Karolina Kowalkiewicz

Karolina Kowalkiewicz (born October 15, 1985) is a Polish mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former KSW Women's Flyweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Early career Kowalkiewicz began her mixed martial arts career at the age of sixteen when she began training in Krav Maga. She later trained in Muay Thai and decided to make it a career. She fought two amateur fights before turning pro.

Kowalkiewicz made her professional debut in her native Poland in May 2012. Over the next three-and-a-half years she amassed an undefeated record of seven wins against no losses. She fought primarily for the Poland-based KSW promotion - where she was the Flyweight champion - and also made her U.S. debut for Invicta FC in November 2014.

Ultimate Fighting Championship In late October 2015, it was announced that Kowalkiewicz had signed with the UFC. She faced Randa Markos on December 19, 2015 at UFC on FOX 17. She was successful in her debut, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz next faced Heather Jo Clark on May 8, 2016 at UFC Fight Night 87 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. She won the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz defeated Rose Namajunas by split decision on July 30, 2016 at UFC 201 to earn the next title shot at then-champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk. This performance earned her a Fight of the Night bonus.

Kowalkiewicz fought for the Strawweight title and lost to champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk by unanimous decision on November 12, 2016 at UFC 205.

Kowalkiewicz faced Cláudia Gadelha on June 3, 2017 in the co-main event at UFC 212. She lost the fight via submission due to a rear-naked choke in the first round.

Kowalkiewicz faced Jodie Esquibel on October 21, 2017 at UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Till. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Felice Herrig on April 7, 2018 at UFC 223. She won the fight by split decision.

Kowalkiewicz fought Jéssica Andrade on September 8, 2018 at UFC 228. She lost the fight by knockout in the first round.

Kowalkiewicz faced Michelle Waterson at UFC on ESPN 2 on March 30, 2019. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Alexa Grasso on June 8, 2019 at UFC 238. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Yan Xiaonan on February 23, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 168. She lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Jessica Penne on August 7, 2021 at UFC 265. She lost the fight via an armbar in round one.

After a one-year hiatus, Kowalkiewicz faced Felice Herrig on June 4, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 207. Kowalkiewicz snapped a 5 bout losing streak, submitting Herrig via rear-naked choke in the second round.

Kowalkiewicz faced Silvana Gómez Juárez on November 12, 2022, at UFC 281. She won the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Vanessa Demopoulos on May 20, 2023 at UFC Fight Night 223. At the weigh-ins, Demopoulos weighed in at 117.5 pounds, one and half pounds over the women's strawweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceed at catchweight and Demopoulos was fined 20 percent of her purse, which went to Kowalkiewicz. Kowalkiewicz won the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Diana Belbiţă at UFC Fight Night 229 on October 7, 2023. She won the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Iasmin Lucindo at UFC 301 on May 4, 2024. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Denise Gomes on November 9, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 247. She lost the fight by unanimous decision.

Kowalkiewicz faced Julia Polastri on October 11, 2025 at UFC Fight Night 261. She lost the fight by technical knockout via a head kick and punches in the third round.

Championships and accomplishments Mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Rose Namajunas Tied (Tecia Pennington) for second most bouts in UFC Women's Strawweight division history (19) Invicta Fighting Championships Fight of the Night (One time) Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki KSW Flyweight Championship (One title defense) Fight of the Night (One time)

Personal life In 2019, Kowalkiewicz was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. To cope with the symptoms Kowalkiewicz now works with an endocrinologist and has adopted a vegan diet.

In 2020, during the match with Yan Xiaonan she got a severe eye injury in the first round, yet she fought the remaining rounds with the injury. Her injuries were so severe that she couldn't return home from New Zealand, forced to wear an eye patch and stay for a few days. On Instagram she commented on the injury: "First time in my life after a fight, I cannot say I'm okay. Like you see, at the beginning of the first round, I have broken small bone here. I couldn't see nothing. My vision was double and everything was like in the fog." She later had surgery which involved the insertion of a titanium plate in her right eye.

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Julia Polastri TKO (head kick and punches) UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs. Gamrot

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Loss

Denise Gomes Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Iasmin Lucindo Decision (unanimous) UFC 301

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Win

Diana Belbiţă Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs. Green

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Vanessa Demopoulos Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Silvana Gómez Juárez Decision (unanimous) UFC 281

New York City, New York, United States Win

Felice Herrig Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Rozenstruik

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Jessica Penne Submission (armbar) UFC 265

Houston, Texas, United States Loss

Yan Xiaonan Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker

Auckland, New Zealand Loss

Alexa Grasso Decision (unanimous) UFC 238

Chicago, Illinois, United States Loss

Michelle Waterson Decision (unanimous) UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Loss

Jéssica Andrade KO (punch) UFC 228

Dallas, Texas, United States Win

Felice Herrig Decision (split) UFC 223

Brooklyn, New York, United States Win

Jodie Esquibel Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Till

Gdańsk, Poland Loss

Cláudia Gadelha Submission (rear-naked choke) UFC 212

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Loss

Joanna Jędrzejczyk Decision (unanimous) UFC 205

New York City, New York, United States Win

Rose Namajunas Decision (split) UFC 201

Atlanta, Georgia, United States Win

Heather Jo Clark Decision (unanimous) UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Arlovski

Rotterdam, Netherlands Win

Randa Markos Decision (unanimous) UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cowboy 2

Orlando, Florida, United States Win

Kalindra Faria Decision (split) KSW 30

Poznań, Poland Win

Mizuki Inoue Decision (split) Invicta FC 9

Davenport, Iowa, United States Win

Jasminka Cive Submission (armbar) KSW 27

Gdańsk, Poland Win

Simona Soukupova Decision (unanimous) KSW 24

Łódź, Poland Win

Marta Chojnoska Submission (rear-naked choke) KSW 23

Gdańsk, Poland Win

Paulina Bońkowska Decision (unanimous) KSW 21

Warsaw, Poland Win

Marzena Wojas TKO (punches) Extreme Fighting Sports 2

Gdynia, Poland

Amateur mixed martial arts record Loss

Joanna Jędrzejczyk Submission (rear-naked choke) Amateur League MMA 18

Sochaczew, Poland