The UFC 261 co-main event was the setting where the promotion’s former strawweight queen, Rose Namajunas, knocked out the current champ Weili Zhang with a sensational head kick just 1:18 into the opening round. It was the lead foot that connected and sent Zhang falling to the floor, and the followup ground strikes were pretty much academic.
Rose accomplished something special tonight by reaching the mountain top for the second time in her career. Doing it once is beyond rare, and doing it twice is truly historic. Zhang’s UFC title reign ends without a successful defense and the first defeat of her UFC career.
Check out how the pros reacted to Namajunas defeating Zhang below:
Let’s see who I’ll be fighting next #ufc261 @ufc
— Joanna Jedrzejczyk (@joannamma) April 25, 2021
Epic fight coming up
— Chito Vera (@chitoveraUFC) April 25, 2021
I think Rose’s footwork-fluidity jab, and back step counter left hook will be her keys to win this matchup.#ufc261 #dominickcruz #teamcruz #ESPNplus #UFC @ufc @espnmma
— Dominick Cruz (@DominickCruz) April 25, 2021
Rose is locked in!!! #UFC261
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) April 25, 2021
I think its ridiculous that people are booing Weili
— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) April 25, 2021
Thug rose!!!!
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) April 25, 2021
USA in this hoe @ufc
— Derrick Lewis (@Thebeast_ufc) April 25, 2021
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