2x UFC Champ Rose Namajunas Returns to Fight MMA Veteran at March Event
Two-time UFC strawweight titleholder Rose Namajunas will remain in the flyweight division for her next matchup at a UFC Fight Night event in March.
Currently on the first two-fight skid of her career, Namajunas made her flyweight debut last September when she took on Manon Fiorot in Paris and lost a unanimous decision.
The loss to Fiorot was the 31-year-old’s first fight since losing her strawweight belt in a lackluster rematch with Carla Esparza at UFC 274, and now MMA Hoje reports that “Thug” will continue competing at 125 pounds when she takes on Amanda Ribas on March 23.
Namajunas came up short in her flyweight debut last year.
(Per Haljestam/USA TODAY Sports)
Currently ranked at #9 in both the UFC strawweight and flyweight divisions, Ribas returned to strawweight for her most recent bout in November and stopped Luana Pinheiro with strikes in the third round.
Ribas’ decision to move back up to flyweight is somewhat surprising given that she went 1-2 in the weight class prior to her fight with Pinheiro, although her losses did come against former title challenger Katlyn Chookagian and rising contender Maycee Barber.
Ribas has experienced mixed success in the flyweight division.
(David Yeazell/USA TODAY Sports)
Namajunas gave a good account of herself against Fiorot despite breaking her hand early in the fight, but if she intends to remain at flyweight for the foreseeable future then the matchup with Ribas is an important opportunity for the former champion to get back into the win column.
The UFC Fight Night event scheduled for March 13 will take place at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, and the matchup between Namajunas and Ribas is easily the most high-profile of the handful of fights that have been confirmed for the card so far.
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