Jessica Aguilar to Carla Esparza: ‘Smile and be happy’ about being second best

Jessica Aguilar is not fighting this weekend. But she wants to remind everyone that she hasn’t gone anywhere and is still atop her division.

The World Series of Fighting women’s strawweight champion tweeted Saturday afternoon that she — and not Carla Esparza — is the best 115-pound female fighter in the world. Aguilar told Esparza to “smile and be happy with being #2.” Esparza defends her UFC women’s strawweight title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 185 on Saturday night in Dallas.

@ufc @CarlaEsparza1 pic.twitter.com/78xPrbJwUV

— Jessica Aguilar (@jagatt) March 14, 2015

Aguilar (19-4) can absolutely make the case for being the No. 1 women’s strawweight in the world. She has won 10 in a row and has not lost a fight since Sept. 30, 2010 against Zoila Frausto in Bellator. Furthermore, Aguilar, 32, owns a win over Esparza in June 2011, also in Bellator. Aguilar has also beaten the other woman to defeat Esparza — Megumi Fujii — twice.

However, Esparza (10-2) has fought the tougher competition, at least recently. “Cookie Monster” won the inaugural UFC strawweight title by beating Rose Namajunas in the Ultimate Fighter 20 finals in December. She also defeated the likes of Jessica Penne and Tecia Torres on the show. Esparza, 27, was the Invicta FC women’s strawweight champion and also owns wins over Rec Rawlings and Felice Herrig.

In the MMARising.com women’s strawweight top 10, Torres is ranked and Penne and Herrig are both honorable mention. Aguilar has not beaten anyone currently ranked since Esparza four years ago.

Aguilar successfully defended her belt against Kalindra Faria last November. Her next bout is not yet scheduled. Of course, WSOF doesn’t have the level of competition at women’s strawweight that the UFC does.

But until Aguilar signs with the UFC — if it happens — the debate will rage on.

Jessica Aguilar is not fighting this weekend. But she wants to remind everyone that she hasn’t gone anywhere and is still atop her division.

The World Series of Fighting women’s strawweight champion tweeted Saturday afternoon that she — and not Carla Esparza — is the best 115-pound female fighter in the world. Aguilar told Esparza to “smile and be happy with being #2.” Esparza defends her UFC women’s strawweight title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 185 on Saturday night in Dallas.

Aguilar (19-4) can absolutely make the case for being the No. 1 women’s strawweight in the world. She has won 10 in a row and has not lost a fight since Sept. 30, 2010 against Zoila Frausto in Bellator. Furthermore, Aguilar, 32, owns a win over Esparza in June 2011, also in Bellator. Aguilar has also beaten the other woman to defeat Esparza — Megumi Fujii — twice.

However, Esparza (10-2) has fought the tougher competition, at least recently. “Cookie Monster” won the inaugural UFC strawweight title by beating Rose Namajunas in the Ultimate Fighter 20 finals in December. She also defeated the likes of Jessica Penne and Tecia Torres on the show. Esparza, 27, was the Invicta FC women’s strawweight champion and also owns wins over Rec Rawlings and Felice Herrig.

In the MMARising.com women’s strawweight top 10, Torres is ranked and Penne and Herrig are both honorable mention. Aguilar has not beaten anyone currently ranked since Esparza four years ago.

Aguilar successfully defended her belt against Kalindra Faria last November. Her next bout is not yet scheduled. Of course, WSOF doesn’t have the level of competition at women’s strawweight that the UFC does.

But until Aguilar signs with the UFC — if it happens — the debate will rage on.