It’s been a difficult few years for Rose Namajunas.
“Thug Rose” left the Strawweight division after an all-time bad split-decision loss to Carla Esparza (there are no highlights), joining the Flyweight ranks in 2023. Immediately, Namajunas jumped into the deep end of 125-pound competition, losing a competitive bout to Manon Fiorot. After six bouts in her new weight class, Namajunas is batting an even .500 with losses in three separate title eliminator matchups.
Back in January, Namajunas started very
strong versus Natalia Silva before ultimately losing the decision. During the fight, Namajunas suffered an eye poke that ultimately sent her under the knife then additional injuries sidelined the former champion further.
“It was like a three-month process,” Namajunas explained on the Weighing In podcast (via MMA Junkie). “Right after the fight, I had to get this surgery right away. They put this weird silicone tube in my eye, and I have no idea how they did that.
“… It was a really easy surgery, though. It was just kind of uncomfortable. I couldn’t blow my nose. I couldn’t rub my eye or something because (the tube) could pop out, so I had to be off – no contact training for three months. Then I had my thumb – I tore my UCL in my thumb.”
The 34-year-old veteran is back in training but has not yet received a fight offer. While Namajunas is not retired and wants to compete again, she also admits that the combination of injuries and losses have left her future uncertain. When Namajunas does come back, she wants to ensure it’s a meaningful and relevant matchup.
“That’s why I’ve been sitting out for a while because I’m trying to rediscover, OK, what am I doing now?” Namajunas said. “To just be fairly transparent, the last three opportunities that I had, or the last three losses that I had – the Natalia fight, the Erin Blanchfield fight, and the Manon (Fiorot) fight – … I was told that I would get a title shot with a win with that fight … I came up short in all three of those. I’m at a point in my life where I’m thinking about family stuff and all these things, and next steps, future things. So I do want to compete, and I still want to fight again, but I want to make sure that when I’m going in there, I’m going for a purpose and a reason.”
There is no longer a particularly clear path to 125-pound gold for Namajunas, who would now need multiple wins to secure a title shot given those losses. However, Namajunas does still have the option of returning to Strawweight. Mackenzie Dern is a flawed champion, and Namajunas has already defeated top contender and former champ Zhang Weili on two separate occasions.
If “Thug Rose” wants to go on one final run, Strawweight is probably her best bet, though making weight only grows more difficult with age.
