Las Vegas, NV — UFC strawweight and former title challenger Karolina Kowalkiewicz has had something of a career resurgence of late.
After dropping five straight fights from 2018 to 2021, it felt as if Kowalkiewicz (15-7) was on her way out of the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion. But starting last year and carrying on into 2023, the “Polish Princess” has turned things around, winning her last three fights.
Kowalkiewicz shed some insight on what has led to her newfound success in an exclusive interview with Cageside Press at this year’s UFC X.
“I changed my whole life. I changed my gym, I changed my country because I moved from Poland to Florida. Now I train at ATT, I moved one year ago.”
“At the beginning, it was a very hard decision to move there. But this is good for me. I love to train at ATT, I love to train with my coaches,” said Kowalkiewicz, rattling off some of the high-level trainers she’s able to work with at American Top Team. “I started everything from the beginning, and this is very, very good.”
Along with top coaches, Kowalkiewicz now has some top training partners and teammates at her new home. And she admits to being a little starstruck at first.
“This is Christmas every day. Christmas every day. This is great. At ATT, there are so many great fighters,” she stated. “At the beginning I was like ‘oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, I need to take pictures with him, I need to take pictures with her.’ And they’re my teammates. This is cool.”
In terms of a return, Kowalkiewicz’s next fight is TBD. “I don’t know, I’m waiting. I am ready. Maybe end of September, maybe October.”
Watch our full interview with Karolina Kowalkiewicz above.
