Damnit!
Former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Strawweight champion Rose Namajunas returns to action against No. 11-ranked Flyweight Miranda Maverick in the co-main event of UFC Atlanta this weekend (Saturday, June 14, 2025) inside State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Namajunas’ transition to the Flyweight division has undeniably been underwhelming compared to her dominant run at 115 pounds. Since moving up, “Thug Rose” has posted a 2-2 record, suffering unanimous decision losses to two of the division’s top contenders: Manon Fiorot in her Flyweight debut and, most recently, Erin Blanchfield.
Despite her .500 record in the new weight class, Namajunas remains optimistic, believing she’s improving in several areas and finding greater personal fulfillment.
“I feel great,” Namajunas told UFC.com. “Obviously, I know a lot of people and critics will be like, ‘Ah, she’s not the same at Flyweight as she was at Strawweight,’ and maybe the results haven’t been quite the same. I am definitely not the same. I feel like I am better in a lot of ways. I am definitely more mature and stuff like that.”
“I’m just at a different place in my life, and [fighters] have put me through mental battles and struggles, [maturing me through those challenges],” Namajunas added. “So, as much as people care about the fighting, results, and stuff—I do too—but the spiritual strength I have in my life right now outweighs anything. I know it sounds crazy or cliché, but I really do feel better, and I hope to show that in this fight.”
While a victory over Maverick may not significantly elevate Namajunas’ standing in the Flyweight rankings, her name still carries substantial value to the promotion. With the division in flux and champion Valentina Shevchenko likely facing Weili Zhang in a superfight next, the Flyweight landscape could soon see a reshuffling, potentially opening opportunities for Namajunas.
Crazy that one can beat Usman and still may not be a title contender.. the sport moves so quickly
While generally I would agree with a statement like this I can’t in this case… Usman is on a three fight skid and hasn’t won a fight since he beat Colby in November of 2021. Crazy that he is ranked number 5, and that he would even be ranked at all.
UFC on ESPN 69 lineup
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)
- Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley
- Miranda Maverick vs. Rose Namajunas
- Andre Petroski vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
- Raoni Barcelos vs. Cody Garbrandt
- Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Cody Brundage
- Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
- Rodolfo Bellato vs. Paul Craig
- Michael Chiesa vs. Court McGee
- Kris Moutinho vs. Malcolm Wellmaker
- Cody Durden vs. Jose Ochoa
- Ricky Simon vs. Cameron Smotherman
- Ange Loosa vs. Phil Rowe
- Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth
How are those two first fights on the main card being placed above Simon vs. (formerly Jourdain) and Chiesa vs. McGee? Hell even Craig deserves the main over those.
lOOking forward to this one
Hmm why though? I think Chiesa is very skilled but hit or mess but McGees style has never impressed me much
I look forward to Garbrandts fight but damn he is such a shell of his former self .. if we could get the version that beat Cruz then I’d be all for it