Carla Esparza drops decision loss to Tecia Pennington in retirement fight – UFC 307 Highlights
Former two-time undisputed strawweight champion, Carla Esparza has called time on her career in mixed martial arts tonight off the back of her hard-fought pairing with fellow perennial contender, Tecia Pennington — bowing out on her shield in their preliminary card clash in Salt Lake City at UFC 307.
Esparza, a victor of The Ultimate Fighter 20 back in 2014 — where she minted herself as the inaugural strawweight champion with a rear-naked choke submission win over Rose Namajunas.
And eight years later, Carla Esparza would work her way back to the championship once more as part of a stunning winning spree — again defeating fellow former gold holder, Namajunas, this time in a split decision win.
And tonight, the long-time Team Oyama trainee bowed out on the preliminary card of UFC 307 — dropping a close and contentious unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) loss against perennial contender, Pennington in what she confirmed would be her final venture to the Octagon.
Over the course of her gold laden professional career, Csparza would turn in notable career victories over the likes of Nina Nunes, Felice Herrig, Rose Namajunas, Cynthia Calvillo, Virna Jandiroba, Alexa Grasso, Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Marina Rodriguez, and Yan Xiaonan to name a few.
