and new
‘The Stinker of all stinkers’ – Carla Esparza scores upset win over Rose Namajunas in an uneventful strawweight title fight at UFC 274
Carla Esparza is the new strawweight champion after eking out a split decision win over Rose Namajunas in one of the worst fights of all time at UFC 274.
‘The Cookie Monster’ picked up a split decision win in a fight UFC commentator Joe Rogan labelled “The stinker of all stinkers”.
3
The first two rounds were completely uneventful. Neither fighter got off anything of note and UFC commentators Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Jon Anik speculated about how the judges would score the dull affair.
In the third frame, Namajunas and Esparza got things going, somewhat.
‘The Cookie Monster’ temporarily got the champ to the floor but ‘Thug Rose’ quickly popped back up to her feet and got off a little bit of striking offence.
Esparza managed to get the fight to the floor again in the fourth round, taking the back of Namajunas before quickly being shrugged off.
3
3
Most read in MMA
Another takedown followed later in the round but ‘Thug Rose’ made her opponent pay with the biggest punch of the fight as they broke away from the clinch position.
Namajunas stole the final round as she landed more strikes and a very late takedown before both fighters were met with a chorus of boos when the fight ended.
Esparza’s post-fight speech was drowned out by boos but the fans in attendance at UFC 274 did nothing to dampen the spirit of the now two-time champion.
The 34-year-old became the first strawweight UFC champion when she scored a third-round submission win over Namajunas to win the Ultimate Fighter 20 final in 2014.
Esparza, who was badly beaten by Jedrzejczyk in her first title defence, has been working her way back to a title shot ever since.
After years of inconsistent results, Esparza is unbeaten since 2019 and earned herself a title shot at UFC 274 by putting together a five-fight win streak that includes impressive victories over Marian Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan.