UFC 268: Rose Namajunas edges Zhang Weili in five-round thriller as Chinese challenger pushes champ all the way
- ‘Thug Rose’ retains strawweight title by split decision in Madison Square Garden co-main event
- ‘I had a feeling it was going to be a way tougher fight, and she improved a lot, so got to give her some props,’ Namajunas says
After getting caught with a head kick in April, Zhang Weili wanted to know if Rose Namjunas really was the better fighter over the full 25 minutes.
The margins were fine, but the American edged a five-round war at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday night to retain her strawweight title with a split decision in the UFC 268 co-main event.
That’s not to say these two will not meet again down the line, and Zhang (21-3) will not get another chance to stake her claim. But China’s first UFC champion came up short – just – with “Thug Rose”) 11-4) seemingly sealing it with a dominant fifth round on the ground.
“Oh yeah, it was different,” 29-year-old Namajunas told UFC commentator Joe Rogan in the Octagon. “I had a feeling it was going to be a way tougher fight, and she improved a lot, so got to give her some props.
“I was pretty confident in the end that I won it. The first couple of rounds were a little close and I wasn’t sure what was going on but I was just present in the moment so I wasn’t even too worried about the result.”
One judge had it 48-47 for Zhang, but Namajunas picked up the same on another card, with the third judge giving her a 49-46 victory. Zhang applauded her rival and they embraced after the decision was read out. Perhaps they can now be friends after all.
“I gave 100 per cent,” Zhang told Rogan, via a translator. “I want to congratulate Rose on winning, but I’m just so grateful to be able to show my talents and my skill in Madison Square Garden.
“I’m just so happy that are so many Chinese fans that came over to support me. I’m so grateful and so thankful for them coming here.”
Namajunas had shocked the world with that first-round TKO of Zhang at UFC 261, when the Chinese fighter was booed mercilessly by the Jacksonville, Florida crowd.
The 32-year-old Zhang had switched things up for this rematch, moving her camp from Beijing to Fight Ready in Arizona, under the expert tutelage of former two weight UFC champion – and Olympic gold-medal wrestler – Henry Cejudo.
There were plenty of Chinese fans in the crowd, given New York’s large Chinese population, though Namajunas was still the heavy fan favourite with loud “USA!” chants ringing around the arena.
Zhang certainly looked much more switched on psychologically, and showed much-improved grappling and takedowns, with Cejudo’s coach Eric Albarracin barking orders and encouragement in her corner, alongside long-time coach Cai Xuejun.
After a cautious start where she threw plenty of calf kicks and showed some necessary head movement, Zhang took Namajunas down in the first round and demonstrate the blueprint.
It was an intense atmosphere, and the American ended the second round on top with a takedown, while Zhang struggled to close the distance in the third round, Namajunas utilising her height and reach advantage to keep the challenger out of range.
They started trading and Zhang made a beautiful level change, getting Namajunas down with a single leg. She tried to spin around for a rear-naked choke, and ended the round in mount, landing shots.
Zhang looked to take the back again in the fourth. But Namajunas showed good defence, and scrambled to the top. Zhang did a great job in turn of getting guard, staying busy from the bottom, with Namajunas not doing much damage.
It seemed even going into the fifth, and the crowd sensed it, erupting into a big “Let’s go Rose” chant. Spurred on, Namajunas got a huge takedown just over a minute in. Zhang needed to get it back to the feet, but Namajunas wouldn’t let her, and that was enough.
