Rose Namajunas has scored various knockouts throughout her profession, however knocking some faux eyelashes off her opponent’s face was undoubtedly a brand new one.
This previous Saturday, Namajunas cruised to a unanimous determination win over Tracy Cortez within the UFC Denver predominant occasion, however maybe probably the most memorable second got here early within the struggle, when the previous strawweight champion linked with a stiff punch to the face. The shot landed with such influence that Cortez’s faux eyelashes went flying into the air, which was captured in a collection of viral images and movies on the occasion.
“That’s loopy,” Namajunas mentioned concerning the second on Monday’s The MMA Hour. “I seen one thing was up along with her eye. The digicam actually captured it [flying off her face]. You’ll be able to’t make that stuff up. God’s received a humorousness. That’s traditional stuff. Bless her coronary heart.”
From a security standpoint, carrying faux eyelashes into the octagon could possibly be a priority, particularly if it will get knocked again right into a fighter’s eye.
On this case, the faux eyelashes simply received knocked off Cortez’s face, however Namajunas admits she would by no means even ponder carrying one thing like that into the cage.
“That’s the one factor that I’ve all the time been [cognizant about],” Namajunas mentioned. “I’ve had eye accidents form of, in order that’s one thing that I’m all the time routinely checking my eyes. That’s the one factor with the struggle sport, enamel and eyes and the nostril too.”
Throughout her personal profession, Namajunas mentioned she’s by no means had a lot curiosity in carrying one thing like faux eyelashes, even for photoshoots arrange by UFC.
Namajunas pointed particularly to previous conversations she had with Suzy Friton, a wardrobe and make-up artist for the UFC who sadly handed away in 2021, about that very topic.
“I don’t even put on faux eyelashes, interval,” Namajunas mentioned. “So relaxation in peace Suzy, she all the time did my make-up nice, however she was all the time attempting to make me put on [eyelashes]. She’d all the time be like, ‘You’ve received to put on these eyelashes,’ and I’m like, ‘Woman, I can’t do this. I do know it appears to be like good or no matter but it surely makes me so drained.’ My eyelids shut once I put on these issues. Nah, I’m not doing it.
“That was the battle between me and her for a very long time. Relaxation in peace. I might by no means do this.”
In relation to Cortez’s determination to put on faux eyelashes, Namajunas joked that she might need to proceed with the custom now that this second of their struggle occurred.
“It’s a factor now,” Namajunas mentioned. “I’m curious to see. It’s harmful, I might not suggest her carrying it, but it surely’s virtually like don’t you gotta put on them 1721079535?”
So far as her precise efficiency at UFC Denver, Namajunas was largely happy however nonetheless acknowledged a few areas the place she might have improved.
All in all, there have been actually no complaints from her, nevertheless, as Namajunas dominated the vast majority of the struggle earlier than successful a snug determination on the judges’ scorecards.
“There’s sure issues clearly I do know I might do higher and I do know I’m going to maintain bettering, however I used to be actually completely happy,” Namajunas mentioned. “As a result of I used to be a bit bummed my final struggle, regardless that I gained, I simply didn’t have the velocity, I used to be coping with some accidents, so I used to be little bit pissed off as a result of I felt like I had actually labored on a bunch of issues I wasn’t capable of present. I felt like I used to be in a position to do this this time. Clearly, I wished the end. I felt like I jumped on prime of her and helped her recuperate. I really feel like I might have completed within the first and I form of blew that chance. Then I might say, after re-watching it, I might have been a bit bit extra lively towards the top.
“There’s stuff to enhance. That’s why, going into the struggle, my plan wasn’t to wrestle that a lot. Provided that she was attempting to wrestle me, to love reverse the place or simply present her a fast flash of wrestling, but it surely was so profitable that I used to be like, ‘OK.’ It was very helpful. I believe I’m actually going to deal with having the ability to do this whereas nonetheless sustaining that very same pop and velocity that I had within the first spherical however in these later rounds.”