Women's Strawweight · “Cookie Monster”
Carla Esparza
19-8-0 UFC 10-6-0
5'1"Height
63"Reach
OrthodoxStance
38Age
1KO wins
1Sub wins
20.0%Finish rate
14:01Avg fight
Statistical profile
Radar — percentile vs UFC veterans
Career rates
Sig. strikes landed / min2.19
Sig. strikes absorbed / min2.87
Striking accuracy39.5%
Striking defense54.4%
Takedowns / 15 min3.28
Takedown accuracy36.3%
Takedown defense47.2%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.27
Control time28.3%
Record vs .500+ opponents8-5
Striking trend
Fight history
L Tecia Pennington 9-7 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. · October 5, 2024
39/123Sig. strikes
80/150Absorbed
4/7Takedowns
3:40Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Zhang Weili 6-2 walk-in TITLE Submission · R2 1:05 — UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · November 12, 2022
6/32Sig. strikes
37/78Absorbed
1/4Takedowns
0:55Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Rose Namajunas 9-3 walk-in TITLE Decision - Split · R5 5:00 — UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje · May 7, 2022
30/133Sig. strikes
37/136Absorbed
2/11Takedowns
0:22Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Yan Xiaonan 6-0 walk-in KO/TKO · R2 2:58 — UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt · May 22, 2021
27/33Sig. strikes
5/11Absorbed
3/3Takedowns
7:18Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Marina Rodriguez 2-0-2 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till · July 25, 2020
33/60Sig. strikes
40/76Absorbed
5/9Takedowns
8:54Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Michelle Waterson-Gomez 5-3 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje · May 9, 2020
45/103Sig. strikes
44/98Absorbed
1/10Takedowns
0:46Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Alexa Grasso 3-2 walk-in Decision - Majority · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Stephens · September 21, 2019
44/80Sig. strikes
45/103Absorbed
4/11Takedowns
7:12Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Virna Jandiroba 0-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Jacare vs. Hermansson · April 27, 2019
25/51Sig. strikes
17/37Absorbed
4/10Takedowns
5:25Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Tatiana Suarez 3-0 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 4:33 — UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till · September 8, 2018
6/10Sig. strikes
82/98Absorbed
0/2Takedowns
0:04Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Claudia Gadelha 4-3 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 · June 9, 2018
43/103Sig. strikes
26/64Absorbed
2/4Takedowns
3:36Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Cynthia Calvillo 3-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 219: Cyborg vs. Holm · December 30, 2017
48/138Sig. strikes
38/112Absorbed
2/9Takedowns
0:22Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Maryna Moroz 3-1 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Lee · June 25, 2017
40/95Sig. strikes
38/119Absorbed
6/14Takedowns
6:22Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Randa Markos 2-3 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Browne · February 19, 2017
32/132Sig. strikes
48/110Absorbed
4/10Takedowns
2:45Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Juliana Lima 2-1 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 197: Jones vs Saint Preux · April 23, 2016
28/42Sig. strikes
26/43Absorbed
5/7Takedowns
9:35Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Joanna Jedrzejczyk 2-0 walk-in TITLE KO/TKO · R2 4:17 — UFC 185: Pettis vs Dos Anjos · March 14, 2015
4/22Sig. strikes
53/105Absorbed
1/17Takedowns
1:09Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Rose Namajunas 0-0 walk-in TITLE Submission · R3 1:26 — The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale · December 12, 2014
42/90Sig. strikes
28/72Absorbed
5/7Takedowns
5:03Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
4
Submission
4
Decision
11
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
2
Submission
2
Decision
4
Other
0
Fights by organization
UFC
16
Invicta FC
3
Bellator
2
XFC
1
ECSC
1
Crowbar MMA
1
NMEF Ladies Night
1
Long Beach Fight Night
1
+ 1 more organizations in the full career list
Full career — 27 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | Tecia Pennington | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 307
October 5, 2024 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Zhang Weili | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 281
November 12, 2022 |
UFC | 2 | 1:05 |
| W | Rose Namajunas | Decision (split) | UFC 274
May 7, 2022 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Yan Xiaonan | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Garbrandt
May 22, 2021 |
UFC | 2 | 2:58 |
| W | Marina Rodriguez | Decision (split) | UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till
July 26, 2020 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Michelle Waterson | Decision (split) | UFC 249
May 9, 2020 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Alexa Grasso | Decision (majority) | UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens
September 21, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Virna Jandiroba | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson
April 27, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Tatiana Suarez | TKO (punches and elbows) | UFC 228
September 8, 2018 |
UFC | 3 | 4:33 |
| L | Cláudia Gadelha | Decision (split) | UFC 225
June 9, 2018 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Cynthia Calvillo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 219
December 30, 2017 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Maryna Moroz | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Chiesa vs. Lee
June 25, 2017 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Randa Markos | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Browne
February 19, 2017 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Juliana Lima | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 197
April 23, 2016 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Joanna Jędrzejczyk | TKO (punches) | UFC 185
March 14, 2015 |
UFC | 2 | 4:17 |
| W | Rose Namajunas | Submission (rear-naked choke) | The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned Finale
December 12, 2014 |
UFC | 3 | 1:26 |
| W | Bec Rawlings | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt
January 5, 2013 |
Invicta FC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Lynn Alvarez | TKO (punches) | Invicta FC 3: Penne vs. Sugiyama
October 6, 2012 |
Invicta FC | 1 | 2:53 |
| W | Sarah Schneider | TKO (punches) | Invicta FC 2: Baszler vs. McMann
July 28, 2012 |
Invicta FC | 2 | 4:28 |
| W | Felice Herrig | Decision (unanimous) | XFC 15: Tribute
December 2, 2011 |
XFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Jessica Aguilar | Decision (split) | Bellator 46
June 25, 2011 |
Bellator | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Yadira Anzaldua | Submission (rear-naked choke) | ECSC: Friday Night Fights 3
April 15, 2011 |
ECSC | 1 | 0:53 |
| W | Nina Ansaroff | Decision (split) | Crowbar MMA: Winter Brawl
December 10, 2010 |
Crowbar MMA | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Megumi Fujii | Submission (armbar) | Bellator 24
August 12, 2010 |
Bellator | 2 | 0:57 |
| W | Lacey Schuckman | Submission (rear-naked choke) | NMEF Ladies Night: Clash of the Titans 8
July 16, 2010 |
NMEF Ladies Night | 2 | 2:37 |
| W | Karina Hallinan | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Long Beach Fight Night 8
April 18, 2010 |
Long Beach Fight Night | 2 | 2:16 |
| W | Cassie Trost | TKO (punches) | Respect in the Cage 3
February 19, 2010 |
Respect in the Cage | 1 | 0:48 |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Carla Esparza) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.