Rose Namajunas cleared to return after eye surgery following UFC 324 injury

Rose Namajunas has undergone eye surgery and received medical clearance to return to training three months after suffering an eye injury at UFC 324. The former strawweight champion sustained the injury from an eye poke during her bout with Natalia Silva in January 2026. Namajunas posted an update on social media confirming that both her eye and thumb have fully recovered, though she admits she is currently out of shape. She also called for stricter penalties for eye pokes in MMA, suggesting that fighters should be fined even for accidental infractions due to the serious long-term health consequences. Namajunas expressed gratitude that her injury was not more severe.