Rose Namajunas calls for harsher penalties after eye injury

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Rose Namajunas’s first bout of 2026 came with a worrying moment.

Natalia Silva handed her a defeat that stopped her short of the title shot she’d been chasing, just one win away from it.

Even though the loss to Silva was disappointing, especially since it came so close to a title shot, it likely won’t push her too far back in the rankings.

But what really mattered wasn’t the result. What mattered was how she felt afterward. And she had every right to feel concerned.

Rose Namajunas calls for eye pokes to result in an instant purse deduction regardless of whether it was accidental

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Rose Namajunas has shared an update on her recovery from the injuries she picked up during her loss to Natalia Silva earlier this year, and has also called for harsher penalties for eye pokes, regardless of intent.

After taking several pokes to the eyes at UFC 324, Namajunas needed a tube inserted through her eye and nose that stayed in place for three months.

In a recent Instagram video where she filmed the removal of the tube, she proposed a new penalty for the infraction.

“So, you want to be a fighter? Three months and now I’m healthy, finally,” she wrote in the caption. “Thumb and eye are all fixed up. I’m a bit out of shape but I’m cleared to train now. I really hope eye pokes will be taken more seriously in the future. I propose instant purse deduction even for an accident. An accident that could seriously affect a fighter’s health long term. Anyways I’m just grateful that it was not more serious.”

The hashtag “itsnotthegloves” followed in her post, highlighting her belief that equipment changes alone won’t solve the issue.

While there’s been no formal movement towards stricter penalties for accidental eye pokes, there is ongoing debate about how fouls are classified and their impact on fight outcomes.