Rose Namajunas feels “destined” for something big.

“A lot has changed for me in the last few years and I have found more peace than ever before,” Namajunas said. “And as crazy as the world is, it's not something completely unexpected, because I just always felt like I was growing up in a time where there would be a lot of weirdness and chaos. But I have a relationship with God and my spirituality has really given me peace during these times. More than anything, my faith has become really strong and when I struggle I just feel like that's my goal, to basically show the love of God. It sounds kind of crazy to go in there and fight, but it's a platform and that's why I try to use it to spread my message. It’s not like I hold any grudge against my opponent at this point in my life or anything like that.”

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At 32, Namajunas is still young, so figuring things out at an age when many still struggle to navigate the world is impressive, but not surprising since she's always been an old soul. But while the ups, downs and sideways swings of her chosen profession can unnerve anyone, she has emerged stronger and more focused and still has enough time to aim for a third world title.

“At this point for me it’s really all about competition and education,” she said. “So I find a lot of peace, even in this chaos. It's kind of hard to understand, but because I managed to become a champion and then went through all that and then so many ups and downs, I realized that at the end of the day, none of it really matters that much. And now I'm at a point in my career where I'm so grateful and happy to still be in top shape or at least to be able to come back and really enjoy it this time around instead of having all this regret or bitterness. And I've seen that a lot with other fighters. So I’m very fortunate to be able to be on the side of things and really enjoy it.”