The date for the next strawweight title defense is set, adding to a stacked May UFC pay-per-view event.
Strawweight champion Rose Namajunas is in the works to meet Carla Esparza for the second time in her career at UFC 274. The event takes place on May 7 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, and Namajunas vs. Esparza 2 will serve as the co-main event. MMA Junkie confirmed the news following an initial report from Spots Illustrated.
Namajunas (11-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) faced Esparza (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) for the first time at The Ultimate Fighter 20 Finale in 2014 for the inaugural strawweight title bout. Esparza won the fight via rear-naked choke submission in the third round.
Since their first meeting, Namajunas has gone on to claim the strawweight title twice, and picked up the first defense of her second reign in her last outing by defeating Zhang Weili via split decision at UFC 268.
Esparza has racked up five-straight victories in order to earn another crack at the title she once held. She most recently defeated Yan Xiaonan in a dominant performance, finishing the fight in the second round via ground and pound at UFC Fight Night 188.
UFC President Dana White recently stated Namajunas vs. Esparza 2 would be the next title fight, silencing doubts that another challenger would leap Esparza.
With the addition, the UFC 274 lineup includes:
- Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje – for lightweight title
- Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza – for women’s strawweight title
- Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson
- Mauricio Rua vs. Ovince Saint Preux
- Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon
- Brandon Royval vs. Matt Schnell
- Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima
- Macy Chiasson vs. Norma Dumont
- Ariane Carnelossi vs. Loopy Godinez
- Kleydson Rodrigues vs. CJ Vergara
- Danny Roberts vs. Francisco Trinaldo
- Randy Brown vs. Khaos Williams
- Fernie Garcia vs. Journey Newson
- Michael Johnson vs. Alan Patrick
- Tracy Cortez vs. Melissa Gatto
