UFC 185: Carla Esparza vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk Head-To-Toe Breakdown

UFC 185 comes to you live on pay-per-view this Saturday and features two championship bouts. In the main event, the lightweight title will be on the line, and in the co-main event, the women's strawweight title will be contested.

In that co-main event are two of the best women in the world. The champion is Carla Esparza, the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 20 and inaugural strawweight champion, while the challenger is Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a Polish fighter who has jumped up the rankings in recent times with her awesome performances.

It's surely a much-anticipated bout and the first title defense of the newly minted championship. It should be a great bout.

Without further ado, let's examine this matchup, comparing these women from head to toe.

Striking

USA TODAY Sports

The striking in this bout is a tale of two fighters.

On one hand, you have Esparza, a fighter who primarily uses boxing in her bouts with a smaller compliment of kicks. She often uses good movement and setups to distract opponents before she can take them down.

Quite simply, it's effective.

Then you have Jedrzejczyk, a muay thai stylist with good overall strikes, technique and big power. She has the ability to steal consciousness when she hits opponents, making her one of the best strikers the UFC has in the 115-pound division. 

You have a set-up striker taking on a full-time striker. Esparza's end game is to strike until she achieves a takedown, while Jedrzejczyk will constantly be looking to keep this upright. 

That's why the advantage goes to the Pole. 

Edge: Jedrzejczyk

Wrestling

USA TODAY Sports

If striking is a distinct advantage for Jedrzejczyk, then wrestling is the inverse for Esparza.

Wrestling at Menlo College, Esparza has transitioned that into one of the most effective MMA wrestling games in women's MMA. She achieves takedowns with ease, using heavy top pressure and superior transitions to dominate opponents on the ground.

Jedrzejczyk is the opposite, using her wrestling as a means of defense. She doesn't try to bring fights to the ground much and uses her wrestling to to sprawl and brawl.

Seeing how Claudia Gadelha was able to get Jedrzejczyk to the ground, there is no doubt in my mind that Esparza can do that too. Keeping Jedrzejczyk down is another issue altogether.

Edge: Esparza

Submission Grappling

USA TODAY Sports

In terms of submissions and grappling, it's hard not to go with the wrestler, as Esparza excels in this category as well.

Jedrzejczyk has one submission in eight victories dating back to her second pro fight. Her grappling is solid, and she uses it to get back up when put down, but she's not well versed in submissions, especially compared to Esparza.

Esparza is good at submissions, which comes courtesy of her ability to earn takedowns proficiently. She owns four submissions wins, including tapouts of Lacey Schuckman and Rose Namajunas.

Yes, all of Esparza's submission wins come by rear-naked choke, but that shows her ability to dominate on the mat. That gives her the edge here.

Edge: Esparza

Prediction

USA TODAY Sports

As you can see, this is a classic striker vs. grappler. It should be interesting to say the least.

Esparza is going to have to use her aggression to stalk Jedrzejczyk. Jedrzejczyk is a pinpoint striker and will tag Esparza but will be so engrossed in keeping herself off the mat that she won't be able to truly hurt the champ enough.

Add in Esparza's proficient takedown methods and her ability to keep people down, and you have a formula for a successful title defense. Jedrzejczyk will win her battles during the fight, but Esparza will ultimately win the war.

Prediction: Esparza def. Jedrzejczyk via decision