ABU DHABI – Carla Esparza likes the idea of fighting Amanda Ribas if she gets a victory at UFC on ESPN 14.
The former UFC champ Esparza (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meets unbeaten Marina Rodriguez (13-0-2 MMA, 2-0-2 UFC) in a key strawweight bout on Saturday’s card, which takes place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and airs on ESPN. Although it was already an important fight, the matchup has been even further elevated by the UFC’s biggest new budding star, Ribas (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC), voicing her desire to fight the winner.
Ribas is coming off a dominant first-round submission win over Paige VanZant at UFC 251 this month, and afterward she named Esparza vs. Rodriguez as a matchup that could produce her next for. Esparza said she’s focused on the task at hand, but very much likes the idea.
“I’m definitely down to fight her,” Esparza told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Tuesday at UFC on ESPN 14 media day. “First things first, I got to handle business over here on ‘Fight Island,’ but of course. I’m down to fight anyone. I always have been and that’s news to me. I didn’t know she called out the winner of this fight. But yeah, I’m game.
“She has a lot of hype right now, she got a big win this past weekend and I think that would actually be a really good fight.”
Despite the fact she once held a UFC title, Esparza is currently riding the longest winning streak of her tenure with the promotion at three consecutive fights. The winning streak comes on the heels of back-to-back losses in 2018, which “The Cookie Monster” viewed as something of a crossroads in her career.
Esparza didn’t let the down moments break her, though, and said it actually forced her to address the flaws in her game.
“I feel good about it,” Esparza said of her streak. “I made the change, I had two losses in a row for the first time in my career and I think the person you are kind of dictates what you do after that. Do I fold and stay on that path or are you going to make some changes and evolve? I took a step back and I made a lot of changes and I think that’s what’s contributed to my wins.”
Ever since she lost the 115-pound title to Joanna Jedrzejczyk at UFC 185 in March 2015, Esparza had been consistently asked about how and when she will get back to the belt. That question has been more relevant at certain times than others, but right now she is trending in the direction of the belt.
If Esparza can get past Rodriguez, then potentially Ribas afterward, she would be in a strong position to challenge for the title.
“I don’t think I ever completely, 100 percent left that conversation,” Esparza said. “I don’t think I’ve been out of the top 10 since my first year of fighting. I’ve always strived to hit that top spot. There’s bumps in the road always, but there’s tough girls in that division. A loss here and there I don’t think necessarily takes me or anyone out of the equation. This game is a game of matchups. I go there and lose to Joanna then beat Rose then Rose goes and knocks out Joanna. People are constantly evolving and it’s one of those things. I think matchups makes fights.”
Carla Esparza welcomes Amanda Ribas fight after UFC on ESPN 14: 'She has a lot of hype'
