Rose Namajunas

Following her highly criticized UFC 274 co-main event against Carla Esparza, former champion Rose Namajunas feels confident about two things.

So I don’t think that I was getting the boos. So I feel like I did the damage, I controlled the fight, and I’m proud of myself because I stuck to my strategy. I’ve stood there and I’ve shed blood in the Octagon. So it’s like, I stuck to the strategy. “I stuck to the strategy. I feel as if I landed the more shots. At the UFC 274 post-fight press conference, she detailed why that was the case.

In Rose Namajunas' mind, she is the rightful winner of her UFC 274's co-main event title fight against Carla Esparza.

“That’s the decision I made in the moment, but I am an exciting fighter, I’m a finisher, I won the highest finishing rate. “There were moments when I wanted to capitalize a little bit more, be a little more offensive in moments. So I had to be a little more safe,” Namajunas said. But if you ask “Thug Rose,” she is the rightful winner. “I won that fight. UFC 274’s co-headliner title fight between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza showed very little significant moment, to say the least.

Rose Namajunas trying not to be 'salty' but believes she beat Carla Esparza at UFC 274.

“Carla, I really respect what she does in there, but at the same time, only so much to the point where I don’t see how you become the champion like that,” Namajunas said. I think maybe the judges just wanted to see a slugfest like it was in previous fights or something so they weren’t appreciative of good strategy, but like I said, I’m always in exciting fights. “I’ll have to go back and watch it but I do remember landing nice uppercuts, and even some of the punches that weren’t super solid but were just keeping her at bay, making contact, I felt like I was not just making the damage but controlling the fight. “I stuck to the strategy. So I thought I won. “I won that fight,” Namajunas said.

After losing her women's strawweight belt to Carla Esparza at UFC 274, Rose Namajunas is still confused as to how judges couldn't recognize her strategic ...

“That’s the decision I made in the moment, but I am an exciting fighter, I’m a finisher, I’ve got one of the highest finishing rate. “I felt like I could have ... there were moments when I wanted to capitalize a little bit more, be a little more offensive in moments. So I had to be a little more safe.” “Other than that, maybe a couple of low kicks but I didn’t feel them or anything. “I felt like as if I landed more shots. “I won that fight.

UFC president White watched Alvarez's defeat by Dmitry Bivol during Rosa Namajunas' title defeat to Carla Esparza in the co-main event at UFC 274.

I stuck to the strategy, and she didn’t really have any offence. I felt like I did the damage. "I think there was a total of six punches in the first round; it's a tough one but it happens sometimes. "I won that fight," said Namajunas. “I struck to the strategy, I felt as if I landed more shots. One fan used it to make a mockery of Tony Ferguson who was knocked out on the card: "They were being careful not to step on Ferguson. He was still sleeping." And White was pictured watching Alvarez's title challenge against Bivol on a monitor while cageside for a fight branded "the most boring UFC fight ever" by fans.

After her UFC 274 victory, Carla Esparza discusses her performance, her thoughts on Rose Namajunas comments, and her wedding.

“I really want to set it in the eyes of the judges,” she said. “I don’t feel that Rose pushed the pace,” she said. Esparza was slightly surprised that Namajunas didn’t engage more aggressively, but she attributed that to the threat of her takedown, which from the start had been her path to victory in the eyes of most MMA observers.

Rose Namajunas vs Carla Esparza is one fight that's better off being forgotten. Joe Rogan even said, “This is the most uneventful...

The low kicks maybe but the low kicks weren’t even hurting me. I’m pretty sure that was Carla. Obviously I want to have exciting fights so that does kind of sting a little bit too.” “I feel like there’s something to be learned from each loss. She was also convinced that the boos from the audience weren’t directed at her. So I thought I won.” “I stuck to the strategy.

Rose Namajunas is aware of the backlash she received for her performance at UFC 274 and she has a scathing response.

“I stuck to the strategy. I stuck to the strategy, and she didn’t really have any offense. I controlled the fight. … I felt like I did the damage. The bout was uneventful and the crowd let Namajunas and Esparza know about it. Namajunas put the UFC Strawweight Championship on the line against Carla Esparza on May 7.

Dana White reacts to Carla Esparza's win over Rose Namajunas in the lackluster UFC 274 main event.

“I don’t think anyone is clamoring for that rematch,” White said. We’ll see what happens.” “It was a weird fight,” White said.