Rose Namajunas’ reason for withdrawing from her UFC 249 rematch with Jessica Andrade is a sobering one.
Namajunas, who was supposed to run it back with fellow former strawweight champ Andrade after losing the first meeting last May, pulled out of the fight on Wednesday for an undisclosed reason.
On Thursday, Namajunas’ manager, Brian Butler of SuckerPunch Entertainment, released a statement on her behalf revealing that she is mourning two family members whose deaths were related to the coronavirus (via reportedly will take place on tribal land at Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, Calif. There’s been much controversy about the potential safety measures for the card, but UFC president Dana White insists the organization will ensure excessive measures are taken to avoid coronavirus contamination.
Coronavirus-related family deaths reason for Rose Namajunas' withdrawal from UFC 249