Former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas outpointed Amanda Ribas over five rounds to snap her losing streak and notch a first win at 125lbs as she targets becoming a two-weight titlist. However, their main event matchup underwhelmed and did little to dismiss regression concerns with head trainer Trevor Wittman again not in her corner as she laboured to victory here.
Namajunas back in the win column, but looked off
Women’s flyweight: Rose Namajunas bt. Amanda Ribas [8] via UD5 (49-46, 49-46, 48-47), will be ranked at 125lbs after fifth career decision win
- Namajunas reflects in post-fight interview: “It’s good to get your hand raised. We try not to think about the result, but yeah, I knew she was always throwing that left kick – I’ve still got things to work on, but I stayed calm because of my experience. I expected a bit more strength on the ground, thought it’d be quicker on the feet but we’ve got things to work on.”
- Perspective: Ribas says she’s thankful for being given the opportunity, hopeful for a better display after falling short in maiden main event spot
- Forward planning? Former champ says she’ll watch unofficial title eliminator between Erin Blanchfield [2] vs. former foe Manon Fiorot [3] next weekend with interest, namechecked rising contender Maycee Barber [4] also of interest as far as her future fights at 125lbs
FIRSTLY, let’s look at the positives. Namajunas made her return after a six-month absence, the quickest turnaround between fights since she first defended the strawweight title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 223 back in April 2018.
It would’ve been even earlier had she not been injured against Manon Fiorot, so hopefully this morale-boosting result – as well as divisional movement – motivates her to stay more active in the business end of an illustrious career. 32 in June, the former titlist can’t afford to stagnate or be stuck on the sidelines any longer.
Logging almost seven minutes’ control time, nearly 20% more significant strike accuracy and outstriking her 169-137 with far less strikes thrown, you could quickly see this matchup favouring the more seasoned fighter and one with years of championship experience. Ribas is undersized, so failing to dent her was alarming.
Namajunas spoke about being positively surprised by the strength on the ground against Ribas, though both began their careers as strawweights and aren’t exactly the biggest as far as physical specimens in the weight class. We’ve previously seen Thug Rose‘s one-strike power but for the fourth straight fight, it just wasn’t here.
Ribas was successful on four of her eight takedown attempts, but had less than two minutes’ control time and found herself reversed in the first.
Barber, Fiorot and heir apparent Erin Blanchfield are all bigger while former champion Valentina Shevchenko’s shown her deceptive strength – existing champion Alexa Grasso too. What happens when she faces one of those five?
If this display showed anything, it was that she certainly has more work to do and would be wise in recalling Trevor Wittman to that circle – no matter the consequence – as fianceé Pat Barry’s corner work teeters between cringe and irresponsible.
Ribas has proven an unpredictable longtime contender across two weight divisions but might’ve already reached her ceiling as a main event fighter outside the title picture. It’s why Namajunas can’t hang her hat on wins like these, especially in the entertainment business where she is painfully proving anything but exciting.
Full card results
Main card
Women’s flyweight: Rose Namajunas bt. Amanda Ribas [8] via UD5 (49-46 x 2, 48-47)
Heavyweight: Karl Williams bt. Justin Tafa via UD3 (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan bt. A.J. Dobson via R1 KO (punches)
Bantamweight: Payton Talbott bt. Cameron Saaiman via R2 TKO (punches)
Featherweight: Youssef Zalal bt. Billy Quarantillo via R2 sub (rear-naked choke)
Feather: Fernando Padilla bt. Luis Pajuelo via R1 sub (brabo choke)
Prelims
Lightweight: Trey Ogden bt. Kurt Holobaugh via UD3 (30-27 x 3)
Feather: Julian Erosa bt. Ricardo Ramos via R1 submission (guillotine choke)
Bantam: Miles Johns bt. Cody Gibson via UD3 (30-27 x 3)
Feather: Jarno Errens bt. Steven Nguyen via UD3 (30-27 x 3)
Women’s Bantamweight: Darya Zheleznyakova bt. Montserrat Rendon via UD3 (29-28 x 3)
Flyweight: Andre Lima bt. Igor Severino via R2 DQ (biting, 2:52)
Heavy: Mick Parkin bt. Mohammed Usman via UD3 (29-28 x 3)
Picture source: Getty Images
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