"You can't sit there and fall in love with what your fighter is doing" - John McCarthy blames Pat Barry and team for Rose Namajunas' title loss
John McCarthy believes Rose Namajunas' partner Pat Barry and the rest of her corner are partly responsible for the recently dethroned strawweight queen's title loss to Carla Esparza at UFC 274.
#UFC274
Carla Esparza defeats Rose Namajunas a second time to become the strawweight champion 🏆 #UFC274 https://t.co/kVbs5Q0JdG
The former MMA referee believes that corners need to stop telling their fighters that they won a round when they are not completely sure. According to McCarthy, 'Thug' might have appeared to be in a better flow than her opponent but it was the lack of offense that led to her title loss.
The 59-year-old said on a recent episode of Weighing In:
"One of the things that happened multiple times last night as I was watching... Cornermen need to stop telling their fighters they're winning the rounds when you don't know if it's a close round. You gotta say, 'Hey, no idea whose round that is.' Or, 'We're gonna have to say that we lost that because we don't know the way the judges are gonna go.' You can't sit there and fall in love with what your fighter is doing based upon, 'Damn, they look good.' Rose Namajunas looked fantastic in her movement, her footwork was beautiful, she was in control of the cage as far as... She was comfortable."
Watch the latest edition of the Weighing In podcast below:
"I don't get no credit for good defense?"- Rose Namajunas on her UFC 274 title loss to Carla Esparza
Rose Namajunas put her strawweight title on the line against Carla Esparza in the co-main event at UFC 274. The duo put on one of the most lackluster performances in the history of UFC title fights.
After five monotonous rounds largely brimming with inaction, Esparza won the title via a split decision. Namajunas' corner faced severe criticism for not telling the champion to mount an offense. While Trevor Whittman did advise 'Thug' to let go in the championship rounds, her long-time partner Pat Barry seemed content with her output.
Namajunas herself believes she did enough to get her hand raised against Esparza. According to the former strawweight champion, she fought a strategic fight for once, unlike her usual electric style. Reluctant to put on a bloodbath every time she steps into the octagon, she believes she deserves credit for her solid defense. The 29-year-old said at the UFC 274 post-fight presser:
“I don’t get no credit for good defense? I’m always in exciting fights. Like, I can’t have a strategic fight? I got to f— up this face, ya know? Like no, f— that.”
Watch Namajunas' appearance at the UFC 274 post-fight presser below:
MMA fans can check out the video below for additional updates: