There wasn’t a bigger underdog on the entire card.
Nobody gave Rose Namajunas a prayer when she received the second title shot of her career, this time against one of the most dominant UFC fighters of all time.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk was expected to carve up Namajunas’ face as she did to all challengers throughout her time as UFC strawweight champion but the underdog must not have read the script.
Most experts insisted that Namajunas’ only path to victory was the utilisation of her elite grappling game but we now have a new 115lbs queen and it came via the stunning striking of ‘Thug’ in the first of three title fights on the UFC 217 fight card.
THAT FACE-OFF! 👀#UFC217 pic.twitter.com/jjLFOt314A
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) November 5, 2017
Touted as the most technical striker on the entire roster, Jedrzejczyk was dropped early on in the opening stanza by Namajunas and, later on in the round, a left hook from hell sent the Polish fighter to her back.
Namajunas pounced as Jedrzejczyk’s eyes rolled back into her head and a relentless wave of ground and pound forced the defending champion to tap out and relinquish her crown.
THUG ROSE, THUG ROSE, THUG ROSE!
Unbelievable! Rose Namajunas stops Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the first round! ?#AndNew #UFC217 pic.twitter.com/tESuLvYSt0
— #UFC217 (@btsportufc) November 5, 2017
“It feels like a movie right now,” Namajunas said in her post-fight interview.
“There’s so much crap going on in the media and news, I just wanted to try to use my gift of martial arts to make the world a better place.
“This belt doesn’t mean anything. Just be a good person! That’s it. This is extra. This is awesome but let’s just give each other hugs and be nice. I mean, I know we fight but this is entertainment.”
With the TKO, Namajunas handed Jedrzejczyk the first defeat of her entire career and ended all hopes of her matching Ronda Rousey’s record of six consecutive title defences.
Namajunas is the new UFC strawweight champion and she might well be the most likable title-holder in the entire organisation.
“I feel like a normal person,” she added.
“I’m just regular. There ain’t nothing special here.”
We’d dispute that…
