Rose Namajunas is out to get what once was hers.
The former UFC strawweight champion wants to dethrone current titleholder Zhang Weili and reclaim the 115-pound title. Namajunas (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) takes on Weili (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 261, which takes place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
“It would mean that I’m right in what I believe, and that when I do my best, I am the best,” Namajunas told reporters at the UFC 261 pre-fight news conference. “It means if God wants me to be the champion, I’ll be the champion.”
Namajunas respects Zhang’s game, but is not intimidated by the champion’s punching power.
“I think she has a lot of submission finishes in her early fights, so yes, she’s very well-rounded,” Namajunas said. “All it matters is that how it’s (Zhang’s punching power) going to be compared to me and I hit really hard.”
Check out Namajunas and Weili’s comments to the media in the video above.
