How young was Rose Namajunas when she started dating Pat Barry? Here's why their age difference is an ongoing MMA controversy

The relationship between Pat Barry and former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has long been a contentious topic in the MMA world.

There's a 13-year difference between the couple. 'Thug' met Barry for the first time at the Roufusport gym and the two seem to have started dating when Namajunas was 18 years old. This has resulted in many people accusing Barry of grooming Namajunas.

Barry has shared that he fell in love in his first meeting with Namajunas. The couple has been together for over a decade and Barry can be seen in Namajunas' corner whenever the 31-year-old fights in the UFC.

Rose Namajunas has not competed in the octagon for over a year now. 'Thug' was last seen in action in May 2022 when she went up against Carla Esparza for the strawweight title at UFC 274.

Both fighters were criticised for their performance that night as the fight proved to be a dull affair. The contest lasted the allotted 25 minutes and ended with a split decision victory for Esparza. The three judges scored the fight 47-48, 49-46 and 48-47 in favor of the 'Cookie Monster'.

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What did Sean Strickland say about Rose Namajunas and Pat Barry's relationship?

Sean Strickland is one of the most controversial fighters currently on the UFC roster. The middleweight fighter is known for his 'loud-mouth' persona and can often be seen making problematic statements on social media.

Ahead of UFC 274, Strickland accused Barry of having a relationship with a minor in Rose Namajunas.

After Namajunas' loss, Barry appeared on The MMA Hour where he explained the timeline of her relationship with 'Thug' and how Strickland's comments played a role in the 31-year-old's defeat at UFC 274:

“This whole Sean Strickland thing that is all over the place everywhere. Years ago, Rose did an interview and said ‘I joined Rufussport when I was 14 years ago, and then I left Rufussport for a few years. Then I came back to Rufussport, to pursue my MMA career, and that’s where I met my fiancee Pat Barry.' When the guy wrote the interview up, he wrote ‘Rose Namajunas joined Rufussport when she was 14 years old where she met her fiance Pat Barry, when she was 14 years old.'"

Catch Barry's comments below (1:14:24):