Rose Namajunas is entering the final stretch of her UFC 324 training camp with a renewed focus on where her fighting journey began.
Originally scheduled to meet former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso, Namajunas saw her plans altered when Grasso withdrew because of injury. The opening was filled by Natália Silva, the current No. 2 ranked contender at flyweight, setting up a stylistic matchup that prompted Namajunas to adjust her approach.
The bout is set for January 24 at UFC 324.
Returning to familiar territory
Speaking on her YouTube channel, Namajunas explained that the change in opponent encouraged her to lean back into the martial art that shaped her earliest development.
“We have three weeks of training camp left, so I’m very excited,” Namajunas said. “We have this girl, Kristina Teachout that’s coming in town. She’s a taekwondo bronze medalist, Olympian taekwondo practitioner. And so I’m very excited because obviously I’m fighting Natália Silva, so she’s got that taekwondo base and everything like that. And she adapts it for MMA very well.”
Namajunas and Silva share similar foundations, both having trained extensively in taekwondo before transitioning fully into mixed martial arts. While Silva often showcases that background in her fights, Namajunas acknowledged that her own style has evolved in a different direction.
“But even myself, that’s my base too. I just don’t use it as much as she does. I rely on my boxing a lot, but I want to get back in touch with my roots.”
Skill growth over imitation
Rather than asking Teachout to replicate Silva’s movements, Namajunas emphasized that the goal is broader development rather than mimicry.
“We’re just kind of bringing her in just to kind of help with that and get my kind of dexterity up with my kicks and stuff and reaction and timing and everything like that.”
The former strawweight champion made it clear that this approach aligns with how she views martial arts as a whole.
“I don’t plan on her mimicking Natalia by any means, but I’m just a true martial artist. I feel like everything helps and everything can be applied if you have the imagination for it.”
Now competing in the flyweight division, Namajunas continues to blend experience with experimentation as her career progresses. With championship history behind her and a new challenge ahead, her focus appears to be on refinement rather than reinvention.
As the final weeks of camp unfold, her hope is simple.
“I just pray everything goes according to plan and everything goes smooth and whatnot.”
UFC 324 will reveal how this return to foundational techniques translates when she steps into the cage against one of the division’s most dynamic contenders.
