Rose Namajunas is one of the most inspiring fighters in the UFC’s roster right now. Namajunas is the current UFC strawweight champion and is considered by many to be one of the best fighters in the UFC’s women’s division right now. Her technical ability is one of the best that the sport of MMA has ever witnessed.
‘Thug Rose’ is definitely a fan favorite. Her positive affirmations and attitude have made fight fans admire her spirit. As of November 2021, Rose is ranked third in the UFC women’s pound for pound category.
This weekend at the highly exciting UFC 268 event, Rose Namajunas defended her strawweight title against Zhang Weili in an epic five-round slugfest. Rose fought sensationally and won the fight following a split decision win. She was handed the belt by the iconic actor/ model Halle Berry after her victory.
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READ MORE: “This Is Intense”- Halle Berry Makes an Appearance at UFC 268
Recently, in an interview with Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, ‘Thug Rose’ spoke about her win at UFC 268. She also cleared up the misconception that ESPN caused because of a post they made on their Instagram which lead fans to think she was celebrating her win with her parents.
After her win, Namajunas went and hugged a couple who were sitting ringside. ESPN confused them to be her parents. About that, the fighter said,” That is not my parents that ESPN put that I was hugging after the fight. Yes, this is my mom guys (Rose shows her mother to the camera), and my dad’s not here. He’s no longer with us. So I was actually kind of pissed because it was like just my dad’s birthday, just this past like week. And yeah, so that kind of upset me.”
What’s next for Rose Namajunas
After her win over Zhang Weili at UFC 268, ‘Thug Rose‘ has definitely proved her status in the division. Many speculate that the former UFC champion Carla Esparza is next to fight Rose, for her shot at the strawweight title. Esparza has once got the better of Rose Namajunas in 2014 and became the first-ever strawweight champion in the history of the UFC.
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However, this time around, Rose has improved her fighting ability and is a much smarter fighter now. Another reason for Carla Esparza to be next is that she is currently on a five-fight win streak. It makes sense for Esparza to get a title shot, considering her current form and her recent fight history.
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Who do you think Namajunas will face next?
WATCH THIS STORY: Five Things We Learned From UFC 268