UFC champ Rose Namajunas remembers when her dog was her best friend

You could say UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas has always been a dog person.

Before becoming the sport’s top 115-pound female fighter – and earning MMAjunkie’s “Female Fighter of the Year” and “Upset of the Year” honors for 2017 – Namajunas was often seen with her pooch, Mishka.

Before an April 2017 victory over Michelle Waterson (which earned her the right to fight – and ultimately dethrone – Joanna Jedrzejczyk), 25-year-old Milwaukee native Namajunas brought Mishka to open workouts.

“We’re always going at it in the gym, so when we’re not training, we like to keep our mind off of the fight, and we like to not overthink things too much,” Namajunas said while discussing her beloved dog. “Mishka keeps it light, and she keeps it fun, just like my coaches do.”

In a new profile by the “Milwaukee Journal Sentinel” (via jsonline.com), Namajunas discusses her rough upbringing and how her four-legged friends were often her best ones.

From the story:

… Rose Namajunas, the UFC strawweight champion who grew up in a tough neighborhood in Milwaukee, witnessed violence far too often and has talked about being sexually abused. Her parents were Lithuanian immigrants and her father, a schizophrenic, died when she was 16.

“Yeah, I had my angry moments,” Namajunas said. “I wasn’t always the nicest person, either. I definitely have always been one for being to myself and trying not to let my negativity affect other people. I was kind of a loner growing up.

“A lot of times my best friend was my dog.”

The whole story is worth checking out. It explores her childhood and the reasons she turned to martial arts and how her biggest struggles were often mental, not physical. She also discusses how she’s now found some peace.

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The Blue Corner is MMAjunkie‘s official blog and is edited by Mike Bohn.