When Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade fought at UFC 237 in May 2019, Namajunas got slammed on her head and knocked out cold.
When Namajunas and Andrade rematched at UFC 251 in July 2020, however, the result was much different.
Following a 14-month layoff, Namajunas returned to the cage to face the same opponent who dethroned her as champion. Unlike the first time around, however, Namajunas went toe-to-toe with Andrade for three rounds. Both women had their moments and needed all 15 minutes.
When the dust settled and the decision was read, Namajunas’ hand was raised when she earned a split decision victory. The fight was exciting enough in the eyes of the UFC brass that Namajunas and Andrade each took home a $50,000 “Fight of the Night” bonus.
The win solidified Namajunas as one of the division’s best and put her in position for a potential title fight against UFC women’s strawweight champion Zhang Weili.
Relive Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade 2 from UFC 251 in the video above.