Namajunas Unsure About Fighting Career: “Maybe I’ll Never Do This Again”
After being away for over a year from Octagon, fight fans wondered we might see a better of Rose Namajunas who dethroned former division’s champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk last year.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for ‘Thug Rose’ last night (Sat., May 11, 2019) at UFC 237 PPV event from inside Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Namajunas dominated throughout the first round even busted her opponent’s eye in the process. At the end of the first frame, Rose landed a knee that sent Andrade to the canvas. Jessica returns the favor and landed a brutal slam that knocked Rose out cold in the second round.
In her post-fight interview with TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter, Namajunas said she feels a load of weight is off her shoulders after losing her title. She also hints that this might be the end of her fighting career. (h/t MMAMania)
”It’s just a huge pressure, you always got to obsess about everything,” she said about the belt. “I think what it is, is prior to becoming a champ you put a lot of importance on getting the belt and all that stuff. It is important, but it’s only kind of financially important. Really, at the end of the day, it’s all about facing your fears and to me, I realized once I’ve become a champ and defending the belt, having the belt itself is … it’s cool, but it doesn’t mean as much as I think people put meaning on it.”
”It’s just a materialistic thing that ends up controlling your life, and really, it’s like … I went out there and had fun and I challenged myself. I have some many other things to look forward to. It’s just a part of me and it’s an accomplishment. Maybe I’ll get it again, maybe I won’t. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll never do this again. We’ll see.”
Rose Namajunas reflects on her time as strawweight champion and hints that retirement may be an option and a possible instant rematch could also be in the cards. pic.twitter.com/wLc18He71T
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 12, 2019
‘Thug Rose’ didn’t lose her confidence after UFC 237 loss but said the outcome of a rematch would be way different.
“I definitely know I can beat her,” she said. “I just have to make sure that I want to and I want to do this.”
At the UFC 237 post-fight presser Namajunas once again hints at the retirement.
”I just want to do something else with my life right now,” she said. “I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m not going to make any decisions right now. I don’t know. It was just … hard to keep having fun with this.”
“I made it a point, a big motivation for me is to not waste my potential and stuff,” Namajunas said when asked if she’d be happy with her legacy if she retired now. “But maybe I should have said instead of ‘not waste my potential,’ like, ‘reach my potential.’ Like shoot for the top. Instead of kind of a negative thing. But I know if I sit down and think about it with some time, I’ll figure out mentally where I messed up. I already kind of know some of the reasons.”
Do you think Rose Namajunas will fight again?
