The highly-anticipated rematch between Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas will take place tonight at UFC 251. Andrade defeated Namajunas with a vicious slam at UFC 237 in May last year. Watch the UFC 251 PPV live stream on ESPN+.
Odds: Andrade (+200) vs. Namajunas (-220)
Andrade’s four-fight winning streak was snapped when she lost the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship in August last year. Andrade was swiftly defeated by Weili Zhang in just 42 seconds.
Namajunas hasn’t competed since losing to Andrade by second-round knockout. She had previously defeated Joanna Jedrzeczjyk twice before defending the title against Andrade last year.
Andrade vs. Namajunas play-by-play
Live play-by-play updates and highlights from Andrade vs. Namajunas as it happens at UFC 251.
Round one
Andrade comes out and starts moving her head more often than the first fight. She’s swaying side-to-side and making it hard for Namajunas to throw out her jab. Andrade doing her best to be a moving target. Namajunas tagging Andrade now with straight punches. Very evasive movement from Namajunas as Andrade comes forward. Namajunas posting behind her jab to pivot and move. Leg kick from Andrade and Namajunas comes over the top with a right hand to the chin. Another right hand for Namajunas and then a left hook lands. Mid-way through the round now and Andrade comes forward with a heavy left hook but misses. Andrade now standing and trading.
Both are landing heavy punches but it appears that Namajunas is connecting more often. Andrade ducks under a jab and tries to close the distance but Namajunas quickly pivots and retakes the center. Lead right connects for Namajunas. Andrade finally closes the distance successfully but Namajunas clinches with her and drives a knee to the stomach to force separation. Andrade swinging with powerful hooks not but they’re falling short. Namajunas again drives a knee as Andrade comes forward, but this time it just misses.
That’s the end of round one. Namajunas controlling the distance well and disallowing Andrade from employing her power and strength in this fight so far.
The Body Lock scores round one for Namajunas (10-9)
Round two
Namajunas feinting her jab to keep Andrade away. Head movement from Andrade and she slides forward and misses with an uppercut. Andrade again comes forward but misses with heavy strikes. Namajunas doing well to evade her power shots. Andrade inside leg kick lands with no response from Namajunas. Namajunas now working the jab but isn’t having the same success as the first fight now that Andrade is actively moving her head. Namajunas misses with a flying knee. Andrade stops moving her head for just a second and Namajuans pops her with a 1-2. Andrade lands a clean body shot on Namajunas and that’s probably her best strike of the fight. She comes again with a big right hand that connects. Andrade is now stepping up and forcing Namajunas into an uglier fight. Namajunas’ output has slowed. Namajunas lands two jabs down the middle. A nice right-hand lands for Namajunas as Andrade comes forward. Andrade now slowing after her successful series earlier this round. Namajunas just tagging Andrade – she’s not landing with power but doing enough to frustrate Andrade with constant jabs and straight punches. The knee down the middle has been the tool that discourages Andrade from coming forward. Andrade swinging heavy punches at the end of the round but Namajunas isn’t there.
The Body Lock scores round two for Namajunas (10-9)
Round three
Andrade blitzes forward with hooks but Namajunas steps back and evades. Excellent work to the body from Andrade as Namajunas blocks high. Straight punches from Namajunas as Andrade continues to sway her head side-to-side. A nice uppercut from Andrade. Namajunas now bleeding from the nose. Andrade’s punches are now landing on the forearms of Namajunas. Namajunas hasn’t been stepping out of range as well as before, she’s now choosing to deflect and block strikes. Andrade landing some heavy shots. Namajunas’ face looks busted up. A brilliant hip throw from Andrade and Namajunas is now underneath. Namajunas is on her back and attempting to secure a submission. Andrade is careful of the triangle choke and this allows Namajunas to kick away and get back to her feet. They’re standing now with 1:40 left in the fight.
A nice 1-2 from Namajunas lands clean but Andrade returns fire with a powerful right hand. Two body shots from Andrade. Namajunas jabs and moves. Andrade definitely winning this round, however, and Namajunas is slowing down as Andrade’s pressure continues to pick up. A takedown from Namajunas ends up with an intense scramble as the two jostle for top position. They separate and now they’re back to the center of the cage. Namajunas lands some heavy punches near the end of the round.
The Body Lock scores round three for Andrade (10-9)
At the end of three rounds, The Body Lock’s score is 29-28 for Namajunas
Official Result: Rose Namajunas def. Jessica Andrade via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
What a fight! 👏
🌹 @RoseNamajunas takes it by SD. #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/NLWLZoqI7s
— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2020
Wooooo man. What a fight. I've got it Rose 29-28. Very close to a 10-8 third for Jessica, which would make it a 28-28 draw. Between this and Zhang-Joanna in March, strawweight has seen some GREAT fights in 2020.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 12, 2020
Thug Rose/Magnum Weili is going to be another classic. Do not want to see nothing else. #UFC251
— Hyon Ko (@KoreanJohn_) July 12, 2020
UFC 251 Results
Saturday, July 11 – UFC Fight Island, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Main Card
- Kamaru Usman def. Jorge Masvidal via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) 🏆 (play-by-play)
- Alexander Volkanovski def. Max Holloway via split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) 🏆 (play-by-play)
- Petr Yan def. Jose Aldo via TKO (ground and pound) – R5, 3:24 🏆 (play-by-play)
- Rose Namajunas def. Jessica Andrade via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) (play-by-play)
- Amanda Ribas def. Paige VanZant via submission (armbar) – R1, 2:21 (play-by-play)
Prelims
- Jiri Prochazka def. Volkan Oezdemir via KO (punches) – R2, 0:49
- Muslim Salikhov def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via split decision
- Makwan Amirkhani def. Danny Henry via submission (anaconda choke) – R1, 3:15
- Leonardo Santos def. Roman Bogatov via unanimous decision
- Marcin Tybura def. Maxim Grishin via unanimous decision
Early Prelims
- Raulian Paiva def. Zhalgas Zhumagulov via unanimous decision
- Karol Rosa def. Vanessa Melo via unanimous decision
- Davey Grant def. Martin Day via KO/TKO (left hook) – R3, 2:38