If Rose Namajunas is unable to secure the flyweight title yet, she is interested in competing for the inaugural women’s BMF belt. Making a comeback in Denver, Colorado, the former two-time strawweight champion clinched her second consecutive victory at 125 pounds by defeating short-notice replacement Tracy Cortez in an exciting five-round fight at the recent UFC event in The Centennial State. Demonstrating her superiority by knocking down Cortez early on and using a mix of striking and wrestling, Namajunas secured a unanimous decision win.
After the fight, Namajunas showed desire to challenge for the flyweight title, currently held by Alexa Grasso. However, in case that opportunity doesn’t arise, she would be enthusiastic about vying for the women’s BMF title in Denver. In a post-fight interview, she said, “Give me the belt, man. I want it. I’m Colorado’s first UFC champion, so I want to bring a second one back here. Either that or a women’s BMF, I don’t know.”
Regarded as one of the top female UFC fighters eligible to fight for a BMF title, Namajunas is undoubtedly a strong contender for such a championship. To earn a shot at the flyweight title, Namajunas might need to notch one more victory after her triumph over Cortez. Although she is likely to maintain her No. 6 ranking in the division, it’s unclear whether this win will boost her in the rankings since Cortez is positioned just outside the top 10.
Initially scheduled to face top-five contender Maycee Barber, Namajunas had to change her plans due to Barber’s illness-related withdrawal. With Grasso expected to defend her 125-pound title against former champion Valentina Shevchenko in September, UFC might consider rescheduling the Namajunas vs. Barber bout.
Irrespective of the result of a potential faceoff between them, the winner will probably have to face No. 2 ranked Manon Fiorot, who has demonstrated her readiness for a chance at challenging the victor of Grasso vs. Shevchenko 3.
