Fighting is just as much of a mental endeavour as it is physical, and the complex mind of Rose Namajunas is a prime example of this. Her self-belief and positive affirmations seem to play a huge part in her success. The mind can be a cruel master though, possibly making her the architect of her own downfall. Here I take a look at some positive and negative milestones in Namajunas’ career and observe the role of her mentality in these pivotal moments.
The Bully Becomes the Bullied
Joanna Jedrzejczyk was one of the most dominant and feared fighters in the strawweight division. After four wins in five fights, Namajunas got the opportunity to fight her for the title in 2017. In the build-up to the fight, Jedrzejczyk did her best to get into Namajunas’ head and pursued the tactic of mental warfare. Rose stayed true to herself and remained calm and focused instead of playing into the pre-fight trash talk. It was apparent during the stare-down that she was not phased by the champion. Just over three minutes into the very first round, Namajunas knocked Jedrzejczyk down to the canvas with a punch. She followed up and finished the fight with strikes to secure a TKO victory and claim the title.
On the Joe Rogan Experience, Rose and her partner and coach Pat Barry talked about their game plan. They chose not to engage with Jedrzejczyk in the lead-up to the fight, and completely focused on what needed to be done. The mental fortitude that Namajunas displayed was impressive especially because the Polish champion had been so successful with this tactic before. By ignoring the trash talk and mind games, Namajunas was in the right mental state to take her opponent out.
The Peaks and Valleys of MMA
After beating Jedrzejczyk for a second time to defend her title in 2018, Namajunas fought the dangerous Jessica Andrade. The champion’s technical striking and footwork won her the first round, but round two told a completely different story. Just two minutes and 58 seconds later Namajunas was out cold after being slammed on her head by Andrade. In one moment Namajunas was dialled in and controlling the fight, the next she was questioning her future in the post-fight interview.
Namajunas went on to tease retirement then and there, and indicated that the loss was a huge weight off her shoulders. Additionally, she said that her mentality shifted during that fight, and believes the grind and mental pressure broke her down.
Just over a year later, she would rediscover her passion and return to defeat Andrade by split decision. This would consequently show the fickle nature of the sport and the mental whiplash involved with competing at the highest level.
Rose Namajunas – “I’m the Best”
Thanks to the win over Andrade, Namajunas got another title shot against Chinese champion Zhang Weili in 2021. This led to one of her most famous moments in the octagon. While Bruce Buffer introduced Namajunas, she could be seen chanting “I’m the best” over and over again. This powerful affirmation was followed by a spectacular head-kick knockout of Weili less than two minutes into the fight. Rose was once again the strawweight queen.
The repetition of this statement undoubtedly helped Namajunas believe it was true. If she believes she is the best, then she very often is. The affirmation was encouraged by her coach Trevor Wittman, and by truly believing in her words she took the title back.
The Complex Mind of Rose Namajunas
After defending the title in a rematch with Weili, Namajunas had the opportunity to avenge a 2014 loss to Carla Esparza last year. She lost via split decision in what is widely regarded as one of the worst UFC fights in history. Both women were tentative and chose not to engage for large periods of the fight. Namajunas seemingly gave up her title, but was adamant post-fight that she had won. When the dust settled, she contemplated retirement again.
“I definitely thought I was done for a good amount of time,” Namajunas said on The MMA Hour. “I just didn’t feel aggressive and I felt like I don’t really want to hurt anybody. There’s definitely a bunch of other factors that went into it. It’s obviously not the first time that I’ve questioned whether I should keep doing this or not.”
After 14 months of speculation from fans, Namajunas insists she is ready to get back to fighting. “I’ve been feeling something special, like a very special energy,” she said. I can just be free to fight how I want to fight. Prepare how I want to prepare, and just have fun. I’m definitely all the way back. The one foot in, one foot out, that’s been my whole life. Joanna called me mentally unstable for a reason, but I own that and I’m not afraid.”
Quotes credit to mmafighting.com
Legacy
Namajunas has always been introspective and thoughtful. It can be her greatest weapon and her biggest enemy depending on how she uses it. She is a complicated yet talented mixed martial artist and if she is able to channel her thoughts in ways that work for her, she is one of the best women to ever compete. Her peaceful nature seemed to conflict with her career and would sometimes get in the way, therefore she took a step back from her ‘Thug’ nickname and persona. She focuses on a balance between fighting and life outside of it and makes sure she is doing it for enjoyment.
Rose Namajunas may be a complex character, but this is what makes her great. She will look to add to her legacy this Saturday against Manon Foirot in her flyweight debut. Her mental approach could be the determining factor in this fight and the rest of her career.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
