Not weak-minded Rose Namajunas responds to Dana White’s claim of not wanting title fight

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, recently suggested that the promotion would tap Carla Esparza to face current women’s Strawweight champion, Weili Zhang, since he caught wind that Rose Namajunas was currently disinterested in a title fight. According to the outspoken head honcho, it seems “Thug Rose” simply doesn’t want to handle the pressure that comes with being a UFC champion.

Now, Namajunas is firing back at the notion, saying that is the furthest thing from the truth. Speaking during a video stream on her YouTube channel, Namajunas revealed that all of her trial and tribulations have only made her stronger, not weaker.

“Maybe there’s a misconception out there that I’m weak minded or whatever or, ‘I can’t handle the pressures of being champion,’ or whatever the [expletive] people say,” Namajunas said (transcribed by MMA Junkie.) “That’s not true.

“That’s what I live for,” she continued. “I’m the pressure cooker. What better reason to remind me why I fight than [my grandfather] passing away. I am super ready for all of that, because that’s what I am fighting for.”

Namajunas hasn’t competed since edging out fellow former division champion, Jessica Andrade, this past summer on “Fight Island.” The win brought her to 4-1 in her last five, putting her in the driver’s seat when it comes to the shot at the division strap.

Zhang, meanwhile, hasn’t tasted defeat in six years, reeling off 21 consecutive wins with her lone defeat coming in her professional debut. With the promotion starting to fill out its slate of fights for the first quarter of 2021, don’t be too surprised if the promotion locks this title fight down in the coming weeks.

Assuming White and Namajunas can get on the same page, that is.