PHOENIX – The first of two championship bouts at UFC 274 was not the most exciting bout, but the strawweight division has a new champion.
Carla Esparza entered Saturday’s contest with the goal of reclaiming the title she once held. Rose Namajunas looked to avenge a prior loss to Esparza in the first strawweight title in the promotion’s history. When it was all said and done, Esparza (19-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) defeated Namajunas (11-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) for the second time in an uneventful bout that left the judges split on who won the evening’s co-main event at Footprint Center.
The familiar foes started the fight off with a slow pace as they both tried to measure the other’s movements. A few strikes were offered from both, but virtually nothing of significance landed in the first three minutes. Namajunas found a home for a few left jabs as she avoided the intermittent attacks of Esparza, but the opening round certainly lacked action.
