Den tidigare stråviktsmästarinnan Carla Esparza ställs inför en riktigt tuff motståndare i sin nästkommande match, då hon tar an sig Tatiana Suarez på UFC 228:s huvudkort.
Läs mer: Matchkortet för UFC 228 färdigställt
Suarez har tre raka imponerande vinster sedan hon debuterade för organisationen i juli 2016. Esparza, som känt Suarez i flera år, har också full respekt för den yngre talangens grapplingegenskaper.
“I’ve known here for years, we actually grew up together on the local circuit. I’ve known of her for a long time and she’s actually been my friend for many years. As far as looking at her on a professional level and looking at her as a fighter, I think she’s a great grappler and a two time world medallist in wrestling on the women’s circuit,” säger Esparza till MMAnytt.
“I don’t think she’s shown a lot of versatility in her striking so far, but she’s still young in this sport,” säger Esparza.
Esparza tror dock att hennes överlägsna rutin gentemot Suarez kommer att vara den avgörande faktorn när de båda gör upp i början av september.
“I think the numbers and the fights speak for themselves. You will have seen the type of fights and wars that I’ve been in. It gives me a lot of confidence to overcome anything that anyone can throw at me”, säger Esparza.
“I think she’s been in there and dominated a lot of people and who is to say what’s going to happen, but if it goes into deep waters, I think my experience in the cage is going to give me that edge over her,” avslutar hon.
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