UFC 205 gets two high-profile women’s fights, including strawweight title clash

The ladies are coming to New York, too.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk will defend her UFC women's strawweight title against Karolina Kowalkiewicz in a battle of Polish stars at UFC 205 on Nov. 12 in New York, it was confirmed Friday by UFC officials. Former bantamweight champ Miesha Tate will also make her return on the card against Raquel Pennington.

Flo Combat was the first to report the title bout. ESPN reported the Tate-Pennington fight initially.

Jedrzejczyk (12-0) is coming off a Fight of the Year contender against Claudia Gadelha in July. She has won all six of her UFC fights and is the undisputed top 115-pound women's fighter in the world. Jedrzejczyk, 29, recently left her native Poland to train at American Top Team in Florida.

Kowalkiewicz (10-0) beat Rose Namajunas at UFC 201 in July to setup this title opportunity. She is 3-0 in the UFC and also has experience with Invicta and KSW in her native Poland. Kowalkiewicz, 30, called out Jedrzejczyk, her countrywoman, for a fight in New York after beating Namajunas in Atlanta and now has her wish.

Tate (18-6) dropped the UFC women's bantamweight title by first-round submission to Amanda Nunes at UFC 200 in July. Prior to that, the 30-year-old had won five straight, beating Holly Holm for the belt at UFC 196 in March. Pennington (8-5) has won three in a row, most recently a unanimous decision over Elizabeth Phillips at UFC 202 last month. Pennington, 28, was on Tate's team on The Ultimate Fighter 18 in 2013.

No headline fight has been announced yet for UFC 205. A press conference will be held Tuesday in New York, featuring the stars of the card.

A welterweight title fight between champion Tyron Woodley and challenger Stephen Thompson has been signed. ESPN reported that Jedrzejczyk vs. Kowalkiewicz will not be the UFC 205 main event, so things are still very much up in the air.

Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez both want to fight each other in the Madison Square Garden main event, but it seems as though the UFC wants to go in a different direction.

UFC 205 will be the first-ever UFC event in New York City after the sport was legalized in the state back in April.