‘Thug’ Rose Explains Wittman’s UFC Paris Corner Absence

Rose Namajunas wants to clear the air.

The Flyweight debut of the former two-time Strawweight champion, Namajunas, was spoiled at UFC Paris this past weekend (Sept. 2, 2023). Tasked with surging top contender, Manon Fiorot, Namajunas came up short in an exciting unanimous decision loss.

Unfortunately for “Thug,” the loss was her second in a row after losing her 115-pound crown to Carla Esparza in her last fight in May 2022. As Namajunas made the walk to the Octagon, the omission of her longtime coach at the Elevation Fight Team, Trevor Wittman, was made apparent. Therefore, leading fans and spectators to point the blame at Namajunas’ fiance and cornerman, Pat Barry.

“Everybody wants to s—t on Pat and just makes assumptions because that’s the way things are no matter what,” Namajunas said in an Instagram live story. “People are just going to assume that he’s the reason why he (Trevor) wasn’t in my corner. It has nothing to do with Pat, it has everything to do with me and [Justin] Gaethje and him having a fight with the BMF (Baddest Motherf—ker) and all that stuff and I did not want to interfere and I stayed back.

“There’s more to it than that, but for the most part, that’s all I think want to say about that because our relationships are very — we’re very close people and it’s nobody’s business,” she concluded.

Namajunas revealed that the timing of her fight offer to face France’s Fiorot came mid-way through Gaethje’s training camp for his big rematch against Dustin Poirier. “The Highlight” wound up defeating Poirier with a second round head kick (watch highlights) at UFC 291 in July 2023.

For Namajunas, everything was just a bit too scattered in more ways than one as Wittman is also in the process of relocating the gym. Once things are stable again, the intention is to reunite.

“The state of mind I was in, I couldn’t bring that around him,” Namajunas said. “So, the fact that I could contribute to him not doing well has not sit right with me since that Carla [Esparza] fight so I took it upon myself to stay back.”

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