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Paige Turner

Rose Namajunas’ pride took a battering when Brazil’s Jéssica Andrade wrested the women’s strawweight title away from her at UFC 237 in Rio in May 2019. However, she gets the chance to atone for that setback during the rematch at UFC 249 on April 18. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the American fighter.




















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she is best #rosenamajunasufc #rosenamajunaschamp #rosenamajunas
A post shared by UFC champion Thug_Rose (@rose__namajunas) on Jul 13, 2018 at 7:41am PDT



She was nicknamed ‘Thug Rose’ as a child
Unlike many MMA stars who choose a nickname once they begin fighting in The Octagon, ‘Thug Rose’ got her nickname as a youngster. Neighbourhood friends say she looked fiercer than anyone else, probably because she was the only white child around and was smaller than everyone else.
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Mental health issues have affected the family
Fellow MMA fighter Joanna Jedrzejczyk publicly trash-talked Namajunas before their fight, calling her mentally unstable on her social media feed. The Milwaukee-born, Denver-based fighter had earlier opened up about her mental health struggles, saying that her father had schizophrenia and was unable to play a role in her life. Namajunas refused to respond to her opponent’s taunts, but she did pummel her Polish rival in their two fights.




















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A post shared by UFC champion Thug_Rose (@rose__namajunas) on May 13, 2018 at 9:12am PDT



She punched her fiancé in the head when they first met
Namajunas’ fiancé Pat Barry says that when they first met, she punched him in the side of the face and then calmly told him that he should have seen the blow coming. She says she doesn’t remember the incident, but won’t deny that it happened. Barry, a former MMA fighter, now acts as her training partner and personal secretary. He takes her phone calls, helps her manage her schedule and makes sure she gets enough water to drink.
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She promotes kindness, civility and charity
It’s hard to believe that someone who makes a living out of fighting has a soft, kind heart, but Namajunas does. She says she wants to promote urban farming one day and teach children how to grow their own food. She cares about youth and other women getting the support they need and also speaks of how important it is for people to be nice to themselves as well as others.




















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I love my new necklace ️ Thank you @watchmydiamonds for this gift it’s perfect
A post shared by Rose Namajunas (@rosenamajunas) on Feb 13, 2020 at 6:25am PST



Her career is hanging in the balance
Namajunas contemplated retirement after losing her world title to Andrade. She later turned down a fight with China’s rising star Zhang Weili, who took the strawweight crown off Andrade in August 2019. Pundits say that Namajunas’ career is hanging in the balance and a lot will depend on the outcome of the rematch at UFC 249.
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Despite her intimidating nickname, ‘Thug Rose’ is a fighter worthy of respect. Her caring heart has endeared her to fans the world over – and her intent to use her fame to make the world a better place is sure to benefit even those who are not interested in UFC fights.
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American fighter Rose Namajunas wants her UFC strawweight championship belt back. She will get her chance when she faces Brazilian champion Jéssica Andrade at UFC 249 on April 18. Photo: Instagram

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Rose Namajunas is aiming to reclaim her women’s strawweight title from Brazilian champion Jéssica Andrade at UFC 249 on April 18


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5 things you should know about ‘Thug Rose’ Namajunas, the kind-hearted UFC fighter who refuses to trash-talk rivals

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Rose Namajunas is aiming to reclaim her women’s strawweight title from Brazilian champion Jéssica Andrade at UFC 249 on April 18

Rose Namajunas is aiming to reclaim her women’s strawweight title from Brazilian champion Jéssica Andrade at UFC 249 on April 18