John McCarthy doubts Rose Namajunas’ namajunas-fueled-by-flyweight-debut-loss-ahead-of-ufc-on-espn-53-it-just-motivated-me-so-much-more/” title=”Rose Namajunas fueled by flyweight debut loss ahead of UFC on ESPN 53: 'It just motivated me so much more'”>motivation ahead of UFC on ESPN 53
Former UFC referee John McCarthy is questioning Rose Namajunas’ motivation as she prepares to face Amanda Ribas in the main event at UFC on ESPN 53 this Saturday in Las Vegas.
Namajunas, a former two-time UFC strawweight champion, recently moved up to flyweight and suffered a loss to Manon Fiorot in her divisional debut last September. McCarthy believes that Namajunas may not have the same passion for the sport as before.
During an episode of the Weighing In podcast, McCarthy expressed his concerns, saying, “The real question is, does she really want to be doing this anymore? Because we always say, look, if you’re not 100 percent in, get out.”
His co-host, former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson, believes that Namajunas just needs the right opponent to reignite her motivation. “She needs to find the right person that motivates her, that gets her inside that cage and gets her going,” Thomson stated. “Certain fighters seem to motivate her, and she had her best performances against those fighters.”
Despite the doubts raised by McCarthy, Namajunas shared during Wednesday’s media day that her loss to Fiorot has actually motivated her even more, as she aims to claim a title in a second division.
For more on the upcoming event, check out Kosport Magazine’s coverage of UFC on ESPN 53.
Summary:
Former UFC referee John McCarthy questions Rose Namajunas’ motivation as she prepares for UFC on ESPN 53. Despite doubts about her passion, Namajunas remains determined to succeed and claim a title in a second division.
