UFCs Flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko has given us her thoughts on Rose Namajunas’ recent loss to Carla Esparza.
Considering impressive fight resume and more experience of championship bouts, Rose was expected to defeat Carla Esparza at UFC 274.
However, into this fight she was very hesitant on engaging with Carla which cost her a loss into this fight.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on MMA Hour, Women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko has laid down her thoughts on Rose’ performance at UFC 274.
“You know what can help? I think, if Carla was more aggressive and explosive, and Rose received a great punch, she would have woke up and would start to fight… Rose didn’t activate… She was not herself,”
Valentina Shevchenko
“It can happen with everyone, but every time I rely on my corner. If sometimes it happens, they would not just say, ‘Okay Valentina, okay, just do that,’ no. Pavel (Fedotov), Antonina (Shevchenko), they will yell at me and say what they think about me, what I am doing. Sometimes it’s necessary,”
Valentina Shevchenko
Valentina believes it’s the job of the people who are cornering the fighter to tell the truth to their fighter and help them to win the fight. Rose stayed comfortable and did not took any risk which made her look bad in judges eyes.
“I feel all these microphones corners have, they put extra pressure on them to say everything too polite. Sometimes fighters don’t need polite, they need an extra push to wake up, to have adrenaline,You start to think, ‘If I continue to fight like that, I will lose my belt, I will lose the fight.’ Do I agree with that and continue to do nothing just to be comfortable? No, and this is what pushes me every time.”
Valentina Shevchenko
Do you guys agree with Valentina Shevchenko? was it a fault of Rose’ cornermen’s which kept her hesitant throughout her fight with Carla?
