Former women's strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk returned to the win column on Saturday following a pair of title defeats and offered a message to anyone doubting whether she's still the same fighter.

"We got this baby, and I can't wait to run to the top again," Jedrzejczyk said. "I'm the strawweight queen with the belt or without the belt."

Jedrzejczyk (15-2) returned to her championship form by relying on accurate strikes and takedown defense to outshine Tecia Torres (10-3) in a pivotal bout designed to produce the next title contender at 115 pounds. All three judges inside the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary scored it 30-27 for the former champion.

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The native of Poland, who just one year ago appeared on track for superstardom and a shot at becoming the greatest female fighter in UFC history, rebounded from a pair of defeats to current champion Rose Namajunas, including a close five-round decision in their April rematch of Jedrzejczyk's first-round knockout loss last fall.

Jedrzejczyk, 30, effectively stuffed the non-stop takedown efforts from Torres in the first and third rounds. Save for a brief takedown late in Round 3, Jedrzejczyk was able to keep the fight for long periods in the clinch where she had plenty of success landing short elbows and knees to the body.

In Round 2, Jedrzejczyk did a much better job controlling distance with her jab and constant front kicks. For as game as Torres was from an aggression standpoint, she was unable to land anything of significance save for a pair of right hands late in Round 2 that forced the former champion to clinch and wait out the final 10 seconds while hurt.

"Tecia came and prepared very, very good," Jedrzejczyk said. "[I have] nothing but respect to her, the 'Tiny Tornado.' Sometimes there is bad blood between people before fights but it's only a sport. It's not from people, it's only from sport; the sport's aggression which we need for this sport.

"This was a very important fight for me, for the UFC and for my fans from around the world."

Torres, 28, suffered her second straight defeat after a decision loss to Jessica Andrade in February.