Prediction: Rose Namajunas via Decision
Let’s keep it real—Rose is levels ahead when it comes to striking. We’re talking clean, crisp technique, elite timing, and the kind of footwork that makes you swing at ghosts. She doesn’t just land—she sets traps, plays with range, and once she starts flowing, she’s like trying to hit water with a hammer. Maverick’s striking, while solid in the setup phase, is nowhere near that level. She’s tricky, sure—she throws misleading combos to disguise what she really wants, which is to close distance and initiate her grappling. It’s smart, and against fighters who don’t have great timing or fight IQ, it works.
But Rose is not that fighter. Her timing is sharp, her speed is still there, and the way she moves allows her to be first, reset, and then counter if she wants to. The real key is how she deals with Maverick’s range games. Miranda does everything from way outside—lots of feints, long wind-ups, trying to bait a reaction—but Rose has seen that movie before. She’ll time the entry, touch her, move, and keep doing it until Maverick starts reaching or hesitating. That hesitation is where Rose becomes a problem.
What makes this matchup even harder for Maverick is her need for space. She’s not the kind of fighter who thrives in chaos or closes distance recklessly—she needs to lead, she needs her rhythm, and she needs you biting on her feints. But Rose doesn’t fight on your rhythm—she creates her own. She doesn’t give you the reads you want, and once she’s dialed in, her ability to mix in her own takedowns or clinch work makes her even harder to deal with. If she wants to grapple, she can do it on her own terms—and her control, especially on top, is underrated.
The only real path for Maverick is getting top position early and turning it into a grind. She’s strong, has solid top control, and could bank minutes if Rose makes a mistake. But Miranda doesn’t have that constant, smothering pressure that’s historically been Rose’s kryptonite. She’s not a Jessica Andrade or Carla Esparza-type who pushes the pace non-stop. She likes to work her game from the outside—which plays perfectly into Rose’s wheelhouse.
If Maverick can’t establish control early, she’s going to be stuck trying to solve a puzzle that keeps moving, keeps tagging her, and doesn’t give her the clean entries she needs. Once Rose finds her rhythm, it’s wraps. Her movement, her timing, her ability to control range—all of it points to her being the side here. And at this stage in their careers, Rose’s fight IQ and experience on the big stage just add to that edge.
Bottom line: Rose is going to be too slick, too fast, and too smart. Maverick’s tricky, but she needs a dance partner that lets her lead. Rose is going to flip that script real quick.