The UFC returned to Denver, Colorado for the seventh time for UFC on ESPN 59, and the main event was a highly anticipated showdown between former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas and Tracy Cortez. While Namajunas ultimately secured a dominant unanimous decision victory, one of the most memorable moments from the fight came when she managed to knock off Cortez’s false eyelashes in the midst of the action.
At the post-fight press conference, Namajunas addressed the unusual incident, expressing her astonishment at Cortez’s ability to compete while wearing the lashes. “I don’t know how she does that. First of all, I can’t even wear eyelashes, period. Everytime they try to put it on me I get sleepy. So her fighting with it, that’s crazy,” Namajunas said.
Namajunas put on a masterful performance, dropping Cortez early in the first round and maintaining control throughout the five-round fight with her striking and grappling prowess. Cortez, who took the fight on short notice, struggled to keep up but managed to go the distance against the former champion.
While Cortez attributed part of her loss to the lack of a full training camp, she expressed pride in her ability to compete against a renowned fighter like Namajunas. Namajunas, on the other hand, saw her victory as a step closer to title contention in the flyweight division and expressed confidence in potentially competing for the championship soon.
In her post-fight interview, Namajunas made it clear that her sights are set on regaining a UFC title, telling the crowd, “Give me the belt, man, I want it. I’m Colorado’s first UFC champion so I want to bring the second one back here. Either that or maybe a women’s BMF, I don’t know!”
The former champion also shared her dream of bringing the UFC to Lithuania, her parents’ home country, and expressed a desire to rematch Manon Fiorot or any other opponent for the flyweight title. Namajunas’ impressive performance and clear championship aspirations have set the stage for an exciting future in the UFC’s women’s divisions.
