Chael Sonnen arrives at the Fighters Only World Mixed Martial Arts Awards 2011 at the Palms Casino Resort (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Uncle Chael apologized for underestimating Rose Namajunas after her UFC 261 win over Zhang Weili.
Thug Rose stunned women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili with a brutal head kick KO to clinch the strawweight belt for the second time. Though the MMA world knew what Thug Rose was capable of, not many expected her to win in that fashion.
Weili on the other hand, was handed her first loss in the UFC, which also happened to be her first ever knockout loss. She was also the favourite coming into the fight.
At the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, an emotional Thug Rose exclaimed that she did it again, before going on to reveal that it was her faith in God that got her through.
Former UFC fighter and analyst Chael Sonnen spoke to SportsCenter after the event and apologized publicly for underestimating Thug Rose. He revealed that he knew Namajunas was a great fighter, but never considered her to be ‘the greatest’, before going on to call her the best of all time.
Sonnen was quoted as saying:
“To set up the champion [Zhang Weili], and to disguise it, and to do it that quickly; look I just didn’t know about Rose. And, she is a personal friend of mine. ‘Is she a good fighter?’ Sure! ‘Is she a great fighter?’ Oh okay! But the best of all time – I just simply didn’t know that. I know that now. I apologize Rose. And, I will address you properly, moving forward, Champ!”
Being knocked out for the first time in 23 fights would have been a confidence shatterer for Weili.
She was coming into the fight in phenomenal shape and brimming with confidence, looking to extend her win streak and possibly move up to the flyweight division.
But Thug Rose had other plans as she made light work in nullifying ‘The Magnum’.
After her loss Weili took to Instagram to post a long message congratulating Namajunas while also assuring that she would bounce back soon from the defeat.
A rematch with Namajunas seems very likely, and UFC President Dana White claimed that it was very likely to happen.
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