Carla Esparza had a tough road as a grinding wrestler who didn’t have top-level athleticism but worked hard day in and day out and still didn’t appreciate her style from fans. A victorious fighter.
Even when she was champion, fans often booed her, as she defeated fan favorite Rose Namajunas twice, one of which was in one of the worst matches of all time.
As a result, it must feel good to see “Cookie Monster” fiercely defended by fans who thought she deserved a decision against Teshia Pennington at UFC 307 on Saturday.
Fans in Salt Lake City, Utah, loudly booed Pennington throughout his postgame speech after receiving the nomination, and they expressed their displeasure when they saw Tecia’s 30-27 scorecard.
When Esparza took the microphone, holding her son in a Cookie Monster costume, boos quickly turned to cheers as she performed her retirement speech and played a career retrospective video put together by the promotion.
Retirement matches rarely go well in mixed martial arts, so it’s nice to see an underrated former champion give it his all, put on an exciting match, and receive a well-deserved send-off from fans and the company.
