Watch: Rose Namajunas tears up seeing Julianna Pena beat Amanda Nunes to win the bantamweight title

Rose Namajunas (left), Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena (right) [Image Courtesy: @rosenamajunas and @ufc on Instagram]

Rose Namajunas was one of the spectators sitting cageside to witness Julianna Pena dethrone Amanda Nunes to become the bantamweight champion. 'The Venezuelan Vixen' pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history by submitting the former two-division champion via rear-naked choke at UFC 269.

Namajunas, who was supporting Pena in the bout, was visibly ecstatic after the challenger achieved the biggest victory of her MMA career.

You can watch Namajunas' reaction during The Thrill and the Agony below:

Apart from Rose Namajunas, a number of other popular MMA fighters were also in attendance at the T-Mobile Arena to witness the historic event. That included undefeated sensation and two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison, who was visibly upset at the outcome, which saw her ATT teammate choked out.

ABSOLUTE CHAOS AND FANFARE AFTER PEÑA WON 😱 #UFC269 https://t.co/e0dNAdKBkn

In the lead-up to UFC 269, rumors suggested Harrison could be joining the UFC to take on 'The Lioness' after her fight. However, that theory was primarily under the assumption that Nunes, a huge favorite pre-fight, would coast to victory.

Rose Namajunas replaced by Carla Esparza for Fury Pro 3 main event

Rose Namajunas was originally set to take on rising Brazilian jiu-jitsu star Danielle Kelly later today in the main event of Fury Pro Grappling 3.

However, 'Thug Rose' was forced out of the fight due to COVID-19 protocols. Namajunas' strawweight rival Carla Esparza has stepped in as a replacement.

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After Rose Namajunas successfully defended her title against Zhang Weili at UFC 268, she expressed interest in a potential fight with Esparza. If it comes to fruition, it won't be the first time Namajunas has shared the octagon with 'Cookie Monster'.

The two fighters went head-to-head back in December 2014 in the UFC’s inaugural 115-pound title fight. The bout saw Esparza submit Namajunas in the third round.

Esparza (18-6 MMA) is currently riding a five-fight winning streak in the UFC, which includes wins over Yan Xiaonan, Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson. Meanwhile, Rose Namajunas (11-4 MMA) is coming off back-to-back victories over former champion Zhang Weili, the first of which was a brutal first-round knockout.

Dana White recently confirmed Esparza's status as the number one contender. With that in mind, she's expected to run it back with Namajunas at some point in 2022.