In a revealing conversation on UFC Unfiltered with hosts Jim Norton and Matt Serra, former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas opened up about a challenging chapter in her life that led to a spiritual renewal.
During the interview, Namajunas shared insights into her faith journey, explaining that while she had a spiritual foundation since childhood, there was a significant period when she strayed from her beliefs.
“Definitely a moment that changed things for me,” Namajunas revealed when asked about her faith. “Things got really dark in my life… I’ve always had it since I was a kid, you know, because I didn’t have a father. So I just always looked up to my heavenly father and that’s kind of what’s always got me through.”
The UFC star explained that despite this foundation, she went through a difficult phase where she distanced herself from her spiritual roots.
“There was a moment in my life where I got away from it and then I was just doing lots of dr*gs and things and just… lots of darkness in my life,” she admitted.
This dark period ultimately became a turning point. Namajunas described reaching a moment of clarity where she recognized her need for spiritual reconnection:
“I rededicated at that moment. I was like, I need help, God… I need you back in my life.”
Since that pivotal moment, Namajunas described her spiritual journey as an ongoing process of growth and transformation.
“From that point on, it’s just been a steady… the layers of the onions just been peeling off,” she explained. “He just keeps changing me and keeps changing my heart’s desires and things are just so much better now.”
The fighter acknowledged that while life’s challenges haven’t disappeared, her renewed faith has equipped her with greater resilience.
“It’s not like they’re easy, but it’s like I just have a different type of strength now that I didn’t quite have before,” she said.
During the interview, Namajunas also discussed her recent victory over Miranda Maverick at UFC 303, her comfort level fighting at flyweight, and potential future opponents. She mentioned her interest in facing a top-five opponent who could help her earn a title shot, specifically naming Alexa Grasso and Natalia Silva as potential matchups.
Namajunas’ openness about her personal struggles adds another dimension to her public persona as one of the UFC’s most accomplished and well-respected stars, demonstrating that even elite athletes face profound personal challenges on their journey.
