5 UFC fighters who could dethrone Rose Namajunas

#4. Mackenzie Dern – Far superior grappler to Rose Namajunas

During her run on The Ultimate Fighter, Rose Namajunas developed a reputation for being a crafty grappler. She secured three submission victories en route to the final of the competition and has since emerged as one of the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners in the UFC strawweight division.

However, there is one fighter in the weight class who is undoubtedly a better submission specialist – Mackenzie Dern.

Interestingly, Dern put together an incredible grappling resume prior to her transition to MMA. She is currently the only female Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitor to have won Gold Medals, at black belt level, at each of the five principal/highest ranking IBJJF Gi Championships.

Watch a compilation of Mackenzie Dern's submission victories below:

Namajunas, while dominant atop the ranks at 115 lbs, hasn't displayed great takedown defense. Her lanky frame has allowed the likes of Carla Esparza and Jessica Andrade to take her down in the past and she ended up losing both bouts.

If Dern is able to take Namajunas down in a potential fight down the line, the contest could end soon after.

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#3. Zhang Weili – Just a few minor tweaks away from beating Rose Namajunas

Yes, Zhang Weili has already lost to Rose Namajunas twice.

The former champion is likely in need of a couple of wins before she can take on the reigning queen again. At just 32, Weili will likely lock horns with Namajunas for a third time at some point down the line and the Chinese fighter has a real chance of reclaiming her title, considering the nature of her previous losses.

The first fight between the two strawweights went down at UFC 261, where Weili got knocked out in the very first round with a head-kick. Taking nothing away from Namajunas' sensational victory, these things happen in MMA. Sometimes, in a game of inches like the sport we know and love, fighters get caught. UFC legend Georges St-Pierre's shocking loss to Matt Serra is testament to this.

The second fight between Zhang Weili and Rose Namajunas went down at UFC 268 and was an incredibly close affair. Weili trained with former UFC double champion Henry Cejudo and Eric Albaraccin in Arizona in preparation for the fight, and the improvements were clear as day.

Arguably, she beat Namajunas that night at Madison Square Garden. Their fight was an incredibly close contest and many were of the opinion that she did enough to emerge victorious. However, the judges awarded the champion a split-decision victory on the night.

Perhaps their decision would've swung the other way had the exact same fight taken place in Beijing, rather than New York City. Nevertheless, Weili just needs to make a few minor adjustments before heading into a third fight with Namajunas.