Throughout her career, Carla Esparza went toe-to-toe with the best in the world.
That was once again the case in her retirement fight, as Esparza came up short vs. Tecia Pennington at UFC 307 Saturday night.
Related: UFC Results: Two Championships On The Line At UFC 307 In Utah
Prior to the bout, the former UFC champion announced she would be competing for a final time. The fight brought an end to a career that included two reigns as UFC straw weight champion and one as the Invicta FC champion.
Esparza also captured the title of Ultimate Fighter, going 19-8 overall. She earned wins over the likes of Rose Namajunas, Yan Xiaonan, Michelle Waterson and Alexa Grasso during her career.
“It’s been an amazing journey these last 15 years,” Esparza said. “I’ve fought the best of the best. It hasn’t always been easy with a lot of ups and downs, but I wouldn’t have done it any other way.
(MMA) is the best sport in the world and I love it.”
