Former UFC champion Rose Namajunas poses for Victoria’s Secret (Photo)

Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas is branching out into modeling.

‘Thug Rose’ has been out of action since her fight with Carla Esparza in May. The bout was a rematch of their first encounter at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in 2014. In their first outing, Esparza picked up a third-round submission victory to become strawweight champion.

In the rematch, ‘Cookie Monster’ moved to 2-0 in the series, albeit in a less entertaining affair. At UFC 274, Esparza scored a split-decision victory to reclaim the gold. The loss ended Namajunas’s second run with the title, as she re-captured it the previous year with a knockout win over Weili Zhang.

Since the defeat, Rose Namajunas has been quiet as to a return. Although, she hasn’t had a shortage of challengers. Names such as Yan Xiaonan and Marina Rodriguez have called for matchups with the former champion, but nothing has come to fruition.

The time off has likely been good for the former strawweight champion, as it has allowed her to pursue other avenues. On Instagram, we learned that Namajunas has decided to branch out and do some modeling for Victora’s Secret.

 

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It’s not the first time that the Colorado-based fighter has done some modeling. In 2017, Namajunas starred in the ESPN Body Issue, which has since become a norm for MMA fighters. Stars such as Conor McGregor and Claressa Shields have also been featured in the series.

However, this is a first for MMA fighters, as Rose Namajunas is the first athlete to model for Victoria’s Secret. The opportunity for the former champion is just another example of fighters, and the sport as a whole, moving into the mainstream.

What do you think about Rose Namajunas modeling for Victoria’s Secret? Who do you want to see her fight in her return? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments section, BJPENN Nation!