With a 16-9 profession MMA record, Poland’s Karolina Kowalkiewicz says that she will not be retiring from the sport despite two consecutive losses in the UFC.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz Talks Retirement
Karolina Kowalkiewicz began her martial arts acumen at the age of 16 when she started training in Krav Maga. It was an initial interest in self-defense but eventually led her to explore other disciplines, including Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Kowalkiewicz made her professional MMA debut in May 2012 in Poland. She quickly gained attention for her technical skills, amassing an impressive undefeated record of seven wins in her first three-and-a-half years as a pro. During this time, Karolina Kowalkiewicz primarily fought for the Poland-based KSW promotion, where she became the Women’s Flyweight Champion.
In 2015, she signed with the UFC. Her success continued as she won her next three fights, including a notable victory over Rose Namajunas at UFC 201, which earned her a Fight of the Night bonus. Kowalkiewicz’s impressive performances in the UFC led to a title shot against then-champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk in November 2016 at UFC 205. Although she lost the fight by unanimous decision.
In 2018, she went on a five-fight skid but recovered in 2022 putting together four consecutive wins. However, she’s dropped her most recent two bouts including this past weekend. Given that she is 39 years old, retirement may be something to consider. On Social Media, she dissented and said:
“My heart is broken. Give me some time and I’ll see you soon, I’m not going to retire don’t worry.”