Carla Esparza
20-8-0
About
Two-time UFC strawweight champion and the division's original titlist, a smothering wrestler nicknamed 'Cookie Monster.'
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Carla Esparza is the original UFC women's strawweight champion and one of only a handful of two-time titlists in the division. A relentless pressure wrestler, she won the inaugural belt on The Ultimate Fighter, lost it, and then ground her way through a five-fight win streak to dethrone Rose Namajunas in 2022 and reclaim the championship.
Her second reign was brief, ending with a submission loss to Zhang Weili, and she later retired. Esparza is respected for her durability and the long road she traveled back to the top, even if her smothering, takedown-heavy style - and the largely uneventful Namajunas title fight - left some fans cold.
Why fans love Esparza
Her resilience and the long road back to a second title made her a respected, durable veteran of the division.
Why some fans hate Esparza
Her grinding, takedown-heavy style - especially the widely panned Namajunas title win - frustrated fans who wanted action.
