"Pat Barry is holding her back" - Fans disappointed as Rose Namajunas says Trevor Wittman won't corner her at UFC Vegas 89

Rose Namajunas returns to the octagon this weekend to headline the UFC Vegas 89 for women's flyweight bout against Amanda Ribas.

This will be the former two-time UFC women's strawweight champion's second attempt to register a win in the 125-pound division. In her debut attempt, 'Thug Rose' fought against Manon Fiorot, ending in a unanimous defeat.

However, controversy has swirled around Namajunas' corner team as fight night approaches. According to journalist Shakiel Mahjouri, the 31-year-old revealed that her longtime coach, Trevor Wittman, will not be cornering her for the March 23 fight.

Journalist Shakiel Mahjouri via an X post stated:

"Rose Namajunas tells me Trevor Wittman will NOT be in her corner for #UFCVegas89 on Saturday. Wittman wasn't in her corner for her flyweight debut either"

Interestingly, the coach was absent from her corner during her previous match as well. Fans have now predicted another loss for the former champ without Whittman's guidance around the corner.

They took to the comment section to express their reactions.

"She isn't going to win another UFC fight."

"You'll lose again then unloyal bum"

"It's not like she listens to him anyway."

Some fans were quick to assume that this was her fiance and coach, Pat Barry's call:

"Pat made the decision"

"Will she still have the groomer Pat in her corner?"

Check out some of the fan reactions below:

Fans react to Rose Namajuna's revelation

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What happened between Rose Namajunas and Trevor Wittman?

Rose Namajunas's head coach, Trevor Wittman, was not present in her corner for her fight at UFC Paris. Namajunas faced Manon Fiorot in a flyweight bout, marking her return to the octagon after a loss the previous year.

After the fight ended in defeat for Namajunas, fans were quick to notice the absence of Wittman from her corner crew. Online speculation pointed towards Namajunas' fiance and coach, Pat Barry, as the reason for Wittman's absence.

During a recent Instagram live session, Namajunas dispelled this notion. She explained that Wittman was already committed to training Justin Gaethje for his BMF fight against Dustin Poirier when the UFC offered her the Paris bout. Not wanting to disrupt Gaethje's training camp, Namajunas opted not to involve Wittman.

"People are just gonna assume that, Oh he's [Pat Barry] the reason why he [Trevor Wittman] wasn't in my corner. It has nothing to do with Pat, it has everything to do with me and Gaethje and him having a fight with the BMF and all that stuff I did not want to interfere with, there's more to it than that but for the most part that's all."

Check out Rose Namajunas' comments below: