FIGHTING WORDS: ROSE NAMAJUNAS
Young gun Rose Namajunas is not one for wasting time, and she immediately returns to the Invicta FC cage on July 13th after a 12 second flying armbar win at Invicta FC 5 in April.
Combating Namajunas on July 13th will be fellow 2-0 prospect, Tecia Torres in an ever deepening Strawweight division. With both athletes having a strong and aggressive style, the fans should witness a future contender emerge from what should be an all-out battle.
Corey Smith: On July 13th at Invicta FC 6, you will be making both your third Invicta appearance, and your third overall MMA match. How does it feel to be consistently asked back to fight for Invicta?
Rose Namajunas: I really appreciate the back to back fights Invicta has been giving me. It lets me know that I’m doing a good job. It’s also a blessing because I have goals to reach. Even though I am one of the younger fighters, time is precious and I’m not going to waste it.
CS: Your win at Invicta FC 5 was easily one of the most exciting of the card, a flying arm bar twelve seconds into the first round. What emotions were running through your mind after that win?
RN: For me to pull of an armbar in 12 seconds against a tough opponent was very difficult for me to comprehend at first. I had gone through so much hardship in the lead up before the fight that I could of very easily have pulled out. I couldn’t do that to Kathina because I knew she would have done the same and show up regardless. What got me through that moment was keeping a strong mind. So after it was over all my emotions were able to come out. It was a huge release.
CS: Is there a small part of you that wishes that the fight had lasted longer as a showcase for your skills?
RN: No if it could end in 5 seconds with just one punch thrown like my girl Veronica Rothenhausler that would be ideal!
CS: How do you feel like your skills and your career are progressing at this point?
RN: This is only the beginning. People have yet to see the tricks I have up my sleeve and I am only getting better! I know what I’m capable of; I just have to make sure that I perform on fight night!
CS: With training camp injuries occurring on a regular basis in MMA, how do you manage to train full bore but also minimize injuries?
RN: Injuries are going to happen and there’s not much you can do about it unless you lighten up training and I don’t do that. Two weeks out before the last fight I was in the ER because I thought my ankle was broken. Luckily it was just a bad sprain and I was able to hide it and pull through and get my job done.
CS: Your opponent on July 13th, Tecia Torres, also sports an undefeated record. She has said you were the opponent she wanted. How familiar are you with Tecia? What are you expecting from the bout?
RN: I’ve known about Tecia since I was an amateur. She’s the toughest opponent to date. I go into every fight expecting Tyson. I don’t think too much about what my opponent will do because what I always plan to do is so ferocious that there won’t be an opportunity for someone to implement their game plan.
CS: What type of opponent do you prefer to face in the cage?
RN: I don’t have a preference. Any opponent will do.
CS: After one of your fights, what do you want the fans to remember about you?
RN: My passion. I want people to be able to see the heart and soul I put in everything.
CS: You spoke in our previous interview about how you had recently begun using sensory deprivation floats. For those that aren’t aware of what those are, what do they do and what are their benefits?
RN: It’s a dark quiet tank filled with Epsom salt water so that you float. It’s an environment that allows you to eliminate all worldly and societal distractions so that it’s nothing but you and your thoughts. It’s great for meditation, visualization, mental health. And it also has endless physical health benefits because your muscles and bones get a break from gravity weighing you down and soaking in Epsom salt not only heals injuries but is detoxifying and cleansing for the body.
CS: Any interview you do seems to reveal that you are well versed in many topics. From Lithuanian history to animals and farming. Do you think that it is important to be a student of many subjects?
RN: I think it is very important. Being a MMA fighter helps to be well rounded and I think that applies to life as well. Da Vinci was not remembered because he was good at just one thing but because he was a Renaissance man! Learning has always been a passion of mine regardless of the topic. “The more you know, the more you grow!”
CS: Lastly, MMA is equally a team sport as it is an individual one. Who would you like to thank?
RN: Pat Barry, my family, Greg Nelson, The Academy, Trevor Wittman, Jake Ramos, Grudge Training Center, Horsepower SC, Brian Butler, Cage Potato MMA, Alienware, Fear the Fighter, Invicta, and all the loyal fans that keep supporting through thick and thin.