Rose Namajunas is poised to make a significant comeback in the flyweight division. She will be competuong with Amanda Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas 89 on March 23 at the UFC Apex.
Absent from her corner, is longtime coach and one of MMA’s brightest minds, Trevor Wittman. This will be the second time Namajunas isn’t cornered by Wittman in recent history.
Pat Barry is the longtime fiance of Rose Namajunas. He once candidly shared his past battles with drinking, explaining how he cast a shadow over Namajunas’ illustrious career with his personal choices.
Their relationship spanned over a decade and has encountered its fair share of challenges. In 2016, Barry was providing training assistance to Brock Lesnar in Minnesota. During that time, he found himself entangled in a post-training drinkning/pizza indulgence that spiraled into an altercation. The incident resulted in Barry being arrested,
This unfortunate incident unfolded mere weeks before Namajunas’ pivotal UFC 201 bout. It also led to a temporary estrangement between the couple.
Namajunas went on to face defeat in that fateful UFC 201 encounter via split decision. Watching the match unfold on live television, Barry scrutinized every aspect of her performance. He attributed the loss to his absence and struggles.
In an interview with The MMA Hour, Barry reflected on the incident, acknowledging his role in the setbacks. He said: “Go back to any of Rose’s performances that didn’t seem quite right. It was me. I was the outside distraction. This guy. Any performance. I’m not talking about just fighting. Any interview that seemed off and weird, any post on social media, it was my f*king fault. So I said, I’m not doing that no more. She should’ve been world champ two years ago. It was me. I didn’t know it was me, but it was me.”
Namajunas boasts an iconic track record, winning the strawweight title on two occasions. Nonetheless, she aims to break free from a two-bout losing streak, having succumbed to consecutive defeats. Her foray into the flyweight category last year culminated in a unanimous decision loss against Manon Fiorot.
However, Ribas has competed and accumulated sufficient experience in both the strawweight and flyweight divisions. She is currently ranked at No. 9 in the women’s flyweight category. She recently defeated Luana Pinheiro by unanimous decision by third-round TKO.