Jessica Andrade defeated Rose Namajunas on Saturday night to become the UFC’s new strawweight champion, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the hard-hitting Brazilian.
Andrade was outstruck by Namajunas for the first round, and worse, the champion successfully defended two attempts by Andrade to elevate her for high-amplitude takedowns. In the second round, however, the Brazilian delivered one of her patented slams, knocking Namajunas out in the process. In the immediate aftermath of the finish, there were concerns that the slam had been illegal due to the way “Thug Rose” landed on her head.