Former UFC Champion Rose Namajunas Defends Anti-Communist Comments Ahead of Zhang Weili Title Bout
UFC Champion Rose Namajunas visits Build Series at Build Studio on February 7, 2018 in New York City. Namajunas's “Better dead than red” anti-communism remarks sparked backlash from social media pundits ahead of her upcoming title fight against Champion Zhang Weili. (Image: Mike Pont/Getty Images)
A former UFC women’s champion from Lithuania has refused to back down after making anti-communist remarks in advance of her upcoming title match against a champion from mainland China.
Former Women’s Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas and current Champion, Zhang Weili, born in Handan, Hebei, China, face off on April 24 in UFC’s 261 main event. The 28-year-old Lithuanian American, also known as “Rose Thug,” caused a stir online when she said in an interview with Lithuanian news outlet ESPN that her motivation and mindset towards the bout is “better dead than red.”