After a tumultuous week of bad press, fighters being injured, and withdrawing from UFC 223; president Dana White was happy and relieved that the event ended and he and his team were able to still do record numbers and put on a great show. For the more than 17,000 fans in attendance, the highlight of the card was Rose Namajunas vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk 2 for the world strawweight championship. This rematch was highly anticipated after Namajunas’ upset victory last fall at Madison Square Garden. That victory earned her the title and was one of the best matches in 2017. Part 2 went the distance, unlike the initial installment, but the result was the same. Namajunas proved last fall was no fluke and she is a worthy champion. Following the match, in her press conference, what makes Namajunas such a fan favorite and endearing was on full display. She opened up about her emotions, frame of mind and how she nearly didn’t make it to the octagon.
Unless you are living under a rock there was no way to miss the disgusting, thuggish behavior of former UFC Champion Conor McGregor this week. He attacked a UFC chartered bus, that held the fighters on the UFC 223 card, with a dolly. McGregor was arrested and released on $50,000 bail. He will have to return to court to answer for the charges of assault and criminal mischief. This is a man who is the face of the sport and he could have severely injured fellow fighters. Michael Chiesa was badly cut and Namajunas was severely shaken up by the incident. Rumors started circulating that this was a staged stunt by the UFC with McGregor, but anyone who saw the video and the resulting fallout can’t buy that. This was assault by a deviant who has a criminal past. White was mum following the UFC 223 event at Barclays on what’s next or what kind of punishment McGregor would receive if any. But the attack had an impact and nearly prevented Namajunas from stepping into the octagon for her rematch.
What makes Namajunas so endearing for fans of MMA is her raw, emotional honesty. She talked about how shaken up she was during the bus attack. The dolly went through the window right in front of her. At the time she says she had no idea what was happening. Did this group of men attacking the bus have weapons, were they going to board and inflict more damage. She talked about always being nervous before fights and how she often goes to a negative place pretty quickly and how that derailed her mentally. She actually thought about not fighting Saturday night. But, like a champion, she found the necessary strength and resolve to step into the octagon and battle a very determined former champ in Jedrzejczyk. Namajunas won the fight by unanimous decision and believes she is the best strawweight fighter in the world. The UFC has a superstar in the women’s division, and her name is Rose Namajunas.
See the full Namajunas post-fight presser below.