After losing the UFC women’s strawweight title, Rose Namajunas started her journey back to the top. Winning the championship at 25 years old, Namajunas was honest and open about the self-pressure and overwhelming attention that came with being a UFC champion. It was a lot for Namajunas to deal with at the time.
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With two years away from the title, Namajunas was able to get back in the Octagon and secure a split decision win over Jéssica Andrade. With a new level of confidence, Namajunas faced Zhang at UFC 261 in Jacksonville, Florida. A little over a minute in the first round, Namajunas was able to land a clean kick that would land flush on the jaw of Zhang. The champion immediately dropped to the canvas, allowing Namajunas to deliver the final shots to end the fight.
With the first-round knockout of Weili, Rose Namajunas became the first woman in UFC history to regain a championship.