On a night that was tough for Brazilian fighters, Jessica Andrade gave the hometown fans something to cheer about in the end. Entering UFC 237 as the favorite, Jessica Andrade knocked out Rose Namajunas to become the UFC's new strawweight champion.
Rose Namajunas, fighting for the first time in 13 months, looked like the dominant fighter throughout the first round. Landing lightning quick jabs and right hands, Rose cut Andrade's left eye early in the fight and it looked like things would end early. Andrade did attempt to lift and slam Rose, but a brilliant defensive move allowed her to counter and almost get Andrade in an arm bar.
In the second round, it didn't quite work out the same way. After a barrage of leg kicks, Rose definitely looked slower. But it was not Andrade's power that knocked out Rose; it was her strength. Andrade made an adjustment that allowed her second lift attempt to be much more successful and she slammed Rose Namajunas right on her back/neck. Rose was knocked out in the process, but she's lucky she didn't suffer a much more serious injury as a result of landing on her neck.
Following the loss, Rose Namajunas said it was a great pressure lifted off her shoulders. It was unclear exactly what she meant, but guest commentator Daniel Cormier interpreted it to mean the pressure of being a champion - and he was baffled by that.