Rose Namajunas has received medical clearance to return to training three months after suffering an eye injury at UFC 324 against Natalia Silva. The former UFC strawweight champion underwent surgery to repair damage caused by an eye poke during the fight. In a Monday social media post, Namajunas announced that both her thumb and eye have fully recovered, though she acknowledged being somewhat out of shape. She called for stricter penalties for eye pokes in MMA, suggesting fighters should be fined even for accidental infractions, arguing that such incidents can have serious long-term health consequences for athletes.
Rose Namajunas has been medically cleared to return to training three months after sustaining an eye injury during her UFC 324 bout against Natalia Silva, the American fighter announced via social media on Monday.
Namajunas, 34, underwent surgery to repair damage caused by an eye poke during the contest. In her post, she confirmed that both her eye and a thumb injury have fully healed, though she noted she is currently out of shape following the extended layoff. Alongside the recovery update, Namajunas used the platform to call for tougher penalties around eye pokes in MMA, arguing that fighters should face fines even for accidental infractions given the serious long-term health consequences such incidents can carry.
The Milwaukee native holds a 15-8-0 professional record and currently sits sixth in the UFC women's flyweight rankings. A former two-time strawweight champion, Namajunas now competes at flyweight and averages 3.5 significant strikes per minute, connecting at a 41 percent accuracy rate. She also adds a grappling dimension to her game, averaging 1.47 takedowns per 15 minutes along with 0.3 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Her opponent at UFC 324, Natalia Silva, is ranked fifth in the same flyweight division. The 29-year-old Brazilian out of Team Borracha carries a 20-5-1 record and is among the more active strikers in the weight class, landing 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 45 percent accuracy. The southpaw fighter works almost exclusively on the feet, averaging just 0.43 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Namajunas is now cleared to resume training, putting a future return to the flyweight rankings back on the table
- Both fighters sit in the top six at 125 pounds, meaning a rematch or each fighter's next opponent carries real title-contention implications
- Namajunas's public push for stricter eye-poke penalties adds a broader regulatory conversation to the story of her recovery
