Sean Strickland hassled Rose Namajunas on bus to UFC card about 'creepy' relationship with Pat Barry

The dynamics of personal relationships within the realm of professional sports can often draw attention and speculation.

In the case of UFC star Rose Namajunas and her long-time coach Pat Barry, their relationship has become a subject of controversy, with fellow UFC star Sean Strickland openly questioning its nature and potential implications.

Rose Namajunas broke out in MMA by defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk at the age of 25. She lost her title at UFC 268 in one of the worst bouts of all time against Carla Esparza.
Rose’s main MMA coach is Trevor Wittman, while her longtime partner is former UFC star and kickboxer Pat Barry.

Pat Barry is 13 years older than Rose and they met at Duke Roufus’ kickboxing gym when she was underaged.

The two were reunited after a brief breakup in 2016.

Rose’s appearance and femininity have evolved over time, shifting towards a grungier style.

Pat’s behavior in interviews has raised concerns about overprotectiveness and potentially controlling behavior.

We did an in depth investigative report on them in 2021 closely examining the timeline of the relationship.

Strickland, known for his outspoken nature, has repeatedly voiced concerns about the relationship between Namajunas, 30, and Barry, 43. He suggests that coaches like Barry may assume a paternal role, which he views as potentially predatory behavior. Strickland’s close associate and training partner, Chris Curtis, recently revealed an incident where Strickland confronted Namajunas and Barry in person regarding their relationship.

The incident took place when Curtis was on his way to his promotional debut at UFC 268, where Namajunas was set to face Zhang Weili in a co-headliner clash. Curtis recounted the encounter on The Man Dance podcast with Strickland, stating that Strickland initiated a heated discussion on the bus, targeting Namajunas and Barry.

While Curtis couldn’t recall the exact outcome of the bout between Namajunas and Zhang Weili, which Namajunas won via decision, he pointed out that Strickland had previously been blamed for one of Namajunas’ losses.

“It was my debut fight, we were on the bus and Rose and Pat are there. And Sean just immediately starts going in and it just doesn’t stop. And we’re on the way to the venue and I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m in my own head, they are in their own head.’ She lost that fight and that’s the one they blamed you for, right?… In all fairness I’m with Rose on this one. We are on our way to the f***ing thing and Sean is like, ‘So how old was she?'”

This incident seems to have affected Namajunas’ mindset during her bout against Carla Esparza at UFC 274, resulting in a lackluster performance and a decision loss.