“Snoozefest last time” – Rose Namajunas unsure whether fans would like another rendition of Carla Esparza title fight
Follow Us
Rose Namajunas (L) and Carla Esparza (R)
Fan perceptions change very fast in the UFC – from being adored at one point, to absolutely detested at another. And, there is no better testament to that than Rose Namajunas.
When Rose Namajunas stepped into the octagon in May this year, fans expected her to dominate, or even finish off Carla Esparza within the stipulated time. Coming off of a decision victory over Weili Zhang, the American was deemed to be a -235 favourite heading into her second title defense.
That, however, was not to be as the two women tried to outpoint each other for the best part of 25 minutes, with hardly any shots being landed, or any potential to score it decisively for either side. At the end of the fight, two judges gave the bout to Esparza, which rang her in as the new strawweight champion. Reflecting the nature of the performance, her post-fight octagon interview was mired with boos.
Now, after around six months, Rose Namajunas has spoken about her wanting a trilogy fight with Carla Esparza. She said, to SI, “Of course, I would [want a third fight against Esparza], I don’t know if I’d want to subject the fans to that. It was a snoozefest last time. But if that opportunity comes up, I would love that.“
Rose Namajunas talks of her road back to the title
To be precise, this is the same Namajunas we are talking of, who head-kick TKO’d Weili Zhang in emphatic fashion to win the strawweight belt in the first public event for the UFC since Covid-19.
However, she is still one of the best strikers in women’s MMA, and although her climb to the top might be a little steep; if anyone, she can get it done. She also has a new documentary that will air soon, which delves deep into her struggles, which she has been quite honest about.
Also Read- “Making a critical mistake” – When Joe Rogan saved a SH*T TALKING fan from Leon Edwards
Speaking about it, she said, “I don’t have a rockstar lifestyle, but I’ve always been someone who’s been able to bounce back,” Namajunas says. “People tell me they find inspiration from that. The biggest challenge for me was opening up. It’s hard to let that go and be yourself. But my story can help a lot of people. It’s worth it if I can help inspire one person.”
Namajunas says she will ‘be watching’ the strawweight title fight at UFC 281 – where two of her rivals, Zhang and Esparza battle for the throne. If “Thug” is able to extract any of the immense talent she has to offer in her fights in the immediate future – she can find herself holding the title yet again.
UFC 281 is shaping out to be a great card – apart from the Adesanya vs Pereira bout, the women’s strawweight title bout is bound to let sparks fly as well.
Stay Updated!
Udayan Mukherjee
(382 Articles Published)