"I don’t know if I’d want to subject the fans to that"- Rose Namajunas acknowledges that a potential trilogy fight with UFC champion Carla Esparza wouldn't be fun for fans
Rose Namajunas was defeated by Carla Esparza in their rematch at UFC 274, losing her UFC women's strawweight title following a lackluster fight. The former champion recently acknowledged that a trilogy bout would be a hard sell.
Over the course of the five-round fight, the two strawweights combined to land just 68 total strikes. The lack of activity throughout the title bout was an odd sight, with neither fighter engaging with offense.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Namajunas opened up about the chances of a trilogy bout with Esparza. When asked about the upcoming title bout between the champion and Zhang Weili, 'Thug' Rose said:
"I’ll be watching. I’m very excited for those ladies to be fighting at Madison Square Garden. I hope it’s going to be more exciting than the last fight. Of course, I would [want a third fight against Esparza]. I don’t know if I’d want to subject the fans to that. It was a snoozefest last time. But if that opportunity comes up, I would love that."
Thug Rose had something to say after her loss at #UFC274 👀 https://t.co/He7C2VAejR
Rose Namajunas now has two losses to Carla Esparza on her record. Considering the nature of the rematch, which Namajunas labeled a "snoozefest", a third bout is unlikely. If Esparza retains her title at UFC 281 later this month, 'Thug' Rose will likely need to beat a top-ranked contender to enter title contention.
Rose Namajunas shares her prediction for UFC 281 strawweight title fight
Carla Esparza will look to defend her UFC strawweight belt against No.2-ranked contender Zhang Weili in the co-main event of UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Weili, a former champion, earned her title shot with a sensational knockout victory over Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
Rose Namajunas has faced both Esparza and Weili twice. While she's come up short in her two fights with the reigning titleholder, she holds two wins over Weili. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Namajunas gave her take on the upcoming title fight:
"I think a lot of people are definitely sleeping on Carla. I think people are just going to assume that Weili's gonna run her over, and rightfully so. I mean Weili is obviously a machine and she is a beast."
Namajunas then admitted that she's leaning towards Weili, adding:
"I'm definitely leaning more towards Weili at this point, but it's really hard for me to necessarily count Carla out. I hope that the fight isn't anything like my fight with Carla last time."
Catch Rose Namajunas' comments (17:15) below: