Several female UFC fighters like Ronda Rousey have scored big-money contracts with noted silver screen production houses to date. The marketability of certain fighters, occasionally recognized for their long and beautiful hair, is just one factor among others that helps them secure lucrative deals. But there are several other female fighters who aren’t really bothered about their appearance.

The famed former UFC Strawweight champion, Rose Namajunas, undoubtedly belongs to the latter half of the female combatants mentioned above. Fans who started following the UFC from the year 2016 might know Namajunas as the dangerous short-haired former Strawweight queen. But, pre-2016 UFC fans probably know that ‘Thug’ once used to fight with long hair.

The decision to go bald

Fans who started following the UFC in 2016 might be in a bit of shock right now. But like a few other UFC fighters, ‘Thug’ also used to have long blond hair and also knotted it tightly before making her way inside the octagon. But, on 10 December 2015, the UFC world witnessed a unique change in Namajunas.

The tightly knotted hair on her head was nowhere to be seen. Instead, she appeared in an almost bald buzz-cut look while she walked out for her fight against the famed Paige VanZant at UFC Fight Night 80.

Most UFC fans can imagine why female UFC fighters tie their hair tight in a braided-like look during their fights. Otherwise, the untied long hair of female fighters can cause some real trouble for them. They can get into the eyes of fighters restricting their vision. Well, MMA fans definitely know that the lag of even a second can prove to be the turning point in an MMA fight. Many times, a hair in the eye might be enough to cause that lag.

In Namajunas’ case, she was probably ok with her hair tightly tied up during her fights. But the problem started showing up when ‘Thug’ went for training with her long hair. It often presented challenges for her while she tried to focus on her game. Hence, she finally decided to get rid of most of them and also put out an Instagram post showcasing her new look.

The words mentioned in her Instagram snap are probably enough for the fans to find the real reason why ‘Thug’ chose to get rid of her hair. Some fans can also view this as her dedication to the sport of MMA. She even decided to give up the largely followed female tradition of keeping long hair due to the issues it was causing in her training.

UFC Fight Night 80: Rose Namajunas vs. Paige VanZant

A lot of fans might agree that Namajunas turned into an absolute beast post her haircut. ‘Thug’ tasted defeat two times in her professional career of 3 years before deciding to get a buzz-cut. But since then, Namajunas has actually turned into the ‘Thug’ like her nickname, as she has lost only thrice in the span of eight long years.

Fans already knew about her superb in-octagon prowess from her TUF 20 performances. But, on the night of 10 December 2015, Namajunas showcased that she was moving onto a whole new level in her career. She controlled most of her UFC Fight Night 80 bout against Vanzant, outclassing her both in the striking and grappling departments.

Namajunas busted Vanzant right in the first round with some brutal ground and pound. She also maintained her domination in the entire fight until she earned a submission victory at 2:36 in the final round of the bout. But looking at her domination, a number of fans might have expected the bout to end a lot sooner.

Vanzant may be credited for her superb resilience in the bout. She nullified a number of submission attempts from Namajunas throughout the bout. But, ‘Thug’s’ fifth-round rear-naked choke proved too much for her to overcome as she tapped out to it.

The haircut’s effect on the fight

Namajunas deciding to remove the biggest distracting factor, her hair, caused a lot of uproar in the MMA community. But, she was unable to realize the point behind this unnecessary hype about her haircut. In an interview with ‘MMA Junkie’, she said, “Like, I’m not surprised but at the same time I ask the question why is hair even a big deal?“.

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Well, Namajunas has mentioned in her Instagram snap how her hair often caused her to lose focus in the fight. But after subtracting them, ‘Thug’ apparently focussed on the bout a lot better which helped her dominate the fight and submit Vanzant.

Pat Barry’s confirmation

Most UFC fans know that Namajunas has been in a relationship with the former UFC fighter and kickboxer, Pat Barry, since the year 2014. Hence, it’s apparent that she had a relationship with him while she decided to get rid of her troublesome hair.

In a pre-UFC Fight Night 80 interview, Barry did what most would say was a true partner-like act. The reporters didn’t spare him from their questions about Namajunas’ haircut. But Barry was apparently annoyed at the situation where everyone was concerned about Namajunas’ hair more than her upcoming fight. He further asked, “What does the haircut have to do with the fight? I have no idea.”

Barry also talked about Namajunas’ dedication to the sport validating the cause of ‘Thug’s’ haircut. He appreciated his partner’s urge to become the best due to which she didn’t mind getting rid of her long hair, which is identified as one of the prime characteristics of a female by most.

Zhang Weili following Rose Namajunas’ lead

UFC Strawweight champ, Zhang Weili, might be one of the most dominant forces in the division currently. But, she has endured two disheartening defeats against Namajunas to date, even losing out her UFC Strawweight gold in the first encounter.

However, Weili might have been facing similar issues alike Namajunas with her hair. She also must have known how Namajunas was bold enough to get rid of her long hair just to excel in her UFC career. ‘Magnum’ took inspiration from her opponent and decided to follow her way to get better at the art.

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Post her UFC 261 loss against Namajunas on 24 April 2021, Weili fixed her mind to follow Namajunas’ way. Previously, several fans may have noticed her fighting with her hair tied up in the traditional braided look. But her Instagram post on 3 May 2021 revealed that she also got rid of her hair.

The caption to her post read, “Seems to go back to the beginning of the practice of Sanda. I’m a teenager”. Her vision to replenish her skills and start right from scratch to become even better was quite apparent from her caption. Well, fans might agree that this step has actually worked wonders for Weili. She reclaimed the UFC Strawweight gold once again in her UFC 281 bout against Namajunas’ long-time rival, Carla Esparza.

Will Namajunas’ decision to cut her hair during an 8-year journey for improvement motivate other female fighters to follow suit? Let us know your perspective in the comment section.