ABU DHABI – Carla Esparza likes the idea of fighting Amanda Ribas if she gets a UFC victory on ESPN 14.
Former UFC champion Esparza (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meets undefeated Marina Rodriguez (13-0-2 MMA, 2-0-2 UFC) in a key strawweight bout on the Saturday, which takes place at the Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and airs on ESPN. Although it was already a major fight, the matchup has been further elevated by the UFC’s biggest new budding star, Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC), expressing his desire to fight the winner.
Ribas comes from a dominant first-round submission victory over Paige VanZant at UFC 251 this month, and then named Esparza vs. Rodriguez as a matchup that could produce his next one. Esparza said she is focused on the task at hand, but she really likes the idea.
“I’m definitely going to fight her,” Esparza told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on the UFC Tuesday on ESPN 14 media day. “First things first, I have to run business here on ‘Fight Island,’ but “Of course. I’m willing to fight anyone. I always have been and that’s new to me. I didn’t know she called the winner of this fight. But yeah, I’m a game.”
“She has a lot of anticipation right now, she had a great victory last weekend and I think it would be a very good fight.”
Despite the fact that he once held a UFC title, Esparza is currently on the longest winning streak of his tenure with promotion in three straight fights. The winning streak comes immediately after the consecutive losses in 2018, which “The Cookie Monster” saw as a crossroads in his career.
However, Esparza didn’t let the negative moments break her, and said he actually forced her to address the flaws in her game.
“I feel good,” Esparza said of his streak. “I made the switch, I had two losses in a row for the first time in my career and I think the person you are dictates what you do after that. Do I bend and stay on that path or are you going to make some changes and evolve? I stepped back and made a lot of changes and I think that’s what contributed to my victories. “
Since losing the 115-pound title to Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 185 in March 2015, Esparza had been constantly asked how and when he would return to the belt. That question has been more relevant at certain times than at others, but right now she is in the direction of the belt.
If Esparza can beat Rodriguez, then potentially Ribas later, he would be in a solid position to compete for the title.
“I don’t think he did it entirely, 100 percent dropped out of that conversation,” Esparza said. “I don’t think I’ve been in the top 10 since my first year of fighting. I have always strived to get to the top spot. There are always potholes along the way, but there are tough girls in that division. A loss here and there I don’t think will necessarily knock me or anyone out of the equation. This game is a fighting game. I go there and lose to Joanna, then I beat Rose and then Rose goes and knocks Joanna out. People are constantly evolving and it’s one of those things. I think the clashes make fights. “
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