UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje - Predictions and Picks

#2 Strawweight: Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade

Rose Namajunas was piecing Jessica Andrade up in their first fight before she was KO'd

One of the few fights to stay intact from the original UFC 249 line-up, this is a rematch of the Strawweight title fight that took place in May 2019. That one saw Andrade upset Namajunas to claim the title in dramatic fashion; slamming her unconscious in the second round. But can ‘Bate Estaca’ repeat the feat here?

Personally I’m thinking no. As anyone who watched their first meeting would remember, ‘Thug Rose’ was absolutely piecing Andrade up prior to the slam. Essentially, she used little more than a ramrod jab. It was some excellent footwork too that sliced the Brazilian’s face to ribbons, before dropping her late in the first round with a knee.

Since then, Andrade obviously suffered a bad TKO loss at the hands of Weili Zhang – losing her title in the process – and hasn’t fought since. Namajunas meanwhile hasn’t fought since that loss to Andrade. And, that’s literally the only nagging thought in the back of my mind when picking this fight.

Essentially, Rose has never come across as a fighter who truly loves the sport; not like a fighter like Donald Cerrone, for instance. And after the loss to Andrade, there were a lot of reports of her considering retirement. Now, not everything that Dana White says makes sense. But when he claimed that if a fighter is thinking of retiring, they ought to do it, he was probably correct.

So does Namajunas really have her heart in the game for this fight? If she does then theoretically – assuming she doesn’t make a simple mistake as she did last time – it should be her fight to lose, particularly as Andrade’s chin now appears to be cracked somewhat.

If she comes in flat, though, then who knows? Andrade could well take her out in an early, violent rush. Despite that, I’m still confident in picking ‘Thug Rose’. She’s already proven herself to be the superior fighter – loss or not. And, the last time we worried about her mental state, she outpointed Joanna Jedrzejczyk in perhaps her best-ever showing.

The Pick: Namajunas via unanimous decision