5 reasons why Rose Namajunas is the greatest strawweight of all time

#4. Rose Namajunas rises to the moment

After losing in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter to Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas underwent dramatic mental and physical changes. After all, at the time of the finale, Namajunas had only fought three pro bouts. Following her devastating rear-naked choke defeat in 2014, 'Thug Rose' had to reassess how she handled big moments.

After Rose Namajunas lost to Esparza, the strawweight did fix most of her errors, like getting too emotional, for instance. Instead of faltering under the bright lights, the strawweight learned to embrace high pressure situations.

Rose Namajunas reflecting on her loss to Carla Esparza in 2014

As a result, at UFC 217, Rose Namajunas was afforded an opportunity at iconic Madison Square Garden in New York, against Jędrzejczyk. The 29-year-old realized her championship potential after knocking Jędrzejczyk out in the first round under the brightest of lights.

Rose Namajunas at UFC 217

At UFC 261 in front of a sold out crowd in Florida, Rose Namajunas met another massive moment when she was paired with China's Weili Zhang. The former champion would again rise on the world stage and taste gold. After finishing Zhang with a lightning-fast headkick, Rose Namajunas made history and recaptured the title she lost nearly two years prior.

#3. Captured the strawweight title twice

Rose Namajunas in black and gold befitting a champion

Rose Namajunas is remarkable in high-pressure fights. This has led to the two-time strawweight champion realizing unparalleled UFC women's division success.

After her 2017 knockout victory against Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Namajunas began her first reign as the strawweight champion. While she would successfully defend the title against Jędrzejczyk in a rematch, she ultimately dropped the belt while trying for her second title defense.

Rose Namajunas being slammed at UFC 237

Rose Namajunas lost her belt in 2019 after Jéssica Andrade powehoused her way to victory with a vicious slam knockout. The performance was jaw-dropping. Interestingly, the two would meet again, and Rose Namajunas would handily outwork Andrade to avenge her emphatic defeat.

The 115-pound belt then just became a hot potato as Andrade would lose next to Weili Zhang while attempting to defend the strap on enemy territory. In the end, though, the belt found its way back into the hands of Rose Namajunas. After besting Weili Zhang by knockout and then again by unanimous decision at UFC 268, it's hard to argue with Rose Namajunas' status as the best.