Calming energy of an older brother - Rose Namajunas draws inspiration from how much Justin Gaethje loves violence
Rose Namajunas has revealed the impact Justin Gaethje has had on her. Namajunas admitted that she is inspired by not only Gaethje but also Kamaru Usman.
'Thug Rose' has yet to defend the strawweight belt twice and is looking to cement her legacy in the history of the division. The American is down 1-0 in a head-to-head with her upcoming opponent at UFC 274, Carla Esparza. However, history favors the champion. Namajunas has never lost a rematch in her career.
Speaking to Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Namajunas was asked about her friendship with Justin Gaethje and how it has impacted her. The champion said:
"Gaethje has always been a huge inspiration for me. His mental approach towards life and fighting, it's very different from mine in certain aspects. Ultimately, I definitely draw inspiration from how much he loves fighting and chaos. He definitely lives to fight."
The two are scheduled to appear on the same card, with Namajunas in the co-main event and Gaethje fighting Charles Oliveira in the headliner. Rose Namajunas went on to describe how she views Gaethje and Usman as teammates and friends:
"I've known [Gaethje] for a really long time. He's kind of been an older brother to me. A very calming energy and I feel safe around that guy. Kamaru has a very different energy to Gaethje but he's also very inspiring. His strong mentality and stoicism."
Watch Namajunas' full interview with Megan Olivi below:
Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza 2
The strawweight champion has been on a fine run as of late. She holds a three-fight win streak, which includes capturing the title and then defending it against Zhang Weili. Namajunas will now be looking to do what she hasn't done before – defend the belt for a second time.
Oliveira v Gaethje 
🇧🇷 Oliveira v Gaethje 🇺🇸
🇺🇸 Namajunas v Esparza 🇺🇸
Oh and Chandler versus Ferguson!
#UFC274 Fight Week is here and it's going to go off!
#UFC274 | Saturday | BT Sport 1 HD https://t.co/GA4JGQ2ghH
'Thug Rose' won the strawweight title for the first time when she knocked out Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 217. She defended the belt against the same opponent at UFC 223. Namajunas then lost the strap to Jessica Andrade via body slam KO at UFC 237, missing out on a second title defense.
In their first fight in 2014 for the inaugural women's strawweight title, the 29-year-old lost to 'Cookie Monster' via submission.
However, 'Thug Rose' has never lost when she's faced an opponent for the second time. She has rematch victories over Andrade, Jedrzejczyk and Weili and will be keen to add Carla Esparza to that list.