Jessica Andrade needed mere seconds to alter the course of history.
The Brazilian powerhouse captured the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s strawweight title with a slam knockout of Rose Namajunas in the UFC 237 main event on Saturday at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Namajunas surrendered her grip on the 115-pound throne 2:58 into Round 2 before a ravenous crowd of 15,193.
“Thug Rose” floored Andrade with a first-round knee strike, fed her an unhealthy diet of jabs, utilized superior footwork and generally outstruck the Parana Vale Tudo standout across seven-plus minutes of a thrilling encounter.