An intriguing women’s strawweight bout between Rose “Thug” Namajunas - 4-2, 4 SUBs - and Tecia Torres - 7-0 - is taking shape for an increasingly stacked UFC on FOX 19 card in April.
With Namajunas and Torres respectively ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in the division, this matchup can be essentially deemed a title eliminator.
Bet on UFC odds at BookMaker.eu now
Rose Namajunas -165
Tecia Torres +145
Over/under 2.5 rounds, over -255, under +215
Please note, the odds at BookMaker are updated on a daily basis. Depending on the magnitude of a bout, odds can be listed earlier or as late as the morning of a card.
THE STAKES
The 115-pound class is extremely thin and top heavy with its two top fighters, champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and No. 1 contender Claudia Gadelha comfortably ahead of the pack. But the two next best fighers are Tecia Torres and Rose Namajunas, and it’s obvious that the winner of this bout deserves a title shot. They might not be ready for the J-Check or Gadelha yet, but there is literally nobody else to throw at the champion.
ROSE SEEKS REVENGE
These two actually fought before, with Torres handing Namajunas her first loss at Invicta FC 6 back in July 2013. It was only the third fight of either woman’s career. Both women appeared on The Ultimate Fighter Season 20, although Torres lost against Randa Markos and eventual champion Carla Esparza. But since those were two-round bouts, they didn’t count on her professional record.
Namajunas broke out on the show, beating Alex Chambers, Jo-Jo Calderwood and Randa Markos. However, she was grounded out in the finale by Carla Esparza in the inaugural women’s strawweight title match. Since then, she’s won two straight, with a win against Angela Hill and Paige VanZant. The bout with VanZant was particularly eye-opening, as “Thug” violently beat down the favored prospect and derailed her hype train.
Both women have improved since their stints on TUF 20, but it is Namajunas that was tabbed as a future star. She is a very good athlete with an endless gas tank and a relentless style that should quickly endear her to fans. Being only 23 years old and conventionally attractive will also help her rise.
Torres has the style and strength to beat Namajunas, as she has already done. She is a stocky grinder with a power wrestling game, and she’s just entering her prime as well. The question is whether Namajunas rapid improvement has surpassed Torres’ steady evolution.
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