We have some bad news for Rose Namajunas and the UFC women’s strawweight division.
According to coach Mike Brown, UFC 115lb champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk is still improving, still adding dimensions to her game and, despite racking up five successful defenses of her title, isn’t yet ready to be declared the finished article.
“I’m confident in her skills and she’s healthy, getting better all the time, in shape and focused,” Brown told Fighters Only editor Michael Owens on Thursday. “She’s always improving and I think in each fight you’ll see a few new wrinkles in her game. She’s open-minded and a very hard worker.”
It’s for these reasons Brown expects his charge to again rattle through her arsenal of punches, kicks and elbows and cut Namajunas, her opponent at UFC 217 on November 4, down to size within the scheduled distance.
“I think she can get the finish in this one,” said Brown. “I think sometimes Rose slows down and if she slows down, she’s going to be in big trouble, because, you know, Joanna does not.”
With no sign Joanna Jędrzejczyk, 14-0, is about to slow down, nor relinquish her title, it could be a while before those who make up the UFC women’s strawweight division have much in the way of hope.