Rose Namajunas makes history as she wins the UFC strawweight title for the 2nd time

Over the years the sport of mixed martial arts has seen a variety of champions come and go. Some hold the belt for years, some lose it in their first title defense, and some may even lose the belt and come back to reclaim their throne years later. This past weekend, mixed martial arts fans across the globe witnessed history as Rose Namajunas became the first woman to win a title twice in her career. Rose faced off against Zhang Weili to regain the strawweight title that she had lost to Jessica Andrade in 2019.

Rose facing off with former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk

            Rose became a fan favorite after winning the title against long time strawweight queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Joanna, known for her aggressive kickboxing and savage mentality seemed like an unstoppable force during her reign as champion. Due to her dominance in the octagon and the challenging spelling and pronunciation of her last name, she was referred to as Joanna Champion or simply “the boogeywoman” by most fans and analysts of the sport. As they face off, Joanna is pushing forward, trying to get past UFC President Dana White to get closer to her adversary. Both women were talking to each other, but their words were drowned by the excitement of the crowd. Joanna continued yelling at rose, reaching towards her with wild hand gestures, bringing an intimidating level of intensity. Rose met her ferocity with a different energy. Standing there looking stoic and emotionless, rose stared into her eyes, with her mouth moving in the same pattern, as if she was repeating a mantra to herself. When commentator Joe Rogan asked her what she was saying to the champion, she simply replied “I’m just saying the lords prayer” without ever breaking eye contact with Joanna. When further questioned about the significance of this fight, “Thug” Rose replied, “It means everything to me. It means standing up for myself and what I believe in.” Coming into the fight as a +350 underdog, Rose ended up knocking out Joanna in the first round.

Rose defeating Joanna to claim the strawweight title for the first time

“I just want to use my gift of martial arts to change the world.” Namajunas said as she held back tears. “This belt don’t mean nothin’, man! Just be a good person, that’s it. “ When asked how it felt to win the belt, she said “I feel like a normal person man, that’s it I’m just regular.” She would go on to beat Joanna again in her first title defense, solidifying her position as the champion.

Jessica Andrade slamming rose on her head to win the UFC strawweight title

Unfortunately, Rose went on to lose her next fight in devastating fashion. Facing off against Brazilian powerhouse Jessica Andrade, Rose was knocked out in the second round when Andrade managed to pick her up and slam her on her head. Rose took a long layoff and spoke extensively about regaining her confidence and self-belief. She came back to win a decision over Andrade in their rematch, out-boxing the Brazilian brawler.

Joanna before (left) and after (right) her legendary fight with Zhang Weili

In her next fight, Andrade was dethroned by Chinese star Zhang Weili. Knocking out Andrade in the first round and then defeating Joanna in a back and forth war that was recognized as “fight of the year”, Weili was considered Rose’s toughest challenge of her career. Once again, Rose came in as the underdog with most MMA broadcasts doubting her ability to beat the dominant champion.

Rose winning her belt back at UFC 261

As both fighters are standing in their corners, Rose is staring across the octagon at Weili, repeating, “I’m the best, I’m the best…” over and over again. At 1:18 of the first round, Rose threw a head kick that landed flush and dropped Weili. Rose immediately jumped on her and finished with some hammerfists until the referee stopped the fight. Overcome with emotion, Rose is crying and her hands are shaking as the belt is wrapped around her waist. As Joe Rogan comes to interview her about the fight, he asks her to explain why she was repeating “I’m the best” to herself as the fight began. A beaming smile makes its way through Rose’s tears as she replies, “I am the best”.

Poughkeepsie MMA fans feel Rose’s joy as she smiles through her tears

 Perhaps it’s her humility in the face of victory, or maybe the way she overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds time and time again, but in these moments many people see a piece of themselves in Rose and identify with her journey. Maybe it’s because she is never ashamed to share how she’s feeling or what she’s going through. She wears her emotions on her sleeve and reminds us that fear and doubt are both just a part of the human experience. Rose is not only a gifted combatant but someone who everyone can draw inspiration from. She has an uncanny ability to portray her emotion through the screen, to bring audience members along for a ride past their own self-doubt and criticism, pushing through the tears and tough times to relish in the joy of achievement. Even if just for a brief moment, Rose connected us all to the figurative champion that lives in our hearts and pushes us to strive for our dreams every day.

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Want to learn to have a championship mentality like Rose? Come start your martial arts journey today at the Hudson Valley’s premiere mixed martial arts academy Precision Boxing and MMA. Call us at (845)392-8495 or click HERE to get started today!

About the Author:

Oliver Swanson is a student at Precision Boxing and MMA, and has practicing martial arts since 2016. He is a lifelong Hudson Valley resident and has a passion for both the physical practice and the philosophy behind martial arts. He is a personal fitness trainer and teaches boxing classes throughout the week at Precision.