MMA News

Tag: Rose Namajunas

  • White On Rodriguez Facing Esparza/Namajunas Winner: “Makes Sense”

    It appears that UFC strawweight contender Marina Rodriguez did enough to earn a No. 1 contender spot in her win over Yan Xiaonan at UFC 272.

    Rodriguez won a closely-contested top-5 matchup against Xiaonan in a back-and-forth war on the feet. Rodriguez struggled with Xiaonan’s speed early in the fight but found a rhythm with her pacing as the bout went on.

    Rodriguez has been on a roll in the strawweight division after an impressive 2021. She earned three-straight wins last year including lopsided victories over the likes of Michelle Waterson and Mackenzie Dern.

    During his UFC 272 post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said it “makes sense” that Rodriguez would face the winner of Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza.

    The promotion has been working on booking the Namajunas/Esparza rematch in 2022. Although it hasn’t been formally announced, it’s widely expected to be the next title fight at 115 pounds.

    Rodriguez made her UFC debut back in 2018 following a gruesome knockout of Maria Oliveira on Dana White’s Contender Series. She has yet to face Namajunas in the UFC but lost in a close split decision against Esparza in July 2020.

    Namajunas earned her second stint as the strawweight queen by knocking out Zhang Weili at UFC 261. She would follow it up by earning a decision win over Weili in their rematch at UFC 268.

    Rodriguez is looking to become the latest Brazilian UFC champion and the first Brazilian strawweight champion since Jéssica Andrade held the title in 2019. She’ll have the chance to prove herself with her next Octagon appearance, which is expected to be for a championship belt.

    Do you think Marina Rodriguez is a future UFC champion?

  • Zhang Has No Regrets After 2nd Namajunas Loss, Makes Vow For Future

    UFC women’s strawweight contender Zhang Weili says she has no regrets about her second defeat to Rose Namajunas at UFC 268, and has vowed to come back stronger.

    Heading into 2021, Zhang held the 115-pound gold, was riding a 21-fight win streak, boasted a perfect 5-0 UFC record, and already had a successful title defense over the great Joanna Jędrzejczyk under her belt. But while 2020 saw her extend her reign in style in a Fight of the Year contender, last year was less successful for the Chinese star.

    At UFC 261, Namajunas provided one of the most memorable moments in the promotion’s history, knocking Zhang out with a first-round head kick in front of the first sold-out crowd in over a year. In doing so, “Thug Rose” became the first woman in UFC history to regain a title.

    Seven months later, Zhang had her chance for redemption. In the UFC 268 co-main event, she went five round with the champ inside Madison Square Garden. While many believed “Magnum” did enough to leave the Octagon with the belt back in her possession, Namajunas was awarded the nod on two scorecards.

    Zhang: “I’m A New Me”

    After her KO loss last April, Zhang was visibly unhappy at the stoppage and seemed reluctant to accept the result. She made a number of comments about the defeat in the following months, including a claim that Namajunas made disparaging comments about her in the build-up in order to turn the fans against the-then strawweight queen, as well as a suggestion that Chris Weidman’s leg break played a part in the result.

    However, Zhang’s response to her November setback couldn’t have been more different, despite the incredibly tight nature of it. That positive attitude was clear in a recent interview with People Magazine in China. “Magnum” claimed the defeat has provided her with an opportunity to learn and grow, something she says has built a “new me.”

    “Failure is not a bad thing for us. It’s a beginning for us to learn and become stronger. Now I start anew. I’m a new me. A new ‘Beijing Drifter’. I will keep grinding for my dream.”

    Despite back-to-back losses, Zhang insists she has no regrets about her UFC 268 performance and is not at a low point in her career. Instead, “Magnum” believes she’s on an upwards surge, and is solely focused on accomplishing her goals when she returns to the Octagon this year.

    “I don’t think I’m at a low point right now,” Zhang said. “I think I’m at the point of a final sprint, a point of sprinting upwards.

    “There’s no need to regret the past or worry about the future. Just focus on accomplishing every single thing in the present. Eat well when it’s time to eat. Train hard when it’s time to train. Do your best at whatever it is you are doing and the future will not be too bad.” (h/t South China Morning Post)

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CYNUcz2pBP1/

    While her next opponent is yet to be decided, Zhang is seemingly working hard to get back to her best for her next outing. In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Eddie Cha recently revealed Zhang will be returning to the Fight Ready gym in the next few weeks.

    When she does begin training again with the likes of Cha and Henry Cejudo, we can expect a fight announcement to come relatively quickly, perhaps in the form of a rematch against Jędrzejczyk.

    Do you think Zhang Weili will bounce back to the title in the coming months and years?

  • Rose Namajunas Says She Needed To Lose To Carla Esparza In 2014

    Strawweight champion Rose Namajunas recently reflected on her loss to former champion Carla Esparza in an interview with UFC’s “Run It Back” series on Youtube.

    In 2014, Namajunas and Esparaza made it to the final round of the TUF 20 finale, where they held the inaugural strawweight championship. There, Esparza became the first strawweight champion in the company’s history, submitting Namajunas in the third round via rear-naked choke.

    This was just the 22-year-old’s second loss in her fourth professional fight, but with it being on the biggest stage, she has learned a lot from the loss and reflected on it again recently.

    “Man, I just had to stop being an a**hole. No I mean, not that, but just like be, have self-awareness you know what I mean like, I was just kinda floating through life and just no direction with anything. I needed a piece of the humble pie, ya know,” said Namajunas.

    Since her title loss to Esparza in 2014, Namajunas went on to win six of her next seven fights, while capturing the strawweight title in 2017 as she TKO’d Joanna Jędrzejczyk in dramatic fashion at UFC 217. Her first title defense would be another rematch victory over Jędrzejczyk via unanimous decision at UFC 223.

    Namajunas would taste defeat for the first time nearly three years later from her last loss as she was slammed unconscious by former champion, Jéssica Andrade. Again, Rose was victorious in their rematch over a year later at UFC 251.

    The Zhang Weili Chapter

    Rose Namajunas Zhang Weili
    Photo via Instagram @espnmma

    Zhang Weili secured the strawweight title as she made quick work of Andrade for what would have been Andrade’s first and only title defense as she TKO’d Andrade in under a minute in her home country of China. Weili’s first title defense would be a fight against Namajunas.

    Namajunas showed improvements in her game again and rose to the occasion, as she TKO’d Weili in the first round at UFC 261, securing the title for her second time. Namajunas would then defeat Zhang again at UFC 268 and is a perfect 3-0 in rematches.

    The next rematch for Namajunas is the one with Esparza, which is what Namajunas and the UFC are eyeing as they are working on making that fight official. Esparza is currently on a five-fight win streak and boasts an impressive 18-6 record. And she, too, would of course love to secure UFC gold again.

    Who do you think will win the rematch between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza?

  • Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza 2 Is “100 Percent” Next Per Dana White

    According to Dana White, the next strawweight title bout is in the works.

    Rose Namajunas is quickly proving that she could be the long-term face of the UFC’s strawweight division. She has now defended her title and already has her next opponent lined up.

    According to UFC President Dana White, Namajunas’ next title challenger will be none other than the first strawweight champion, Carla Esparza.

    “Carla Esparza (is next),” White told ESPN. “100 percent.”

    This should not come as a shock since Namajunas has been asking for Esparza since her win and vice versa. Esparza is currently on a five-fight winning streak. Her last win came over Yan Xiaonan in May. Since then, Esparza has been waiting for her shot at the belt. Now, her time is coming, and the bout with Namajunas will be a familiar one.

    Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas
    Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas In 204

    Namajunas and Esparza were both members of The Ultimate Fighter Season 20. Both made it to the finale, and it was Esparza who walked away with the win over Namajunas and the belt wrapped around her waist. She later lost the belt to Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

    Namajunas’s skills have grown immensely in the years after her first fight with Esparza. Since this loss, she has had 11 fights in the UFC and has finished five of those opponents.

    Since Esparza lost her title, Namajunas has won it, lost it, and won it again. She is continuing to prove that she is one of the best in the world at 115 pounds. She now holds wins over every other former strawweight champion except Esparza. If she can beat Esparza, perhaps she can claim the title of UFC strawweight GOAT.

    Do you think Carla Esparza will have what it takes to dethrone Rose Namajunas when they meet for the second time?

  • Zhang Weili Agrees With Judges’ Decision In Namajunas Rematch

    Former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili agrees with the judges’ verdict at UFC 268, which saw Rose Namajunas retain her title by way of a split decision.

    In 2021, Zhang has seen the 115-pound gold taken from her possession, her 21-fight win streak snapped, and has fallen to consecutive losses for the first time in her career. Her kryptonite has been the only woman in UFC history to regain a belt, “Thug Rose.”

    After a shocking first-round knockout at UFC 261 in April dethroned “Magnum” and ascended Namajunas back to the top of the strawweight mountain, the stage was set for a blockbuster rematch inside Madison Square Garden on November 6.

    Across a competitive five rounds, both women had moments of success on the feet and periods of control on the ground. The first half of the contest went well for the challenger, but Namajunas came on strong in the championship rounds. After 25 minutes of action, the result went to the scorecards, where the champ saw two tallies of 49-46 and 48-47 fall in her favor.

    Zhang Sees No Controversy In UFC 268 Result

    After their first contest ended with a brutal head kick and a flurry of punches on the ground, Zhang strongly protested referee Keith Peterson’s decision to step in. While she may have seen some controversy in that result, “Magnum” knows there was none the second time around.

    Discussing the rematch in an interview with Migu, the Chinese star admitted she agreed with the decision to award Namajunas the win, citing her fading cardio in the fifth round as the reason she couldn’t regain her title.

    “I think yes, I agree with (the decision). Because I did have cardio issues in the last round. It came down to the last round to determine a winner. This was very important.” (h/t South Morning China Post)

    Zhang’s next step is uncertain. While she’s targeting a clash with the surging former champ Carla Esparza, most, including Namajunas, believe “Cookie Monster” has done enough to earn a title shot.

    If Namajunas and Esparza do run it back, “Magnum” could feature in a rematch of her own with Joanna Jędrzejczyk. The Polish star has set her sights on a return to the Octagon in March or April 2022, and while she’s keen to fight for gold, recently said she won’t wait for the champion if she isn’t ready.

    How did you score Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili 2 at UFC 268?

  • Zhang Weili Says Grief From First Namajunas Loss Was Almost Unbearable

    Zhang Weili is taking some time to reflect on her mindset.

    Zhang Weili is coming off her second consecutive loss to Rose Namajunas. Even though she lost twice to the champ, she feels as if she has grown from the experiences. Her first loss to Namajunas back in April seemed to have had a profound effect on her. She spoke a bit about how she felt following that first bout on her Instagram page.

    “After the first fight, when it ended that fast, the grief I felt inside was almost unbearable,” Zhang said. “Think about it, we went to a place that far and brought the whole team then the fight ended as soon as it started. It was agony. It was still painful after we got back. It felt then I could be alright at one moment, like, it is what it is. Then sometimes I’d think about it again and it still hurts, I still struggle to accept it.”

    After that first bout with Namajunas, Zhang did a lot to change up her game. She began training with former UFC champion Henry Cejudo and even began some mindest training. She incorporated boo simulation to help her cope with the hostile crowds. She seems to have grown as a fighter in the time between the two fights.

    “I gained a whole new understanding of the sport. That’s when I feel like my mindset and everything else changed for real. I find that if you don’t go through those failures, setbacks, and losses you will never be able to grow,” Zhang said. “After I finally experienced it then I think back on everything I’ve been through in the past it felt like I grew up all of a sudden. When you finally get it, you feel enlightened.”

    It is unclear where Zhang will go from here with these two losses so fresh. She is still one of the best in the strawweight division and could be matched up with anyone in the top five. Some are interested in seeing her rematch Joanna Jędrzejczyk next. Either way, Zhang should be a big part of the UFC 115 pound division for some time, and perhaps she can work her way back up to a trilogy fight with Namajunas.

    Do you think Zhang Weili can ever become UFC champion again?