Is it possible that UFC 237 was the last time we get to see Rose Namajunas fight in the Octagon? Following her devastating defeat to Jessica Andrade on Saturday, the former strawweight champion, suggested to the media she's not really interested in fighting anymore.
“I’ve been hearing that [there could be a rematch],” Namajunas said at the post-fight presser.
“I definitely was whooping her butt, there’s no doubt about that. I just kind of like, I don’t know, we’ll see if I’m still interested in this. I know I could beat her but I just, I don’t know.”
Namajunas was asked to clarify her comments.
“I just want to do something else with my life right now.”
The immediate follow-up was if she was contemplating retirement.
“I don’t know. We’ll see,” Namajunas said.
“I’m not gonna make no decisions right now, I don’t know. It’s just hard to keep having fun with this.”
Her responses echo a similar sentiment when
speaking to ESPN after the fight. She revealed that she actually entered Saturday's title fight with the notion this very well could be her final fight in the UFC.
"I don't know. Going into this one, I was like, 'This might be the last time I ever do this.' But we'll see. We'll take it one day at a time. This is a lot. But it's super fun. I had a great time, so we'll see. I don't know. I think I kind of always think that, but this time was pretty heavy. It's just a lot on Pat and I's relationship, but at the same time there's so much good that comes out of it. You got to see the birght side of everything, and it's easy to dwell on the negative. You also have to not give yourself gray hairs either."
At just 26-years-old, it's possible that Namajunas, despite being a champion, wasn't even in the prime of her career. She won the strawweight title at UFC 217 back in November 2017 against Joanna Jędrzejczyk and successfully defended it in a rematch at UFC 223 in April 2018. Her fight against Andrade was her first time back int he Octagon in almost 400 days. In the post-fight press conference, Namajunas admitted there was a lot of pressure on her.
“It’s just a lot of pressure. I don’t know, I’m still processing it .I felt the pressure to get back in there when really it was, there was just a lot of — the last fight prior to this one was just a lot of emotional baggage and stuff and juggling a bunch of different things. I’m still super happy that I came here, it was just an honor to challenge myself against Andrade. I know she’s a beast.
“Yes, being a champ, I guess, because maybe if I didn’t think that there would be an interim belt or something, then maybe I wouldn’t have gotten back in there, but honestly just the fighting itself it’s scary,” she continued. “I mean, that’s why I do this, I want to face my fears.”
Namajunas was in control for much of the fight against Andrade, but admitted to getting "lazy" in the second round, which is possibly why she ended up getting slammed into the mat and knocked unconcious.
What did you think of Rose's performance against Jessica Andrade on Saturday night?