NEW YORK – At one point during her session with reporters Wednesday, UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza trembled. No, it wasn’t for the reason you probably are thinking. It was just a little chilly inside the room hosting UFC 281 media day.
Esparza (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) is well aware of the general feeling heading into her co-headliner with Zhang Weili (22-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on Saturday, that she’s afraid of the former champion and has little chance of defending her title. The oddsmakers reflect that, too, with Weili a nearly 4-to-1 favorite and Esparza a nearly 3-to-1 underdog.
Even Weili told reporters earlier Wednesday that she doesn’t think there’s anything special to Esparza’s skillset and that there’s nothing in particular for her to fear.
