PHOENIX – Seven-and-a-half years later, Carla Esparza thinks her style will cause problems for Rose Namajunas.
Esparza (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) is set to challenge strawweight champion Namajunas (11-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in the UFC 274 co-main event, a rematch of a fight from December 2014. “The Cookie Monster” won that bout by third-round submission in what was the inaugural divisional title fight.
In the years since then, though, Namajunas has flourished into a champion with two title reigns. Esparza, meanwhile, has remained a top-five contender after losing the belt but has never been able to get her second crack at gold.
The opportunity comes Saturday, though, and Esparza thinks she’s ready to seize the moment.
“This title will mean everything to me,” Esparza told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at UFC 274 media day on Wednesday. “Just an accumulation of all these years and all the hard work. It would really make a statement. Not just a fighter but as a person. It would show that you can lose and stumble along the way, but you can get your way back if you put the work in and evolve in this sport.”
Esparza was able to use superior wrestling and grappling to defeat Namajunas in their first matchup. There’s no question Namajunas has become better in that area over the course of nearly a decade, but is it enough to beat Esparza? She’s not so sure.
“I think stylistically we’re still similar to what we were back in the day, but I think we’ve both evolved a lot,” Esparza said. “When we fought, she was greener to the sport, and now she’s been in so many high-level fights and so many title fights that she has a lot more composure now and is a lot more comfortable on that big stage. It’s definitely going to play a big factor. She was dangerous back then, and she’s dangerous now.”
Only UFC 274 fight night will determine who the better woman is. It’s been a long wait for Esparza to get here, and she said there will be no excuses regardless of the result when she leaves the octagon.
“I think anybody with almost eight years down the line since I won the title, I think anyone is going to change a lot, and I don’t think you could be in the sport for that long without having a lot of evolution in your game,” Esparza said. “As a person, just so many life changes in your 20s and your 30s. I definitely feel different, but it’s almost a good feeling. I feel more mature and comfortable in this place.”
UFC 274 takes place Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
