5 Facts You Must Know About MMA Legend Carla Esparza Before UFC 281

By: Alok Nayak Image Credit: UFC

[{"selector":"#anim-951f5ef3-2571-4cb2-b263-3612069a86ec [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-24.263267702401514%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] One of the most experienced strawweight fighter, Carla Esparza is certainly one of the most underrated UFC champion right now.

[{"selector":"#anim-58517286-5e87-4b51-b8cf-d4e46f733caf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.700324821054373%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4061d690-658c-4c32-8c30-30755b2fcf37","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31c0f076-bef3-4ff4-9bf2-b74f803974e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-147.27273%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31485fad-387b-473f-b617-2bddde052228","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":900,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-663ec70b-3dd9-407f-b11c-526491ab4875","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-24822c6b-cc03-40a7-b699-854d1af129c8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-120.46204%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carla Esparza's last fight against Rose Namajunas was one of the most exciting uneventful title fights in UFC history.

[{"selector":"#anim-1033ec4d-6d98-4374-99cc-cfaf0746be53 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-19.120903502788067%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e6fae11-b0c6-4cbd-a1f4-8b66f7b6cc00","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b0c6991-e50d-4e14-8965-cb0c8d273332","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.02797%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-048fef8a-3931-4691-96fe-285af879eba8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b4e8d389-0d3b-4898-8c79-e710d8a04f3d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-73.9628%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] However, Esparza's legacy is way more than just one bad fight with Rose Namajunas, which she ended up winning.

[{"selector":"#anim-67aa1555-5129-46c4-b41d-367315f0728a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ccc90495-650d-42b7-b605-f521ab9dcb7b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 59.46835%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd865f71-239a-4799-be2d-eac4ca8fd654","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fc6338b3-c109-45cb-ae90-6e6618e536e1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-21.1864406779661%, -21.186439249538363%) scale(1.423728813559322)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Carla Esparza was the first ever UFC strawweight champion. And she won the title by beating Rose Namajunas by a 3rd round rear naked choke.

[{"selector":"#anim-6a49d3b9-c503-4660-9632-bd0273eb56ca [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(14.838541577353869%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-95b5af3e-5e5a-43a4-a7e7-de823c8d6d08","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-731aad5d-9d86-4895-86f7-8750556056b8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-323.52939%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff97e2da-67c8-4790-b86f-d04e2a7931ba","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-21da2ccd-6f32-45df-8f02-a0b212887e5c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-125.09091%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carla Esparza won a 16 round tournament to lay her hands on the UFC strawweight title in The Ultimate Fighter.

[{"selector":"#anim-7629838e-fefb-4044-bc6f-5349f55a3edc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-65e286d8-619b-47c7-88ff-adae6b1f557f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 56.24254%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f515ebd-21e9-46e6-98cb-9f92234960e1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd25b357-1de8-42d0-a6e6-00b061efccb3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.647518017169689%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Carla Espzara has also competed in Bellator and Invicta. She was the first ever Invicta FC strawweight champion.

[{"selector":"#anim-f45946a9-34b4-4ead-89ab-c433fb9a339e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(18.179343860605318%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bd1acab-13a8-4f7a-817c-da18d40618cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1e154d0b-362b-411d-bf9e-194357c0c9ef","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-123.18841%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4103bbf3-b322-4e86-a779-142e56d4b75a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67b544ec-e31f-4596-aa31-291f9fc965ee","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-159.47136%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carla Esparza is certainly one of the pioneer of the women's MMA as she competed in Bellator's first ever women's tournament.

[{"selector":"#anim-41314c13-5db6-4d3e-867f-0087687d3055 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-21.438588775853297%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f8f9ecfe-8b12-420c-92f8-149ea87195f4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-087aca0d-e24f-45bb-9f82-7910b139fc10","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.23076%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fd9e07d-9ff9-48fb-8f19-146f3990560a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-75a90a76-5f5f-4634-9372-f32314e89d83","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-158.95197%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Carla Esparza is one of the best wrestlers UFC has ever seen in the women's division. She has beaten many opponents with her wrestling and grappling.

5 Facts You Must Know About MMA Legend Carla Esparza Before UFC 281

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