5 Things You Might Not Know About Rose Namajunas

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Rose Namajunas is the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s reigning women’s strawweight champion. The 26-year-old will return after more than a year when she defends her title against Jessica Andrade in the main event at UFC 237, which takes place May 11 at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

As we approach the contest, here are five things that you might not know about the current strawweight queen:

She had a challenging upbringing

Namajunas was brought up in a rough neighborhood marred by drugs and gangs. Her home situation was far from ideal due in part to her father suffering from schizophrenia. She has also previously alluded to abuse that she suffered during her childhood. “I grew up with lots of anger, frustration and violence in my heart,” she said in an interview.

Namajunas today, by her own admission, continues to be troubled by her past. However, she is battling to overcome her difficulties with the support of fiancé and former UFC heavyweight Pat Barry.

Her intention going forward is to be an advocate for mental health awareness as well as a beacon of hope for youngsters going through similar problems that she faced.

She reached the final of “The Ultimate Fighter”

In 2014, Namajunas, who was 22 at the time, competed in the Ultimate Fighter Season 20. Despite coming into the show with only three professional bouts to her credit, it was soon apparent that she was going to be a force to be reckoned with. Having used her grappling skills to see off three successive opponents via submission, the uber prospect faced Carla Esparza at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in December 2014 where the victor would be crowned the inaugural UFC strawweight champion.

It was Esparza’s eleventh professional fight, but only Namajunas’ fourth. Esparza used her formidable takedown game to force the action to the mat at every opportunity. And although Namajunas succumbed to a third-round rear-naked choke, the experience was to prove invaluable for the young prospect.

She is of Lithuanian descent

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native Namajunas is the daughter of Lithuanian refugees who moved to the U.S. in search of a better life. The 26-year-old has previously brandished the Baltic nation’s flag for her fight walkouts, and had it emblazoned on her fight night attire.

She is a lifelong martial artist

Growing up, Namajunas was a talented cross-country runner, but it was martial arts that was closest to her heart. She started out in taekwondo at the tender age five, and after four years of practice, received her junior black belt.

Later, “Thug” added karate and jiu-jitsu to her game. While at high school, she also commenced MMA training under esteemed Milwaukee-based coach Duke Roufus at his gym Roufussport.

She likes dogs

Namajunas has always loved dogs. During her challenging formative years, she was somewhat of a loner who was devoted to her canine companion. “Thug” once said when discussing her childhood, “A lot of times my best friend was my dog.”

These days, Namajunas continues to receive a sense of comfort from man’s best friend. Currently, she is the owner of what has been described as an emotional support animal by the name of Mishka. The pair are rarely apart. Not only does Mishka often travel with Namajunas, but she has also previously participated in open workouts.