Carla Esparza is an exceptionally talented and accomplished American professional mixed martial artist. She has been UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion and also first Invicta FC Strawweight Champion. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Your foray into mixed martial arts began when you started wrestling for the varsity team during your junior year at Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California. After winning multiple local and national high school wrestling tournaments, you were awarded a scholarship to Menlo College to wrestle under coach and former two-time Olympian Lee Allen.You reached the pinnacle of success when you became first Invicta FC strawweight champ. Tell us about your journey that took you to where you are now in the world of being a women mixed martial art fighter? What factors you consider were responsible that made you achieve that?
Ms. Carla Esparza:
It has been a long, hard journey from that first day I stepped on the mat at RUHS, but I wouldn’t trade it for a second. MMA has taken me to a place I’d never thought I’d be in.
When I first came into the sport, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that all of the opportunities we have now could be a possibility. When I first started fighting, there wasn’t much money or recognition for women in the sport of MMA, it was a constant battle to find fights, and to make ends meet with a fighters salary. In a way, I am happy I experienced all of that though, I think it made me appreciate what I have now that much more.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
Elaborate on your spectacular achievement of winning the inaugural UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship by defeating Rose Namajunas on 12th December 2014?
Ms. Carla Esparza:
Well, fortunately the world was able to see part of my journey on the road to becoming the first ever UFC strawweight champion because it was documented in the 20th season of The Ultimate Fighter. So pretty much the whole world knew the difficult road I had to the belt, which made getting my hand raised in that title fight that much sweeter. It was a fight I went into with a lot of stress, not only because of the magnitude of this win, fighting in front of the biggest audience I’ve ever been in front of, but a big part of it was because I felt I had a weight of expectations on me. I came into the tournament as the #1, and I felt pressure to keep that momentum going.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
On 5th January 2013 you won against Bec Rawlings in Invicta FC 4: Esparza vs. Hyatt at Kansas City, Kansas, United States and became inaugural Invicta FC Strawweight Championship. Tell us about this winning fight and how did you feel on the winning the bout?
Ms. Carla Esparza:
Well, at the time, Invicta was the “UFC for women”. Invicta FC was the premiere league for the top women in the sport. When I got offered the title fight, I had already fought and won 2 times in Invicta. Getting the opportunity to fight for that first Invicta strawweight title was an honor in itself, and to walk away with that belt was the highlight of my career at that point.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You possess an exceptional fighter physique. What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?
Ms. Carla Esparza:
Because mixed martial arts is comprised of so many different elements, I get to train a multitude of martial arts that all work out different body parts. I also have a strength and conditioning coach from Innovative Results in Costa Mesa who has me doing a bunch of different types of cool exercises, such as super sets of ball slams and squat jumps, or side to side sprints and skipping, or barrel pulls. Those are some of my faves.
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