Rose Namajunas celebrates after defeating Jessica Andrade (ESPN Twitter)
Rose Namajunas might have suffered a broken finger against Manon Fiorot
Rose Namajunas was making her UFC Women’s Flyweight debut against up-and-coming star Manon Fiorot.
Namajunas is a former two-time UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion but had moved up a division in hopes of getting a title shot if she beat the French star.
However, there was a bit of controversy even before Namajunas fought. She came out to the Octagon without her usual coach Trevor Wittman. Many watching the UFC event in Paris were quick to note that Namajunas had switched gyms, and her partner, Pat Barry, was now her coach.
Fiorot was fighting in front of the home crowd and would have been a slight favourite but ruling out Rose is a big mistake.
The former champion had one major issue after the first round. It seemed that Rose Namajunas broke a finger in the round, and was telling Barry about this.
However, her partner completely ignored this and told her that she “didn’t need a finger right now.” Barry also told her to be close to Fiorot.
That advice didn’t really work for Rose.
Fiorot came into this clash undefeated in her UFC career. The French star also was on a 10-fight winning streak, and well, she got the win over the former UFC Champion.
Namajunas might have been struggling with her possibly broken finger, but this loss would have hurt her.
This was the second straight loss for Namajunas after her shock loss to Carla Esparza. That loss cost her the UFC Women’s Strawweight title, and it is to be seen what is next for her.
As for Fiorot, this win over Namajunas cemented her place in the division. The French star has now won 11 straight fights in her career and will be looking for a title shot next.
Fiorot is ranked below Valentina Shevchenko, the former champion, and the undefeated Eric Blanchfield.
Alexa Grasso is the champion and she fights Shevchenko in a rematch. Fiorot might have to wait a bit before she gets a title shot since Blanchfield should fight the winner of Grasso vs Shevchenko 2.
However, the French star seems to be in the right place to make a title charge, and she could be a UFC champion in her next fight.
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