BJJ

Rose “Thug” Namajunas - Former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion

Rose “Thug” Namajunas - Former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion
Table of content
1. Rose Namajunas’ Details 2. Rose Namajunas’s Biography 2.1. Rose Namajunas’s Early Life 2.2. Named After Namajunas’s Grandmother 2.3. Wrestling Background 2.4. Namajunas and Other Martial Arts 2.5. Grew Up in a Rough Neighborhood 2.6. Became a Beacon of Light By Telling Her Own Story 2.7. Thug Rose: Mixed Martial Artist - Documentary 2.8. Cross-Country Runner 2.9. Religious and Political Beliefs 2.10. Snag with Zhang Weili 2.11. Personal Life 3. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Journey 3.1. Started BJJ at a Young Age 3.2. Bout Against Danielle Kelly 3.3. Fury Pro Grappling 6 3.4. ADCC Denver Open Trials 4. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Career 4.1. MMA Debut 4.2. King of the Cage Career 4.3. Invicta FC Career 4.4. The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned 5. Rose Namajunas’s UFC Career 5.1. Epic Win Against Angela Hill 5.2. UFC Fight Night Title Fight 5.3. UFC on Fox 5.4. UFC 201 5.5. UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion 5.6. First Title Defense Fight 5.7. Losing the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship Belt 5.8. Becoming UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Again and Controversy with Zhang Weili 5.9. Second Title Defense Fight 5.10. Losing the UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Title Again 6. Rose Namajunas’s Upcoming Fight 6.1. Joanne Calderwood’s Views 6.2. Date of the Fight 6.3. Manon Fiorot’s Views on the Upcoming Fight 7. Mention Mackenzie Calls Out Rose Namajunas 8. Rose Namajunas’s Fighting Style 9. Rose Namajunas’s Historic Fights 9.1. Rose Namajunas Vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk Fíght History: 9.2. Rose Namajunas Vs. Jessica Andrade Fight History: 9.3. Rose Namajunas Vs. Zhang Weili Fight History: 9.4. Rose Namajunas Vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk Fight History: 10. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Accomplishments 10.1. ADCC Denver Open Trials 11. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Professional Record Breakdown 11.1. Submission W/L Methods 12. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Fight History 13. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Top Fight Links 14. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Championships 14.1. Invicta FC 14.2. Crypto.com 14.3. Fighter of the Year 14.4. Upset of the Year 14.5. Submission of the Year 14.6. Knockout of the Year 14.7. Fight of the Year 14.8. Fight of the Month 14.9. Year’s Most Violent 14.10. Magazine Mentions 14.11. Ultimate Fighting Championship 15. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Career Statistics 16. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Professional Record Breakdown 17. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Fight History 17.1. Exhibition Record Breakdown Fight History: 17.2. Amateur Record Breakdown Fight History: 18. Rose Namajunas’s Worldwide MMA Rankings 19. Rose Namajunas’s Pay Per View Bouts 20. Rose Namajunas’s Top Fight Links

1. Rose Namajunas’ Details

Rose Namajunas’ Details
Name Rose Gertrude Namajunas
Nickname “Thug”
Born Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Date of Birth June 29, 1992
Nationality American
College Milwaukee High School of the Arts
Last Fight UFC 274 on May 7, 2022
Last Weigh In Strawweight
Weight Class Strawweight
Weight 52 kg / 115 lbs
Height 5’5’’
Disclosed Career Earning Approximately $1.5 Million
Fighting out of Denver, Colorado, United States
Foundational Style Mixed Martial Arts
Reach 65 inches
Stance Orthodox
Rank Black Belt in Taekwondo, Black Belt in Karate & Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
BJJ Black Belt Awarded by Tony Basile
Trainer Trevor Wittman, Pat Barry & Greg Nelson
Lineage Mitsuyo Maeda > Carlos Gracie Sr. > Hélio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr. > Tony Basile > Rose Namajunas
Team Association 303 Training Center (2016 - 2020)
Grudge Training Center (2012 - 2016)
Minnesota Martial Arts Academy Roufusport (2011 - 2012)

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2. Rose Namajunas’s Biography

Rose Namajunas is an American MMA fighter who fights in the strawweight division at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is the former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion. In November 2022, Namajunas was ranked second in the UFC women's strawweight rankings. Then, in June 2023, Namajunas was ranked fourth in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. Having Lithuanian heritage, Namajunas demonstrates her cultural roots through her mental fortitude.

2.1. Rose Namajunas’s Early Life

Namajunas was born on June 29, 1992, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. Her parents came from Lithuania. Though Namajunas lives in the United States, she often visits Lithuania to connect with her roots.

2.2. Named After Namajunas’s Grandmother

Namajunas was named after her great-grandmother, Rožė Gotšalkienė Namajūnienė. Namajunas’s great-grandfather was an independent military officer.

2.3. Wrestling Background

Namajunas’s grandfather, Algimantas Andriukonis, was an accomplished wrestler who won multiple national championships. Andriukonis was Namajunas’s hero as she practically watched her grandfather practice and train helped inspire her love for martial arts.

2.4. Namajunas and Other Martial Arts

Namajunas started taekwondo when she was only five years old and received a junior black belt, or a poom belt, when she turned nine. Wrestling was the first martial art Namajunas became acquainted with which led her to become a wrestler during her time at Milwaukee High School. Later on, Namajunas became interested in karate, followed shortly by a desire to learn BJJ. Being a very active and athletic child, she gave MMA a try by attending Roufusport Jiu Jitsu and training under Duke Roufus.

2.5. Grew Up in a Rough Neighborhood

Rose grew up in a dysfunctional family. Her father had schizophrenia, which caused him to leave his family while Namajunas was still a child. Namajunas’s mother worked to support her and her brother Nojus. She worked alone for the betterment of Namajunas and her brother. Rose’s mother was a pianist who trained at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. Namajunas was only 16 when her father died in Germany due to pneumonia. She also was often  bullied at her school and around her neighborhood. Namajunas was often alone because her mother was often busy working and her older brother, Nojus, was rarely ever at home. Namajunas was still a young child when she got her nickname, “Thug Rose.” She got this nickname for being the only white girl in her neighborhood who was not afraid to fight wherever she wanted. She was not a weak girl like other girls of her age.

“Yeah, I had my angry moments. I wasn’t always the nicest person, either. I definitely have always been one for being to myself and trying not to let my negativity affect other people. I was kind of a loner growing up. A lot of times my best friend was my dog.”

(Rose Namajunas)

2.6. Became a Beacon of Light By Telling Her Own Story

Namajunas faced child sexual abuse. She never liked to talk about it and didn’t give any details whenever asked. In 2022, Namajunas decided to talk about her child abuse story when a film producer Marius Markevicius approached her. Markevicius tried to contact Namajunas five years ago but Namajunas never felt that she should be able to talk about her demons. Finally in 2022, she allowed Markevicius to make a documentary on her life that covered aspects of her personal as well as professional MMA journey.


She said, “I’m just very grateful that Marius was so patient with me and persistent and persevered through the whole thing” when Namajunas didn’t like to talk about her abuse story. Markevicius is famous for his documentary on the Lithuanian Olympic basketball team. Markevicius wanted to go deeper and cover even those aspects of Namajunas life that are hidden from the public, the aspects that made Namajunas what she is today.

The reason why Namajunas accepted Markevicius’ offer was because she was inspired by his documentary film, “The Other Dream Team”.

2.7. Thug Rose: Mixed Martial Artist - Documentary

The only reason Namajunas agreed on the documentary was that she wanted to help people like her, “If I can help some little kid or whatever that might be dealing with something like that, or even adults that dealt with that in their past, that makes it all the more worth it. You can move on from things and you can make a tragedy into something beautiful and do something positive with any of our suffering”. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Namajunas is a hope for people who suffer and a guiding light for those who fight their demons and emerge victorious.

“I hope that people will take away the fact that what you say is very important. Words are powerful and you can do anything you set your mind to as long as it's within God’s will for you and you’re living right, you’re going to ultimately come out on top. Even if you have to go through some down parts, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. There’s always something that can be made from almost anything.”

(Rose Namajunas)

The documentary named, “Thug Rose: Mixed Martial Artist”, was released on November 9, 2022 on UFC Fight Pass.

2.8. Cross-Country Runner

Despite being an excellent MMA fighter, Namajunas focused on her studies and graduated from Milwaukee High School of Arts. Her time as a cross-country runner at this institute contributed to the development of Namajunas’s explosive fighting style.

2.9. Religious and Political Beliefs

Namajunas is a Christian and has a political stance against communism. The main reason for her anti-communist view is because of the unjust arrest of her great-grandfather, Juozas. Juozas was forced to be part of the Red Army. When Juozas left the Red Army, he was arrested by the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, sent to a prison camp, and later killed by KGM agents in 1968. Namajunas parents were Lithuanian immigrants that were forced to evacuate from Lithuania to save themselves and their children from the oppression of the Red Army.

2.10. Snag with Zhang Weili

Snag with Zhang Weili
Photo Credits: @sportsmanor

Namajunas had no personal beef with UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion, Zhang Weili. Before her fight with UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili, Namajunas said that this match was “a fight between communism and freedom”. Namajunas believed that Weili was a communist, claiming that “Weili is red” and “represents communism” because of which Namajunas said, “Better dead than red”. When asked about Namajunas's reason to enter the MMA world, Namajunas replied the documentary, The Other Dream Team best expressed her thoughts.

"Good idea as to what my family had to go through, the reason I'm in the United States today, the reason that I do mixed martial arts, all of that stuff."

(Rose Namajunas)

In an interview, Namajunas admitted that she didn’t mean any hate towards Weili. Weili responded by saying that athletes must focus on themselves. The stir caused by Namajunas’s words faded almost as quickly as it started.

2.11. Personal Life

Namajunas is engaged to the former Glory and UFC heavyweight fighter Pat Barry. Barry is an MMA instructor who helps his fiance with training. Namajunas first met Barry at Duke Roufus’s gym, where Namajunas currently trains. The two became engaged in 2014.


Nojus Namajunas, Rose’s brother, also trains in MMA. He made his MMA debut in March 2021.


Aside from MMA, Namajunas also plays piano as she has been practicing since she was five years old. She often shaves her hair to make it easier for her to focus on improving her fighting strategies.

3. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Journey

3.1. Started BJJ at a Young Age

Namajunas was under 10 years old when she started BJJ training. Though she was more into taekwondo at the time, she still made time to improve her grappling skills.

3.2. Bout Against Danielle Kelly

Namajunas was scheduled to compete against ONE Championship elite woman fighter Danielle Kelly in December 2021 at Fury Pro Grappling 3 tournament. Unfortunately, Namajunas tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw from the fight. Carla Esparza then took Namajunas’s place.

3.3. Fury Pro Grappling 6

At the Fury Pro Grappling 6, Namajunas lost to Gillian Robertson, a Canadian MMA fighter, via a rear naked choke in the first round. Namajunas tried hard to get out of the choke but Robertson had set the submission so perfectly that Namajunas had no way to escape it.

3.4. ADCC Denver Open Trials

ADCC Denver Open Trials
Photo Credits: @adcc_official

In the 2023 ADCC Denver Open Trials, Namajunas competed in the women's absolute and under 60 kg weight divisions. She won third place and received a bronze medal.

4. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Career

4.1. MMA Debut

Namajunas made her MMA and flyweight division (125 lbs) debut at the North American Fight Championship - Relentless on August 7, 2010. Though a teenager at the time, Namajunas managed to defeat her opponent, Melissa Pacheco, in the first round within just two minutes and 51 seconds via TKO punches.

4.2. King of the Cage Career

Near the end of 2011, Namajunas began her King of the Cage career. Her first fight was at the King of the Cage - Winter Warriors against Heather Bassett in the flyweight division on December 10, 2011. Namajunas won the fight via unanimous decision. 30-28, 30-27 and 29-28. It was Namajunas’ flyweight bout.


At the King of the Cage - March Mania on March 17, 2012, Namajunas defeated Moriel Charneski via unanimous decision. At the King of the Cage - Trump Card, Namajunas defeated Jen Aniano via TKO head kicks and punches on June 30, 2012. It was a strawweight bout. After three consecutive wins at the King of the Cage, Namajunas got the opportunity to sign a three-fight contract with Invicta FC.

4.3. Invicta FC Career

Invicta FC is a women’s mixed martial arts tournament. The owners of the fighting tournament, Janet Martin and Shannon Knapp, felt a dire need to promote MMA that solely focused on female fighters. According to Namajunas, she and the other fighters were treated very well by Invicta FC, stating that “they treat us all like queens”. At Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt, Namajunas submitted Emily Kagan via a rear naked choke and won “Submission of the Night” at her strawweight division debut. Namajunas was excited that she won via submission despite being exhausted in the third round as athletes eventually get tired. But it was Namajunas’ love for grappling and MMA that she got the submission in record time.

“So it’s extremely satisfying because I wanted to get the finish. One of the gratifying moments of that fight was that it was a finish, and it was my first submission win, so that was cool.”

(Rose Namajunas)

On April 5, 2013, at Invicta FC: Penne vs. Waterson, Namajunas submitted Kathina Catron via a flying armbar within the first 12 seconds of the first round and earned “Submission of the Night” for her spectacular victory. On July 13, 2013, at Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg, Namajunas lost the fight to Tecia Torres via unanimous decision. The bout lasted for three rounds but Torres earned more points due to her impressive performance.

4.4. The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned

After three fights, Namajunas’s contract with Invicta FC ended and she moved on to the Ultimate Fighter Championship aka TUF. Namajunas won three consecutive exhibition fights via submission at The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned.


During the first fight, Namajunas submitted Alex Chambers via a rear naked choke.The second was conducted on August 6, 2014, the second fight ended with Namajunas submitting Joanne Calderwood via kimura in the second round. On August 14, 2014, at her third fight of the tournament, Namajunas submitted Randa Markos via kimura in the first round.


On December 12, 2014, a bout was organized by The Ultimate Fighter, The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale, for the inaugural UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. Unfortunately, Namajunas lost the bout to Carla Esparza via a rear naked choke. This fight was Namajunas’s one and only submission loss.

5. Rose Namajunas’s UFC Career

5.1. Epic Win Against Angela Hill

At UFC 192, Namajunas was scheduled to compete against Angela Hill in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Hill is currently ranked 15th in the UFC women’s strawweight rankings. Being a tough competitor, Hill was all the way ready to finish the fight via submission. However, Namajunas submitted Hill via a rear naked choke in the first round.

5.2. UFC Fight Night Title Fight

After Namajunas’s victory at UFC 192 conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, she was awarded a title fight with Paige VanZant at UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant. Namajunas submitted VanZant via a rear naked choke in the fifth round and won the “Performance of the Night” award.

5.3. UFC on Fox

After Namajunas’s first loss to the American MMA fighter, Tecia Torres, she dreamed for the chance at a rematch. On April 16, 2016 in Tampa, Florida, at UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans, Namajunas defeated Torres via unanimous decision.


On April 15, 2017, at UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Reis, Namajunas submitted Michelle Waterson via her favorite submission rear naked choke in the second round.

5.4. UFC 201

At UFC 201, Karolina Kowalkiewicz beat Namajunas via split decision. However, Namajunas won “Fight of the Night”for her striking performance.

5.5. UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion

Joanna Jędrzejczyk is a Polish MMA fighter, muay thai kick boxer, and former UFC Women's Strawweight Champion. At UFC 217, Namajunas defeated Jędrzejczyk via TKO punches and became the UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion for the first time. Namajunas also won “Performance of the Night” honors on her epic win.

5.6. First Title Defense Fight

At UFC 217, Namajunas won the UFC strawweight champion title from Jędrzejczyk. At UFC 223, Jędrzejczyk fought against Namajunas to try and get her belt back. ,But little did she know that Namajunas was going to keep the belt for a longer time. Namajunas defeated Jędrzejczyk via unanimous decision and defended her championship belt.

She competed against Namajunas two times in the UFC and lost both times. At UFC 217, Namajunas won the fight via TKO punches and at UFC 223, Namajunas won via unanimous decision.

5.7. Losing the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship Belt

At UFC 237, Namajunas lost her championship belt to Jessica Andrade in the second round via a KO slam. Namajunas still won “Fight of the Night” for her execution of techniques.

5.8. Becoming UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Again and Controversy with Zhang Weili

On April 24, 2021, Namajunas returned to the Octagon to win her title belt back. Despite her recent controversy with Weili on some political platform, Namajunas fought respectfully with her opponent at all times at UFC 261. She defeated Weili via a KO head kick in the first round and once again became the UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion.

5.9. Second Title Defense Fight

Namajunas appeared at UFC 268 to defend her title from Weili. She defeated Weili via a split decision and kept her title belt. Though the fight was a tough one and it was hard to determine the winner, Namajunas's striking and grappling skills won out in the end and made her stance strong that resulted in her favor.

5.10. Losing the UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Title Again

To defend her championship title, Namajunas competed against Carla Esparza at UFC 274 on May 7, 2022. Namajunas was very charged for her fight as it was her defense title fight. She tried to land punches and jabs on Esparza, but Esparza, who is not a slow competitor, managed to dodge them. Esparza took Namajunas down onto the ground and landed multiple punches to her face. Namajunas used the ring as a support to get out of the hold. As Esparza initiated another takedown, Namajunas quickly stood up and knee-butted Esparza. The fight went on for three rounds until it ended with Esparza as the new UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion. Namajunas lost the bout and her championship belt via a split decision.

6. Rose Namajunas’s Upcoming Fight

Rose Namajunas’s Upcoming Fight
Photo Credits: @itn.wwe

Namajunas is scheduled to compete against French MMA fighter, Manon Fiorot, who competes in the UFC flyweight division. Fiorot is ranked number two in the UFC women’s flyweight rankings and number 11 in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. This fight will be in the flyweight bout, a weight division that Namajunas has never competed in at the UFC.

6.1. Joanne Calderwood’s Views

Upon hearing news of this fight, Namajunas ex-contender Joanne Calderwood, whom Namajunas defeated via kimura was shocked. Calderwood said,

“I was shocked at that [news]. I don’t know why she’s coming up, but she’s made that decision and I’m sure she’ll go with it and walk with it.”

Calderwood believes Namajunas will struggle in the flyweight division based on personal experience fighting tough opponents like Valerie Leourneau. Calderwood also went for the flyweight debut and faced some difficulties with the new weight class but managed to win against Letourneau. Calderwood also believes that Namajunas will have difficulty because Fiorot will likely be aware of Namajunas’s moves.

6.2. Date of the Fight

After Namajunas' defeat at the hands of Esparza, Namajunas decided to level-up the game. The fight was even called “the worst title fight in the history of UFC”. The fight between Namajunas and Fiorot will take place on September 2, 2023 at UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Spivac.

6.3. Manon Fiorot’s Views on the Upcoming Fight

Fiorot is an accomplished UFC fighter who knows her way around other champions. According to Fiorot, Namajunas isn’t ready to compete with her.

“I’m taller and stronger, and I’m pretty sure in a few months you can’t prepare well for a move up to flyweight. I don’t know. I think she took her time and prepared well, but I think I have a big advantage in power and size. I’m better in all the MMA disciplines: wrestling, standup and grappling, too. I think I have a big advantage physically, too.”

(Manon Fiorot)

Little does Fiorot know that Thug Rose doesn’t back off from her fights and comes all the way prepared to finish her opponents.

7. Mention Mackenzie Calls Out Rose Namajunas

Mackenzie Dern is a 3rd-degree BJJ black belt who is making waves in both MMA and BJJ. She is currently ranked number seven in UFC women’s strawweight division rankings. At the UFC Fight Night: Dern Vs. Hill, Dern defeated Angela Hill via unanimous decision, 49-43, 49-44, 49-44. This was the occasion when Dern was promoted to 3rd-degree BJJ black belt by her father and coach Wellington Megaton Dias. After the big victory, Dern said that she was now ready for a title fight. She called out Namajunas for the big fight. The fight would be worth-watching because Dern is famous for her mixture of grappling and striking while Namajunas is known for knockouts.

“I follow her on social media and stuff, and I saw her do an ADCC regional tournament or something like that. I’m a former ADCC champion, so I’m always happy when I see the MMA girls doing jiu-jitsu. But, for sure, fighting Rose is a priority of mine right now at this moment”.

(Mackenzie Dern)

Dern said, “I think it would be a great fight, it would be a main event, and a good test for both of us”. Dern is all the way ready to prove her worth once again after the epic fight with Hill.

“I don’t know what Rose is up to, but if she’s going to continue fighting, I want to fight Rose.”

(Mackenzie Dern)

8. Rose Namajunas’s Fighting Style

Namajunas uses precise strikes while maintaining distance between herself and her opponents. Her fast-paced fighting style has helped keep her away from her opponents’ savage attacks. Namajunas punches her opponents mostly with her right fist. She bends low and uses her whole body when throwing a punch. Shifting her entire mass into her punches helps her effectively knock out her opponents. Known for her fantastic submission game, Namajunas has submitted 5 of her opponents while losing only one bout via submission.


Namajunas has an extensive wrestling, taekwondo and karate record. Having a mixed fighting style gives Namajunas more options to dominate her opponents.

9. Rose Namajunas’s Historic Fights

9.1. Rose Namajunas Vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk

Fíght History:

At UFC 217, Namajunas competed against Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship belt for the very first time. Jędrzejczyk landed a leg kick and Namajunas responded with a jab and a low kick. Jędrzejczyk tried a roundhouse kick, but Namajunas managed to dodge and keep herself from falling.


Namajunas landed one jab on Jędrzejczyk’s face and knocked her onto the mat. Namajunas trapped her opponent along the ring and punched her multiple times in the face. Namajunas tagged Jędrzejczyk along the ring but eventually, Jędrzejczyk got free and got away from Namajunas’s deadly punches. Namajunas followed up with one strong punch to the face that laid Jędrzejczyk out on the mat. Namajunas punched her hard on the face. The knockout had such an impact on Jędrzejczyk that she tried to defend herself and landed a single punch on Namajunas. Jędrzejczyk tapped out and admitted defeat. Namajunas defeated Jędrzejczyk via TKO punches and became UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion and won the “Performance of the Night” award on her epic knockout victory.

9.2. Rose Namajunas Vs. Jessica Andrade

Fight History:

Being a BJJ black belt and experienced in vale tudo, Jessica Andrade proved to be an efficient and quick fighter. At UFC 251, Namajunas and Adrade faced off against each other and the fight was spectacular. Namajunas has been known to adapt to her opponent’s fighting style to better counter them with her own mixed fighting style. With Andrade, Namajunas was even faster with her punches and dodges, skillfully defending herself from Andrade’s strikes. Namajunas’s consecutive double punches forced Andrade to put distance between herself and Namajunas for a few seconds. Andrade then retaliated by pounding on Namajunas, which Namajunas responded with a hard jab to Andrade’s face. Andrade tried to take down Namajunas, but Namajunas’s knee strike forced Andrade to back off.


In the second round, Namajunas dominated with punches to Andrade’s face. At one point, Namajunas jumped towards Andrade, but the latter managed to dodge. This put Namajunas in a tough spot; luckily, she quickly returned to a safe position and escaped Andrade’s hard blows.

In the third round, Andrade punched Namajunas so hard that her nose started to bleed. After a couple of punches, Andrade initiated a single-leg takedown and threw Namajunas on the mat. Luckily, Namajunas defended herself and escaped the hold. In the end, Namajunas won the fight via split decision and was awarded “Fight of the Night.”

9.3. Rose Namajunas Vs. Zhang Weili

Fight History:

At UFC 261, Namajunas competed against Zhang Weili for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship belt. UFC 261 took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. At the start of the fight, Weili went on the offensive. She landed a low kick on Namajunas, followed by a jab. Namajunas defended herself and landed a jab on Weili’s face. Weili is famous for using her opponents' weight to catch them off guard and land jabs and kicks. Namajunas’s roundhouse kick (head kick) knocked Weili onto the mat. The early head kick and punches gave Namajunas the advantage in the title bout. Namajunas’s victory over Weili  caused a big stir in UFC. Because of her victory, Namajunas won “Fight of the Night” and the “MMA and UFC Upset of the Year” award. This was the second time Namajunas became the UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion.


When Namajunas was awarded the belt by Dana White, Joe Rogan, the American UFC Color commentator, stepped into the cage and asked how she felt after becoming the UFC Belt Champion. Nanajunas was emotional and, seeing her that way for the very first time, Rogan also became emotional during the interview. In a YouTube video, Rogan called her “champion of the f***king world.” Rogan also mentioned that Namajunas, after winning the UFC title for the first time, said, “We have to be better people. We gotta be nicer to each other.”

9.4. Rose Namajunas Vs. Joanna Jędrzejczyk

Fight History:

At UFC 223, Namajunas and Jędrzejczyk had a rematch, with Namajunas prepared to defend her title for the first time. During the fight, Jędrzejczyk’s techniques were fast and difficult to dodge. Jędrzejczyk’s performance was fueled by her frustration at losing her belt to Namajunas and the chance to get her belt back. Jędrzejczyk’s footwork was impeccable, forcing Namajunas to increase her speed. Namajunas went for a front kick that Jędrzejczyk dodged. Then, Namajunas punched Jędrzejczyk that startled her. Jędrzejczyk landed a couple of punches on Namajunas’s face, whereas Namajanas countered with her own punches that caught Jędrzejczyk off guard.


Namajunas eventually took down Jędrzejczyk and kept her from escaping. Namajunas defeated Jędrzejczyk via unanimous decision and managed to defend her championship belt. It was Namajunas punches that led to her victory via unanimous decision. It was the moment when Namajunas took down Jędrzejczyk and didn’t let her escape.Jędrzejczyk thought she had a great moment of punching Namajunas but it was the other way around. That key moment decided Namajunas’ victory.

10. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Accomplishments

Year Event Belt Position
2022 Fury Pro Grappling Brown N/A
2023 ADCC Denver Open Trials Brown 3rd

10.1. ADCC Denver Open Trials

Year Weight Division Medal
2023 Under 60 Kg Bronze Bronze Medal Icon
2023 Absolute Bronze Bronze Medal Icon

11. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Professional Record Breakdown

3 Matches 0 Wins 1 Losses 0 Draws
By Submissions 0 1 0
By Points 0 2 0
By Advantages 0 0 0
By Decision 0 0 0
By Penalties 0 0 0
By Others 0 0 0
Draws 0 0 0

11.1. Submission W/L Methods

Submission Method 0 Wins 1 Losses
Rear Naked Choke 0 1

12. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Fight History

Year Event Opponent W/L/D Method Weight Class Stage
2022 Fury Pro Grappling 6 Gillian Robertson L Rear Naked Choke N/A N/A
2023 ADCC Denver Open Trials Jasmine Rocha L Points Absolute Semi Final
2023 ADCC Denver Open Trials Morgan Black L Points Absolute Final

13. Rose Namajunas’s BJJ Top Fight Links

14. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Championships

Year Award
2018: For Best Fighter
 2021: For Best MMA Fighter
ESPY Award Nominee
2019 Lithuanian American National Hall of Fame
2018 Kids’ Choice Sports Award for Biggest Powerhouse Nominee
2017 - Woman of the Year Eighth Annual Real Women Awards

14.1. Invicta FC

  • Submission of the Year

14.2. Crypto.com

  • Fan Bonus of the Year

14.3. Fighter of the Year

Year Award
2017 MMA Fighter of the Year
2017 UFC Fighter of the Year
2017 MMA Female Fighter of the Year
2021 MMA Female Fighter of the Year
2021 Women’s MMA MVP

14.4. Upset of the Year

Year Award
2017 MMA Upset of the Year
2017 UFC Upset of the Year

14.5. Submission of the Year

Year Award
2013 MMA Submission of the Year
2013 Women’s MMA Submission of the Year
2015 Women’s MMA Submission of the Year
2017 Women’s MMA Submission of the Year

14.6. Knockout of the Year

Year Award
2017 Women’s MMA Knockout of the Year

14.7. Fight of the Year

Year Award
2013 Women’s MMA Fight of the Year

14.8. Fight of the Month

Year Award
2019 May Fight of the Month
2020 July Fight of the Month

14.9. Year’s Most Violent

Year Award
2017 Fight Booth Lady Violence Award
2017 Sherdog’s com All-Violence Second Team: Strawweight
2015 Sherdog’s com All-Violence Second Team: Strawweight

14.10. Magazine Mentions

Year Award Magazine Mentions
2017 MMA Fighter of the Year ESPN
MMASucka
MMADNA
MMA Fighting (ranked 4th in top 5)
MMA Mania (ranked 4th in top 5)
RealSport (ranked 3rd in top 5)
2017 UFC Fighter of the Year CBS Sports (ranked 3rd in top 5)
2017 MMA Female Fighter of the Year World MMA Awards
Yahoo Sports
MMAjunkie
Cageside Press
Combat Press
Severe MMA
MMA Today (ranked 1st in top 50)
Awakening Fighters
Promoting Real Women
2021 MMA Female Fighter of the Year World MMA Awards
Cageside Press
Combat Press
2021 Women’s MMA MVP Wrestling Observer Newsletter
2017 MMA Upset of the Year World MMA Awards
Sports Illustrated
Sherdog
MMAjunkie
MMA Fighting
MMA Weekly
Metro.co.uk
Combat Press
Fight Booth
MMASucka
The MMA Takeover
SevereMMA
Bloody Elbow (ranked 1st in top 3)
2017 UFC Upset of the Year Sport360
Pundit Arena
Per Sources
2013 MMA Submission of the Year World MMA Awards (nominee)
MMA Weekly
The MMA Corner
2013 Women’s MMA Submission of the Year Bleacher Report
Bloody Elbow
WMMA Press Association
Awakening Fighters
Promoting Real Women
2015 Women’s MMA Submission of the Year Awakening Fighters
2017 Women’s MMA Submission of the Year Awakening Fighters
2017 Women’s MMA Knockout of the Year Awakening Fighters
Promoting Real Women
2013 Women’s MMA Fight of the Year Bleacher Report
2019 May Fight of the Month MMAJunkie.com
2020 July Fight of the Month MMAJunkie.com

14.11. Ultimate Fighting Championship

  • 2 time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion
  • 2 successful title defenses
  • 3 times Performance of the Night
  •  3 times Fight of the Night
  • Tied for most finishes in UFC Women’s Strawweight history
  • First ever woman in UFC to regain her lost championship belt
  • Won from three former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champions - Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Jessica Andrade, and Zhang Weili)
  • Runner-up for The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned
    • Fight of the Season
    • Performance of the Season

15. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Career Statistics

Sub. Average 0.6
Takedown Accuracy 57%
Takedown Defense 60%
Takedown Average 1.61
Significant Strike Defense 60%
Significant Strike Accuracy 40%
Significant Strikes Absorbed Per Minute 3.50
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute 3.66

16. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Professional Record Breakdown

16 Matches 11 Wins 5 Losses 0 Draws
By Knockout 2 1 0
By Submission 5 1 0
By Decision 4 3 0
By Disqualification 0 0 0
Draw 0 0 0

17. Rose Namajunas’s MMA Fight History

Date Event Opponent W/L/D Method Location Time Round
May 7, 2022 UFC 274 Carla Esparza L Decision (Split) Phoenix, Arizona, United States 5:00 5
Nov 6, 2021 UFC 268 Zhang Weili W Decision (Split) New York City, New York, United States 5:00 5
April 24, 2021 UFC 261 Zhang Weili W KO (Head Kick) Jacksonville, Florida, United States 1:18 1
July 12, 2020 UFC 251 Jéssica Andrade W Decision (Split) Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 5:00 3
May 11, 2019 UFC 237 Jéssica Andrade L KO (Slam) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2:58 2
April 7, 2018 UFC 223 Joanna Jędrzejczyk W Decision (Unanimous) Brooklyn, New York, United States 5:00 5
Nov 4, 2017 UFC 217 Joanna Jędrzejczyk W TKO (Punches) New York City, New York, United States 3:03 1
April 15, 2017 UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Reis Michelle Waterson W Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Kansas City, Missouri, United States 2:47 2
July 30, 2016 UFC 201 Karolina Kowalkiewicz L Decision (Split) Atlanta, Georgia, United States 5:00 3
April 16, 2016 UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans Tecia Torres W Decision (Unanimous) Tampa, Florida, United States 5:00 3
Dec 10, 2015 UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant Paige VanZant W Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Las Vegas, Nevada, United States 2:25 5
Oct 3, 2015 UFC 192 Angela Hill W Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Houston, Texas, United States 2:47 1
Dec 12, 2014 The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale Carla Esparza L Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Las Vegas, Nevada, United States 1:26 3
July 13, 2013 Invicta FC 6: Coenen vs. Cyborg Tecia Torres L Decision (Unanimous) Kansas City, Missouri, United States 5:00 3
April 5, 2013 Invicta FC 5: Penne vs. Waterson Kathina Catron W Submission (Flying Armbar) Kansas City, Missouri, United States 0:12 1
Jan 5, 2013 Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt Emily Kagan W Submission (Rear Naked Choke) Kansas City, Kansas, United States 3:44 3

17.1. Exhibition Record Breakdown

3 Matches 3 Wins 0 Losses 0 Draws
By Knockout 0 0 0
By Submission 3 0 0
By Decision 0 0 0

Fight History:

Date Event Opponent W/L/D Method Location Time Round
Aug 14, 2014 The Ultimate Fighter : A Champion Will Be Crowned Randa Markos W Submission (Kimura) Las Vegas, Nevada 2:45 1
Aug 6, 2014 Joanne Calderwood W Submission (Kimura) 2:06 2
July 28, 2014 Alex Chambers W Submission (Rear Naked Choke) 4:38 1

17.2. Amateur Record Breakdown

4 Matches 4 Wins 0 Losses 0 Draws
By Knockout 2 0 0
By Submission 0 0 0
By Decision 2 0 0

Fight History:

Date Event Opponent W/L/D Method Location Time Round
June 30, 2012 King of the Cage - Trump Card Jen Aniano Win TKO (head kick and punches) Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin 0:33 1
March 17, 2012 King of the Cage - March Mania Moriel Charneski Win Decision (unanimous) Walker, Minnesota 3:00 3
Dec 10, 2011 King of the Cage - Winter Warriors Heather Bassett Win Decision (unanimous) Walker, Minnesota 3:00 3
Aug 7, 2010 North American Fight Championship - Relentless Melissa Pacheco Win TKO (punches) West Allis, Wisconsin 2:51 1

18. Rose Namajunas’s Worldwide MMA Rankings

MMA Awards Worldwide Rankings
Current Best Female Strawweight 3
Current Best Pound For Pound Female MMA Fighter 4
MMA Fighter of the Year for 2018 12
Greatest MMA Striker of All Time 60
MMA Fighter of the Year for 2017 4
MMA Fighter of the Year for 2021 5
Top Fan Favorite MMA Fighter 30

19. Rose Namajunas’s Pay Per View Bouts

Date Event Fight PPV Buys Venue
April 7, 2018 UFC 223 Namajunas Vs. Joanna 350,000 Barclays Centre, Brooklyn. New York, USA
May 11, 2019 UFC 237 Namajunas Vs. Andrade Not Disclosed Jeunesse Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

20. Rose Namajunas’s Top Fight Links

Rose Namajunas Earns FASTEST SUBMISSION in INVICTA HISTORY Over Catron | Invicta FC 5

En Este Día: Namajunas vs Jędrzejczyk 1

Роуз Намаюнас vs Жанг Вейли 1: Вспоминаем бой

#UFC274 Pelea Gratis: Namajunas vs. Andrade 2


Photo Credits: @rosenamajunas

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