After her victory over Tracy Cortez last night (Sat. July 13, 2024) in the main event of UFC Denver at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, Rose Namajunas is experiencing great success.
The former Strawweight champion largely dominated her opponent, knocking down Cortez in the first then out-wrestling her for most of the fight. On the whole, it was the best performance yet of her three-fight Flyweight career, the kind of victory that inspires confidence in her ability to challenge for 125-pound gold.
Now that Namajunas is riding a two-fight win streak in her new division, a title shot is on her mind. In fact, Namajunas told ESPN after her main event win that she wants to fight in her parents’ home country of Lithuania.
“I had this vision, I want to fight in Lithuania one day,” Namajunas said (via MMA Fighting). “Bring the UFC to Lithuania, and I would love to rematch Manon [Fiorot] or anybody for the belt, whatever. That’s my dream come true, but anything that the UFC has in mind, I’m cool with as well.”
Unfortunately, recent history has demonstrated that it’s difficult to get UFC to leave the Apex, let alone venture to entirely new countries beyond their usual markets. Current UFC champions like Dricus Du Plessis and Ilia Topuria has pushed hard for UFC events in South Africa and Spain, but so far, there’s been little announced progress in making either of those shows happen.
Looking at the positive side, Namajunas now has a potential opportunity to compete for the first-ever women’s BMF belt. With her impressive record of finishing fights and being a top contender in two different divisions, Namajunas could make a solid case for a title that is not yet officially established.
Namajunas clarified her post-fight BMF callout by stating, “Honestly, I was just joking. But I’ve heard Joanna talk about coming back for a women’s BMF, so it would be a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. I have a lot of respect for her. Looking back, I think I was just being playful and not really thinking too much about it.”
After her victory at UFC Denver, Namajunas finds herself with several options. She is in a favorable position to compete for the Flyweight championship in the near future, potentially only needing one more win to secure a title shot.
