Rose Namajunas on Her Game Plan: ‘Punch Her in the Face, Take Her Back, and Choke Her Out’

Namajunas fights Tracy Cortez this Saturday at UFC Fight Night

Rose Namajunas has her game plan ready for UFC Fight Night this Saturday in Denver at Ball Arena.

“Punch her in the face, take her back, and choke her out,” said Namajunas. “I’m always looking for that finish.”

A two-time UFC strawweight champion, Namjunas has a history of delivering outrageous knockouts. Those came at the expense of Joanna Jędrzejczyk and Weili Zhang–though it should also be noted that Namajunas has not finished an opponent since her KO of Zhang in 2021.

Namajunas (12-6) has split her two fights in the flyweight division. Following her loss last September to Manon Fiorot, she defeated Amanda Ribas by unanimous decision in March. Now comes a quietly important bout against Tracy Cortez–who is riding an 11-fight win streak–this Saturday.

Initially, this was intended to be Namajunas against Maycee Barber. But ongoing health issues caused Barber to withdraw, and she was replaced by Cortez.

“We’re in an era where there are a lot of change ups,” said Namajunas. “When the change happened, it was a bad day compared to the rest of the camp. It was an adrenaline dump. But it’s part of the game. It’s what we deal with as fighters. I was really looking forward to facing Maycee, but I’m excited to test myself against Tracy.

“She hasn’t fought somebody of my caliber yet, so that will be a big test for her. As far as the skills she brings to the table, I’m taking her 100 percent seriously. She’s going to be tough, but I’m ready.”

Jul 7, 2024; Commerce City, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas before the match between the St. Louis City SC against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Cortez (11-1) defeated Erin Blanchfield in 2019, but her highlight reel is bereft of any other top opponents. That makes this bout against Namajunas especially important for Cortez, who will look to use her weight to slow down the fight. Cortez is not as dynamic a striker as Barber, but she is a better grappler, so Namajunas will be tested on Saturday.

A victory should send Namajunas into the thick of the title picture. Once reigning champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko settle their trilogy, Manon Fiorot is next–but a win here is necessary for Namajunas to keep herself in the mix.

“Anything is possible,” said Namajunas. “Obviously, Manon is waiting in the wings and we’re still waiting to see what happens with Alexa and Shevchenko. But you never know. I’m focusing on this fight, and then we’ll see what happens.”