When talking about Namajunas, it is important to be distinct in which Rose, strawweight or flyweight. When at strawweight, Rose was a two-time champion and had two wins over the woman some consider to be the G.O.A.T of the division, Zhang Weili. Â One of those wins, most notably, was a highlight reel knockout that sent shockwaves throughout the UFC.
Namajunas is predominately a striker, but she has a slick ground game. Among active strawweights, Rose is ranked second in finishes, fourth in KO/TKO wins, sixth in wins and total fights, second in submission wins and second in title fight wins. There are obviously more accolades, but the list would go on. Most of these accolades are from strawweight and the only record she holds in flyweight is that she is ranked fifth in knockdowns landed. There is a difference in Strawweight Namajunas and Flyweight Namajunas, but I just account that to time in the division.
Fighters On The Rise
While the same success cannot be said for her current flyweight run, where she is 2-2, I think it is important to put more context into the losses. Both losses in flyweight came at the hands of Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot. Both are top 4 ranked flyweights and Fiorot just fought Shevchenko for the title.Â
This is not to make light of the fact Namajunas lost, but more to emphasize that facing off against the top the division has to offer, all while making the change in weight classes – is quite difficult. All this to say that Namajunas has the skill, the experience, and the unbreakable spirit to find a gritty win here, but she must keep it in her world. This means distance, whether with teeps or a probing jab. This is how she finds victory.
