'I know what I'm doing' - Namajunas staying at flyweight

Rose Namajunas says she has nary plans to move backmost down to strawweight arsenic she is still targeting becoming a two-weight UFC champion astatine flyweight.

The American is simply a two-time strawweight champion and considered 1 of nan champion fighters ever astatine 115lb, but her fortunes astatine flyweight (125lb) person been mixed pinch a 2-2 grounds since 2023.

Namajunas, 32, faces Miranda Maverick connected Saturday successful Atlanta and says she would only return to strawweight for a large fight.

"I cognize that group effort to show maine what to do aliases proposal astir my career. I cognize myself and I cognize what I'm doing. Yeah possibly I had immoderate mixed results. But location are a batch of factors that spell into it, that group don't cognize about," Namajunas said astatine a UFC media day.

"I've already sewage to nan apical of [the strawweight division]. With nan clip I person near successful my career, this is nan adjacent biggest challenge.

"It sewage to nan constituent astatine 115lb I had truthful galore rematches and I was fighting nan aforesaid people. I person that extremity of becoming two-division champion."

Namajunas mislaid a points determination to Erin Blanchfield successful her past outing successful November, describing it arsenic hitting a "speed bump" and has besides been beaten by title contender Manon Fiorot.

The Milwaukee native, who is 13-7 wide successful her MMA career, says her extremity is to gain a title shot.

"I still consciousness for illustration it's imaginable and it's very successful reach. I was really successful this position earlier astatine 115lb wherever I was making a title tally and I fought Karolina [Kowalkiewicz] successful Atlanta galore years ago," she said.

"I thought I was getting that title changeable correct aft that and I mislaid and I had to rebuild myself. Here I americium again."

Namajunas whitethorn soon invited an aged rival to nan strawweight section pinch champion Zhang Weili tipped to move up and conflict flyweight loop holder Valentina Shevchenko.

Namajunas is besides chasing a bout pinch Shevchenko and has 2 wins complete Weili astatine strawweight.

Asked really she thought that conflict could go, she said: "Weili has a chance, she astir apt has a amended chance than astir different people.

"Valentina, she's my favourite. I look up to her, she's amazing. I judge she's nan amended martial creator and I deliberation that would make nan quality successful nan fight."

Another large conflict connected nan sky successful women's MMA is Kayla Harrison v Amanda Nunes.

Two-weight champion Nunes will travel retired of status to conflict caller bantamweight champion Harrison.

"It would beryllium absorbing to spot really Kayla Harrison deals pinch Amanda's striking.

"That mightiness beryllium nan large question. Kayla, her striking is getting amended and amended each clip she gets successful there. It will beryllium absorbing if Kayla tin get her hands connected Amanda.

"But Amanda has sewage awesome jiu-jitsu and she's ace strong."