> Mike: Gadelha-- aggressive, fast, powerful fighter.
>> Joe: She can do everything well.
Oh, she tagged her with that uppercut, Mike.
>> Mike: And another big takedown.
>> Narrator: Gadelha has defeated every opponent she
ever faced, except for the 115 pound champion.
>> Joanna, I'll be here ready for you whenever you want.
>> Narrator: Joanna Jedrzejczyk is responsible for the only
blemishes on Gadelha's record--
the most recent coming in a July 2016 title bout.
>> Anik: Oh!
>> Stann: Gadelha is off to a fast start.
Flush right hand landed by the champ.
>> Narrator: Afterwards, Gadelha recognized the need
for a change.
>> Gadelha: You can't expect a different result if you
keep doing the same thing.
I did the same thing for over ten years.
I wanted to train smarter and it was time to get
new coaches and do different things to get different results.
>> Narrator: Gadelha sought new training
in the United States and found what she was
looking for in a New Mexico city
made famous by its fighters and trainers.
Albuquerque is home to world-renowned coaches,
Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn,
who helped develop their hometown into a hot bed
for martial arts.
Alongside Gadelha's newest head coach, Chris Luttrell.
>> Chris: At the time I worked for an airline.
I would travel, it didn't matter where I was at,
I was going and training and then I brought it back to Greg.
It was like a laboratory.
We sat down and we said, "Hey,
this works for MMA.
This doesn't work for MMA" And we've created a system
early, early, on.
>> Narrator: When Gadelha is not working with the stable
of fighters on the mats at Jackson-Wink,
she receives individual focus from Luttrell and a team
of coaches she personally assembled.
>> Alright, guys.
I come in, I hit that.
I want to crack down.
Alright?
When I start to crackdown, they got to stay in balance.
So it's like crackdown, I'm going to change back
to a double. Alright? Ready?
>> Gadelha: When you get to the highest level,
you have to have your own coaches,
you have to have a lot of attention.
>> Be a good partner, guys, extend that jab.
On that return jab, extend it out there.
>> I think it worked out perfectly where she is
the center of attention.
We want to stay low here.
It's all about controlling the hips,
so don't let those hands wander.
Just keep them there.
Every movement is critiqued.
>> It's team Claudia, not Team Jackson or Team Luttrell.
>> There it is.
Boom.
Great.
>> Gadelha: They're working for me to get to the fight in
the best shape and now I'm training smart.
>> Stann: Totally new corner for Claudia Gadelha.
All the training, she did everything is very new.
>> Anik: We'll see if it pays dividends here tonight.
>> Narrator: Gadelha put her adjusted training regiment
in practice mere weeks after relocating to Albuquerque,
when she faced Courtney Casey in Sao Paulo.
>> Anik: Oh, beautiful elbow and a left hand follows.
Nice stick and move by Gadelha to get out.
>> Gadelha: Everything that we trained here in
Albuquerque happened in the fight.
>> Stann: Oh, beautiful timing by Gadelha.
>> Gadelha: I took the risk to try different things
and this is going to be me from now on.
>> Stann: Really solid all-around performance from
Claudia Gadelha tonight.
>> Narrator: Gadelha's opponent can be found in
the city she has always called home.
>> Mike: Born and raised in Poland.
7-0: Karolina Kowalkiewicz making her UFC debut.
>> Joe: Oh, good right hand by Karolina.
>> Narrator: Karolina Kowalkiewicz has experienced
a meteoric rise since entering the UFC just 16 months ago.
>> Florian: And more combinations!
>> Anik: Karolina Kowalkiewicz
>> Joe: And she feels like she's been kind of left out
of the discussion as to who is the top contender in
this strawweight division.
She believes that will change tonight if she can beat
Rose Namajunas.
Kowalkiewicz pressing the action.
Right there, there it is again.
These are nasty elbows and knees in the clinch.
>> Mike: Oh, big shot.
Namajunas is in trouble.
>> Narrator: Although her first and only career loss
came at the hands of the UFC's most dominant champion
in her last outing,
Kowalkiewicz remains a top-tier athlete in the UFC,
which comes with its fair share of perks.
>> This is my master bedroom, but I don't have bed.
I'm waiting for my new bed.
UFC changed everything.
This is my sitting room.
This is my plant.
Before UFC, I was busy.
Now I'm super busy.
My dreams come true and I bought a new apartment.
This is my beautiful kitchen.
[speaking Polish]
>> This is for my dog.
I live in Lodz my whole life and I like this place.
Here are my friends, my family,
my team and I like to live here.
>> Narrator: Kowalkiewicz is a member of Poland's
Shark Top Team.
Which has developed numerous fighters who have earned
opportunities in the UFC.
>> Mike: Damian Stasiak!
>> Narrator: Such as bantamweight,
Damian Stasiak.
>> Mike: With the third round submission.
>> Narrator: And featherweight, Marcin Wrzosek--
a member of Team McGregor on season 22
of The Ultimate Fighter.
>> Herb Dean: Tap.
>> That's how you [bleep] do it.
>> The city is kind of central to Poland,
so I think that's the reason why there are such
great fighters here.
[speaking Polish]
>> Demian: There is a culture in Polish people.
We love to fight, we love to scrap so we just help each
other and get better.
>> We are the best now in Poland and we prepare
for Claudia Gadelha.
>> She has really strong wrestling,
she's really powerful.
It's stuff Karolina hasn't seen before.
She trains with strong guys and girls on a daily basis.
>> Narrator: For Kowalkiewicz her UFC 212 co-main opponent
represents the best chance to redeem the top spot
at 115 pounds.
>> It was one of my dreams to fight with Claudia.
It will be number one and number two.
After that, I want the belt.
>> Narrator: When Karolina Kowalkiewicz travelled to New York City
for the UFC's debut at Madison Square Garden...
>> Mike: The entire nation of Poland will be laser-focused
on this marquee matchup, as their countries two greatest
are set to collide.
>> Narrator: She would face fellow unbeaten Polish standout,
Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a fight for the undisputed
strawweight title.
>> Mike: Here we go!
>> Joe: Karolina very confident,
pressing forward here.
>> Mike: Oh, got her.
>> Joe: Classic left hook to the right leg kick.
Karolina's teeing off there.
>> Mike: Yep.
>> When I think about this fight,
I'm very angry because I was very, very close.
>> Joe: Oh, she got tagged!
>> Mike: Big right hand!
Kowalkiewicz moving forward!
Can she finish here!
>> Joe: She's got her pressed up against the Octagon.
>> Mike: Again, she delivers!
>> Joe: Kowalkiewicz plowing forward.
And she got tagged.
What a crazy fight this is turning out to be.
>> Buffer: And still!
>> Karolina: I've learned a lot from this fight.
I know one day I'll beat her.
>> Narrator: The loss to Jedrzejczyk was the first
of her career and Kowalkiewicz looks to make sure that
the UFC 205 title bout is not the last time she meets her
Polish counterpart inside the Octagon.
[Speaking Polish]
>> She's one fight away, obviously once she beats,
Gadelha, there is only one fight that
she's interested in and it's a rematch with Joanna.
>> This is with salmon.
This is with tuna and I don't know how to call this fish,
but...
>> You know the snake fish?
>> Man: Snake in the grass.
TJ.
>> Traditional Polish meal.
We fight again with Joanna and it will be biggest event
in MMA in Poland.
>> Whether it's a future headliner in her native Poland,
or the upcoming co-main event slot against
Claudia Gadelha at UFC 212,
Kowalkiewicz has grown accustomed to marquee fights
atop the strawweight division.
But competing at this level requires comparable
female sparring partners--
which are scarce in Central Europe.
>> We don't have too many girls with such high level
so she must train with the guys.
[speaking Polish]
>> That's the thing about Karolina is her toughness
and her relentlessness.
Even when she spars with guys she never lets them beat her.
She's relentless.
She's a role model for all of us.
She created a path all of the guys want to follow
and follow her footsteps.
>> I feel great, I have really good preparation
for my next fight and I can't wait.
>> Narrator: Brazilian strawweight,
Claudia Gadelha is back in New Mexico for training camp
with her own personal team of coaches,
led by veteran, Chris Luttrell.
>> Hit that double again.
Bang-- he's right back up.
>> Narrator: While the individual focus has clearly
enhanced her fight preparation,
the improvements didn't become immediately clear when
Gadelha adjusted to her new environment last fall.
>> Yes, there we go. Yes.
>> I thought it was going to be easy.
I said, "No, this is easy, I got this."
Then it was like, "Oh, my God."
I miss my family, I miss my teammates.
>> Chris: He'll break eventually,
just let him feel your weight and he'll give out.
>> Claudia: I train with the same people my entire life
and just say, "Hey goodbye, I'm trying something new."
It really hurts.
>> Narrator: Part of Gadelha's coaching staff is
Muay Thai practitioner,
Ray Yee-- who offered a more comfortable setting when
Gadelha returned for her second camp in Albuquerque
with a boxing trainer in tow.
>> Ray: She was like, "Hey, coach do you have room at your
house for me to come stay?"
I said, "Of course you know I got a coupe rooms here."
She said, "Okay, I want to bring coach Don out,
who is my boxing coach."
>> I was a little resistant at first.
She said, "You have to come out and meet coach Ray,
coach Chris. It will be great.
It's great environment, we have the right bodies,
the right facilities."
It was a perfect fit.
So I agreed to come out and I'm glad I did.
>> It was an easy transition and Don is super easy to get
along with and of course Claudia is like a daughter
so you know, I'm probably going to adopt her pretty soon here.
>> We have all the parts in place you know for her to be
successful and get back to a championship fight.
>> Narrator: The road back goes through former title challenger,
Karolina Kowalkiewicz in the same city Gadelha
recently left behind--
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In preparation for UFC 212, Team Gadelha is taking
advantage of Albuquerque's wealth of sparring partners,
who can be found inside the Jackson-Wink Academy
on a daily basis.
>> We come two days a week to spar--
Tuesdays, Thursdays and the rest of the other time is over at
the Luttrell gym.
>> They've got a huge stable of fighters.
Huge.
And it gets the best out of her.
>> Don: Yes, there we go.
Nice, very good.
Come over, body-head.
Body-head.
Get that arm back.
Underneath, yes.
Yes, again.
Chris: If she's on point and she's doing everything that
she's been training to do,
you are going to see Claudia finish her.
Yes. Yes.
Soften her up with strikes.
Left hand up.
Get that left hand up.
Underneath. Underneath.
>> The ref is going to raise my hand and I'm going
to celebrate with everybody in Rio.
>> Narrator: The UFC's return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
will offer a homecoming for one of its greatest female fighters.
But for perennial 115 pound contender,
Claudia Gadelha,
a consistent presence in the top five offers
its own matchmaking challenges.
>> I am the number one contender,
so the other fighters they would rather just pass me
and fight the champion than take the risk to fight me.
>> Narrator: Luckily for Gadelha,
the strawweight division's number two ranked
Karolina Kowalkiewicz is ready for the challenge.
>> Claudia: Karolina finally said she wanted
to test herself against me.
Trainer: Good. Good pace.
I loved it.
I was like, "Whoo, I got a fight."
>> Trainer: Three-two-one.
Relax.
Good.
>> Gadelha: She's a striker, she's a Muay Thai fighter.
She never fought nobody that will give her pressure that I
will give her.
>> Narrator: But with 14 rounds spent inside the Octagon
over just 11 months, the hardened former title challenger
and her team know exactly what they are in for.
[speaking Polish]
>> We need to concentrate on the wrestling,
because Claudia every time wants to take the fight to the ground,
but Karolina has good wrestling.
[speaking Polish]
>> She has a really strong wrestling,
she's really powerful.
People will be surprised when the see the fight.
>> Narrator: UFC 212 features strawweights hell-bent on
championship redemption-- ready to showcase skills
found only among the division's true best.
>> Gadelha: She's the number two and I'm the number one
and we are going to get in there and throw down like crazy.
>> I can fight with her in standup,
on the ground.
So it will be a very hard fight for her.
>> Gadelha: She has a lot of holes in her game and she
will give me the opportunity to finish the fight.
I want to knock her out.
>> Trainer: Push. Push Push.
Good.
>> Narrator: And champions will compete for their place
in history, when winner of ten straight,
Max Holloway, takes on future hall-of-famer, Jose Aldo.
The prize-- the undisputed UFC featherweight world title.
>> Joe: He's got great striking,
real technical on his feet.
Very good ground game as well.
And ever improving.
>> Holloway: I'm not here to just ride this wave and be
just another face in the UFC.
I want to be the greatest of all-time.
>> Mike: The most dominant champion in UFC history.
[speaking Portuguese]
>> Stann: You talked about his combinations,
that's something right out of a video game.
>> When I make that walk,
when I get into that cage I'm going to be ready.
>> Joe: Aldo's putting some heat on these punches, Mike.
[Aldo speaking Portuguese]
>> Mike: We have ourselves a Brazilian champion again.
>> Holloway: I just want to see the night end with me
raising my Hawaiian flag, getting that belt,
put in around my waist by Dana and just
going home a champion, undisputed champion.

UFC 212 Countdown: Claudia Gadelha vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz

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