{"id":105886,"date":"2026-06-04T06:56:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T06:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grizzliz.com\/media\/fighter\/carla-esparza\/"},"modified":"2026-06-19T20:50:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T20:50:47","slug":"carla-esparza","status":"publish","type":"fighter_profile","link":"https:\/\/www.grizzliz.com\/media\/fighter\/carla-esparza\/","title":{"rendered":"Carla Esparza"},"content":{"rendered":"

Carla Esparza, la pionni\u00e8re des poids pailles UFC<\/h2>\n

Le 12 d\u00e9cembre 2014, Carla Esparza devient la toute premi\u00e8re championne poids pailles de l’histoire de l’UFC en soumettant Rose Namajunas en finale de The Ultimate Fighter 20 (\u00e9tranglement arri\u00e8re, 3e round). Avant elle, la cat\u00e9gorie des -52 kg n’existait pas chez l’organisation. \u00ab\u00a0Cookie Monster\u00a0\u00bb n’a pas h\u00e9rit\u00e9 d’une ceinture : elle l’a invent\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

Une lutteuse avant tout<\/h3>\n

N\u00e9e le 10 octobre 1987 \u00e0 Torrance, en Californie, Esparza vient de la lutte, pas de la frappe. Lutteuse au lyc\u00e9e de Redondo Union, elle d\u00e9croche une bourse pour Menlo College o\u00f9 elle devient All-American en lutte f\u00e9minine. C’est l\u00e0 que se construit son MMA : amener l’adversaire au sol, contr\u00f4ler, \u00e9trangler. Form\u00e9e \u00e0 la Team Oyama, elle b\u00e2tit toute sa carri\u00e8re sur le grappling plut\u00f4t que sur les \u00e9changes debout.<\/p>\n

Avant l’UFC, elle s’impose d\u00e9j\u00e0 comme une r\u00e9f\u00e9rence de la division. Le 5 janvier 2013, elle remporte la premi\u00e8re ceinture poids pailles de l’Invicta FC en battant Bec Hyatt aux points. Un premier titre inaugural, comme un avant-go\u00fbt de ce qui l’attendait.<\/p>\n

Le titre gagn\u00e9, puis perdu<\/h3>\n

Le r\u00e8gne ne dure pas. Pour sa premi\u00e8re d\u00e9fense, le 14 mars 2015, Esparza tombe face \u00e0 Joanna J\u0119drzejczyk par TKO au 2e round. La Polonaise lui inflige une correction debout et part avec la ceinture. Esparza, elle, entame une longue travers\u00e9e du d\u00e9sert : pas de revanche titre en vue, et une cat\u00e9gorie qui s’\u00e9toffe \u00e0 vitesse grand V.<\/p>\n

La reconqu\u00eate, des ann\u00e9es plus tard<\/h3>\n

Il lui faudra patienter. Le 7 mai 2022, \u00e0 l’UFC 274, Esparza retrouve Rose Namajunas pour le titre \u2014 la m\u00eame adversaire que pour son premier sacre. Elle l’emporte par d\u00e9cision partag\u00e9e et redevient championne. L’\u00e9cart entre ses deux r\u00e8gnes est le plus long de l’histoire de l’UFC. Le combat, lui, reste dans les m\u00e9moires pour de mauvaises raisons : cinq rounds d’observation, tr\u00e8s peu d’action, l’un des duels les moins prolifiques en frappes jamais vus dans un main event UFC. La ceinture \u00e9tait au bout, le spectacle non.<\/p>\n

Zhang Weili coupe court<\/h3>\n

Le second r\u00e8gne sera bref. Le 12 novembre 2022, \u00e0 l’UFC 281, Esparza affronte Zhang Weili. La Chinoise ne lui laisse aucune chance : \u00e9tranglement arri\u00e8re au 2e round. Esparza perd le titre sur le terrain qui \u00e9tait cens\u00e9 \u00eatre le sien, le sol.<\/p>\n

Un dernier round, puis la sortie<\/h3>\n

Carla Esparza dispute son dernier combat le 5 octobre 2024, \u00e0 l’UFC 307, d\u00e9faite aux points par Tecia Torres. Dans la foul\u00e9e, elle annonce sa retraite, expliquant vouloir se consacrer \u00e0 sa famille apr\u00e8s la naissance de son enfant. Elle raccroche avec un bilan pro de 19 victoires et 8 d\u00e9faites, double championne poids pailles UFC, ancienne championne Invicta FC et gagnante de TUF 20. La premi\u00e8re \u00e0 avoir ouvert la voie chez les -52 kg : \u00e7a, personne ne le lui enl\u00e8vera.<\/p>\n

Sources :<\/strong> Wikipedia<\/a>, UFC.com<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Carla \u00ab\u00a0Cookie Monster\u00a0\u00bb Esparza, double championne et premi\u00e8re reine des poids pailles de l’UFC : sa lutte d’\u00e9lite, ses deux r\u00e8gnes et sa rivalit\u00e9 avec Rose Namajunas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":102515,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false},"fighter_category":[69981],"fighter_tag":[],"class_list":["post-105886","fighter_profile","type-fighter_profile","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","fighter_category-womens-strawweight"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCarla Esparza - Biographie MMA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Biographie compl\u00e8te de Carla Esparza\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grizzliz.com\/media\/fighter\/carla-esparza\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Carla Esparza - 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