Amanda Nunes may be the undisputed GOAT of women’s MMA in the eyes of many, but Rose Namajunas doesn’t necessarily see it that way.
‘Thug’ returns to the Octagon at UFC Atlanta for a high-stakes clash with Miranda Maverick. After coming up short in her last outing against Erin Blancfield, Namajunas believes a win in ‘Hotlanta’ could be her ticket back to flyweight title contention.
Despite going 2-3 in her last five, Namajunas is still one of the greatest female fighters the sport has ever seen. She even etched her name in the history books a few years back, defeating Zhang Weili to become the first woman in UFC history to reclaim a world title.
But when it comes to being the greatest of all time, ‘Thug’ thinks only one woman is sitting atop the throne.
“Valentina [Shevchenko] looked phenomenal (at UFC 315),” Namajunas told MMA Junkie. “She showed why she’s the greatest.”
‘Bullet’ brutalized Manon Fiorot last month, securing the first successful defense of her second flyweight title reign.
Namajunas Acknowledges that Nunes is probably the True gOAT, just not her favorite
Of course, Namajunas couldn’t broach the subject without mentioning the former champ-champ.
“Obviously, we know Amanda Nunes has that title, but just my personal opinion, [Shevchenko is] my favorite,” Namajunas added. “I’m excited to see what’s next for her.”
While Shevchenko is without a doubt the best active female UFC fighter, she lost twice against Nunes before settling in at flyweight and carving out her own legacy.
The Lioness’ is expected to return to the Octagon later this year for a highly anticipated showdown with newly minted bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison. The two-time Olympic gold medalist submitted Julianna Pena to claim her first UFC title, setting the stage for a long-awaited scrap with her former teammate.
