"She's the former Invicta champ for a reason. Hats off to her, she's really good. It just wasn't my night tonight but I'll get better from this just like last time. I'm just gonna take a minute to take everything in. It was my UFC debut and there was a lot of pressure going into this. I just know that I'm a contender for a reason. I just gotta get back and get stronger and climb my way back to the top."
TJ Dillashaw was knocked out in The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 Finale back in late 2011, and now he's the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight titleholder, proving that you don't have to become the next "Ultimate Fighter" to get your hands on the gold. That's a lesson I'm sure Rose Namajunas will soon learn after getting outclassed by Carla Esparza in last night's (Dec. 12, 2014) TUF 20 Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada (highlights here). "Thug" drew early comparisons with women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and all the pressure that came along with it. With that burden now lifted, Namajunas can get back to being a strawweight contender while working her way back to the top. Down, but not out!
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