Dana White liked what he saw from Carla Esparza on Saturday night.
The UFC president was impressed by Esparza’s victory over Yan Xiaonan in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 188 in Las Vegas. The former UFC strawweight champion mauled Xiaonan with her wrestling and ground-and-pound to pick up a second-round TKO. It was Esparza’s first stoppage win since winning the inaugural UFC 115-pound title in 2014 when she submitted current title holder Rose Namajunas.
White thinks Esparza (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) put the division and the UFC brass on notice with the finish of Xiaonan.
“She looked like a beast tonight,” White said on the ESPN+ post-fight show. “She came out and absolutely dominated. You can tell by the way she was fighting that she was trying to make a statement. Statement made, message received, we see you. I don’t know what we’re going to do next – if we do the rematch or if we give it to her.”
There’s a possibility of a rematch between Namajunas and Zhang Weili, who lost the title to “Thug Rose” last month at UFC 261.
However, Esparza has made a convincing argument to get the next title shot as she’s now on a five-fight wining streak over notable names such as Virna Jandiroba, Alexa Grasso, Michelle Waterson, Marina Rodriguez, and now Xiaonan.
Esparza made it clear in her UFC Fight Night 188 post-fight interview what she wants next.
“I want a chance to fight for that title,” Esparza said. “I think that’s an intriguing fight. It’s a fight that everyone wants to see. Come on, Dana, let’s make it happen.”
Dana White to Carla Esparza after statement UFC Fight Night 188 win: ‘We see you’
