Carla Esparza is a fighter who won the hard way, as a grinding wrestler who did not have top-tier athleticism but worked hard, day in, and day out, and still was not appreciated by fans for her style.
She beat fan favorite Rose Namajunas twice, once in one of the worst fights of all time, so fans often booed her, even when she was champion.
As a result, it must feel good for ‘The Cookie Monster’ to be fiercely defended by fans who thought she deserved the decision over Tecia Pennington at UFC 307 on Saturday.
The Salt Lake City, Utah fans booed vigorously during Pennington’s entire post-fight speech after she got the nod, with one 30-27 scorecard for Tecia making them show their displeasure with vigor.
When the microphone transferred to Esparza, as she held her son in his ‘Cookie Monster’ onesie, the boos instantly turned to cheers during her retirement speech and career retrospective video put together by the promotion.
Retirement fights rarely go well in mixed martial arts, so it’s a pleasure to watch a former underappreciated champion give their all, make an exciting fight, and receive the sendoff she deserves from fans and company alike.
