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Carla Esparza Believes She’s Above Marina Rodriguez In Title Talks

Top-ranked strawweight Carla Esparza considers herself next to challenge for the 115-pound strap and believes recent events have solidified that notion. Prior to the rematch booking between Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili, some briefly linked Esparza to fighting for gold. After all, the UFC veteran is on a five-fight winning streak. The 34-year-old showed out […]

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Top-ranked strawweight Carla Esparza considers herself next to challenge for the 115-pound strap and believes recent events have solidified that notion.

Prior to the rematch booking between Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili, some briefly linked Esparza to fighting for gold. After all, the UFC veteran is on a five-fight winning streak. The 34-year-old showed out in her last fight when she dominated Xiaonan Yan violently after trapping her in a crucifix.

“The Cookie Monster” insists that her win over Marina Rodriguez cemented her as the #1 contender. Esparza believes this to be true especially after Rodriguez defeated Mackenzie Dern at UFC Vegas 39 over the weekend. Esparza and Rodriguez met on Fight Island in July of last year. The fight was close, though Esparza’s grappling narrowly sealed the victory despite taking some damage.

Speaking with MMA Junkie, Carla Esparza described her method of thinking behind where she stands in the packed division of women.

“But with Marina having a win over her [Dern] and myself having a win over Marina, and being her only loss, I think it really solidified me as the No. 1 contender.” Carla Esparza said.

Since there were talks that Dern could potentially contend for a title if she beat Rodriguez, Esparza too believes she’s within arm’s reach of coveted gold. She already has a win over the dangerous Rodriguez, so it seems there is little incentive to run that fight back right now. In the meantime, it appears Esparza is hungrier than ever for another crack at gold.

“Of course I want the title fight. Esparza said. I’ve been fighting for seven years to get back to this point, but I also want to stay active and fight because that’s what I like to do, so hopefully, it goes in a way that makes sense for the UFC to give me the next fight.”

Namajunas will attempt to defend her title at UFC 268 on Nov. 6. Esparza holds a rear-naked choke finish victory over Namajunas from many moons ago, so the strawweight is sitting in a great spot for her. Surely, if any last-minute changes happen with the UFC 268 strawweight title fight, Esparza should be on Dana White’s speed dial.

Do you think Carla Esparza should fight for the title next?

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Carla Esparza Was Offered Mackenzie Dern After Yan Xiaonan Win

UFC Vegas 27 Carla Esparza Was Offered Mackenzie Dern After Yan Xiaonan Win

Carla Esparza was offered top contender instead of a title shot after her last win.

Inaugural UFC strawweight champion Esparza has been working her way back to the title since she lost it in 2015. The former champion has put together a five-fight win streak with wins over Virna Jandiroba, Michelle Waterson, Alexa Grasso, and Marina Rodriguez.

Most recently, she faced surging contender Yan Xiaonan in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt. Esparza dominated and ended up finishing the Chinese fighter in the second round. It was the first time she had finished an opponent since winning the title. The win would earn her a Performance of the Night bonus.

Many thought the win over Xiaonan would earn Esparza a title shot and a rematch with Rose Namajunas. However, it was announced that Namajunas would rematch Zhang Weili instead.

In an interview with MMA Junkie on Monday, Esparza revealed she was offered another contender instead of a title shot.

“I was offered with the fight with Mackenzie [Dern]. They offered me the fight like very soon after I got home from my last fight, so I was like, ‘oh.’ So, you know, it is seeming like a big possibility that I’m not going to get the rematch with Rose,” Esparza said.

Esparza was worried that if Dern were to get a win, it would throw another wrench into the crowded strawweight division. But, instead, Dern would end up losing to Rodriguez this past weekend.

No matter the obstacles and roadblocks, “Cookie Monster” believes she is the next in line.

“I’m going to know a lot after the fight on Nov. 6. I think whatever happens after that fight is going to be very telling on what happens with my future and my next fight,” Esparza said.

“Of course, I want the title fight. I’ve been fighting for seven years to get back to this point, but I also want to stay active and fight because that’s what I like to do, so hopefully, it goes in a way that makes sense for the UFC to give me the next fight.”

Marina Rodriguez Says Carla Esparza Should Get Title Shot Before Her

UFC strawweight Marina Rodriguez is poised for an imminent title shot following her win on Saturday, but she feels the only woman to have beaten her, Carla Esparza, deserves it first. Rodriguez once again proved that she’s one of the best in the women’s 115-pound division by earning a unanimous decision victory over Mackenzie Dern […]

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UFC strawweight Marina Rodriguez is poised for an imminent title shot following her win on Saturday, but she feels the only woman to have beaten her, Carla Esparza, deserves it first.

Rodriguez once again proved that she’s one of the best in the women’s 115-pound division by earning a unanimous decision victory over Mackenzie Dern at UFC Vegas 39. It wasn’t without adversity, however, with Rodriguez escaping a few precarious situations on the ground against Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Dern.

The Fight of the Night performance was Rodriguez’s third successive victory, having previously defeated Michelle Waterson and Amanda Ribas this year. Her last and only loss of her career came via a narrow split decision against Esparza in July 2020.

For Dern, the loss snapped her four-fight win-streak, and came against an opponent she didn’t initially plan on fighting. Last month, Dern said that Ezparza had turned her down before the matchup with Rodriguez materialized, in what she believed was an effort to hold out for a title shot.

Marina Rodriguez Dern — PHOTO: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Marina Rodriguez Says Carla Ezparza Deserves Title Shot Next

Strawweight champion Rose Namajunas will run it back with Weili Zhang at UFC 268 on 6 November, but as to who will face the victor, it’s still anyone’s guess. In addition to Rodriguez, #3 ranked Esparza, who’s riding a five-fight win-streak, probably has the strongest case for a title shot. But there’s also Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who remains ranked at #2, despite not fighting since her instant classic with Zhang in March last year.

Speaking at the UFC Vegas 39 post-fight press conference, Rodriguez magnanimously conceded that Esparza deserves a title shot even more than herself, and that she should be facing Namajunas in November instead of Zhang.

Marina Rodriguez Esparza — Carla Esparza and Marina Rodriguez square off in July 2020. (PHOTO: ESPN)

“Yeah, that’s the thing,” said Rodriguez. “I really think that Carla was the one that should have been getting the title fight…but if the UFC does offer me a title fight ahead of her, who am I to say no to it? But I would much prefer (to) let her go fight for (the) title, maybe get that belt, and then we can do the rematch for the belt.”

Marina seems an incredibly humble person, however, she doesn’t have infinite patience.

“But I don’t have all the time in the world, so (she’s) gotta get moving,” said Rodriguez.

What do you think? Should Carla Esparza get a title shot before Marina Rodriguez?

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Marina Rodriguez Thinks Esparza Deserves UFC Strawweight Title Shot

Marina Rodriguez is of the belief that Carla Esparza has done her part to earn a UFC Strawweight Title opportunity. Rodriguez is climbing the 115-pound ranks. She is the number six-ranked UFC strawweight. She’s set to face Mackenzie Dern at a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 9. During an interview with MMA News’ James […]

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Marina Rodriguez is of the belief that Carla Esparza has done her part to earn a UFC Strawweight Title opportunity.

Rodriguez is climbing the 115-pound ranks. She is the number six-ranked UFC strawweight. She’s set to face Mackenzie Dern at a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 9.

During an interview with MMA News’ James Lynch, Rodriguez expressed her belief that there are plenty of worthy contenders at strawweight.

“If you look at the past four years, it’s been the same four people fighting for the belt. This division has many talented people, and there are many that deserve to be in the title conversation.”

With that said, Rodriguez feels Carla Esparza should be next in line to meet the winner of Rose Namajunas vs. Weili Zhang 2.

“I think it should be Carla. She did more than enough to earn (it). And now was the time to have someone new in the title picture and get the division moving again. So she will be in a very tough place what (she) should do? Wait for a full year with maybe no fight (and) try to get her title shot? It’s complicated, but it’s part of the game.”

Esparza is riding a five-fight winning streak. She’s coming off a second-round TKO victory over Yan Xiaonan. Esparza was all class when discussing the UFC 268 title shot snub. As mentioned, the next strawweight title shot will be going to Zhang, who was stopped by Namajunas in their first meeting back in April.

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Carla Esparza Is All Class Following UFC 268 Title Fight Snub

Carla Esparza may not be getting the next UFC Strawweight Title shot but don’t expect her to complain about it. Esparza has been on a tear since being stopped by Tatiana Suarez back in Sept. 2018. Since the loss, Esparza has gone on a five-fight …

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J?drzejczyk Feels Esparza Must Prove She’s UFC Title Material Again

Joanna J?drzejczyk has made it clear that she believes it’s going to take a little more for fans to be invested in Carla Esparza. Esparza has seemingly put herself in a decent position to challenge Rose Namajunas for the UFC Strawweight Cha…

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