UFC Veteran Rose Namajunas Reveals Disturbing Eye Surgery Aftermath
Former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has provided a stark warning about the dangers of eye-poking in mixed martial arts, sharing graphic post-surgery footage following her recent defeat to Natalia Silva. The 33-year-old fighter, who has spent over a decade with the promotion, underwent canalicular tube surgery after suffering multiple eye pokes during her unanimous decision loss at UFC 324 in January.
Graphic Recovery Footage Shared on Social Media
Namajunas posted a disturbing video on Instagram showing one of the silicone tubes being removed from her right eye, accompanied by the caption: "So you wanna be a fighter? Three months and now I'm healthy finally. Thumb and eye are all fixed up. I'm a bit out of shape but I'm cleared to train now." The procedure involved inserting tiny silicone stents to repair a torn tear duct in her eyelid, necessitated by the repeated strikes to her eye during the bout.
Call for Stricter Penalties on Eye Pokes
The Milwaukee-based fighter has used her platform to advocate for harsher penalties against eye pokes in MMA, regardless of intent. "I really hope eye pokes will be taken more seriously in the future," Namajunas stated in her Instagram post. "I propose instant purse deduction even for an accident. An accident that could seriously affect a fighter's health long term." She expressed gratitude that her injury wasn't more severe while highlighting the potential long-term consequences of such incidents.
Career Trajectory and Recent Struggles
Namajunas began her professional MMA career under the Invicta Fighting Championship banner in 2013 before gaining prominence through UFC's reality series The Ultimate Fighter in 2014. Despite losing in the final, she earned $25,000 bonus awards for Performance of the Season and Fight of the Season, leading to her UFC debut the following year. After winning her first three UFC bouts, she suffered her initial defeat to Karolina Kowalkiewicz in 2016, then enjoyed a successful run that included capturing the strawweight title.
However, her recent form has declined significantly, with the January loss to Silva marking her fourth defeat in seven fights. Namajunas is now expected to target a return to competition later this year following her successful surgery, hoping to reverse her recent fortunes in the octagon. Her experience serves as a sobering reminder of the physical risks fighters face and the ongoing debate about safety regulations in combat sports.
