Carla Esparza v. Michelle Waterson

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

Glad Esparza won, but if Waterson was more active in the third she would have got the nod...

It was impressive to see that Esparza was able to get a win without having to grind her opponent out from top position, but this fight showed how rudimentary her striking is.

 

[Da Speeit]

Waterson can’t fight

 

[Doughie99]

Waterson can’t fight

it was without doubt the most disappointing fight on the card, specifically with how the two combatants just refused to engage for 90% of the time. It was a bad look, especially after the Luque vs Price slugfest.

I mean....I understand not wanting to get hit but there's 15mins to the fight and you've got to use whatever tools you have (punches / elbows / kicks / knees /clinching / takedowns / submissions / whatever) to TRY to achieve a victory. Esparza to give her credit DID go on the occasional aggressive punch-flurry but if I was the UFC I'd have a word with Waterson and say that you HAVE TO BE MORE ENTERTAINING THAN THAT. It was a buzzkill to what was a good event. If it was two male fighters i'd say the same thing and I would actually guess the ref would have intervened and TOLD THEM to engage and fight. Very poor inactive display from both fighters, particularly Waterson.

 

[LetThemBleed]

You know what, guys.

I’m actually really up for this. I wanted that Nunes vs Spencer fight way more. But, this is a damn good scrap on paper.

I miss the ladies. Plain and simple.

War!

Damn you must be regretting that statement after such a shit show. Clearly worst fight of the night, and that's saying something given Castro's strategy for 2 rounds against Hardy was trying to win via staring contest.

 

[LetThemBleed]

Glad Esparza won, but if Waterson was more active in the third she would have got the nod...

It was impressive to see that Esparza was able to get a win without having to grind her opponent out from top position, but this fight showed how rudimentary her striking is.

Nothing about that fight was impressive fam.

 

[NILLI]

This fight turned out to be the exact joke that 90% WMMA fights are

 

[Doughie99]

Nothing about that fight was impressive fam.

i've just thought...... Waterson is in the same fight gym that Holm is from and seems to have the same massively risk-averse 'style'. She's supposed to be a Karate expert so let's *SEE SOME KICKS ETC*.
Attack for Gods sake!!!! Try to WIN the fight rather than just 1mins of avoiding your opponent. That's not fighting, it's running.
I'd rather you attacked and got counter-punched than just feint and jiggle and posture endlessly for 15mins. That's SPARRING.

 

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

Nothing about that fight was impressive fam.

Definitely not the most entertaining bout...

But when a fighter as one dimensional as Esparza is able to pick up a win over a potential nightmare matchup like Waterson, and do it scoring only one takedown, it is very impressive.

I know a big part of the win was how tentative Waterson was in the final round, but not many people would have expected Esparza to pick up a win against anyone without having to use her wrestling.

 

[TKing]

I watched the fight and missed the decision, I was surprised it was a split. Waterson at times was even getting out struck, I'm not an Esparza fan at all but it wouldve been some BS if she lost.

 

[Paladin]

I watched the fight and missed the decision, I was surprised it was a split. Waterson at times was even getting out struck, I'm not an Esparza fan at all but it wouldve been some BS if she lost.

There was one Judge who was crushing hard on karate hottie and gave her all 3 rounds, while the other two gave Carla two out of three rounds.

 

[accolyte1022]

There was one Judge who was crushing hard on karate hottie and gave her all 3 rounds, while the other two gave Carla two out of three rounds.

That was @SeverianB.

 

[LetThemBleed]

Definitely not the most entertaining bout...

But when a fighter as one dimensional as Esparza is able to pick up a win over a potential nightmare matchup like Waterson, and do it scoring only one takedown, it is very impressive.

I know a big part of the win was how tentative Waterson was in the final round, but not many people would have expected Esparza to pick up a win against anyone without having to use her wrestling.

No, not impressive in the slightest fam, Waterson flat refused to pull the trigger, Esparza didn't do anything impressive. Waterson massively shit the bed, Esparza simply less so. Being the less shit fighter isn't impressive at all.

 

[AaandStill]

zzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[Viking Power]

Can't wait for Saturday's return of the UFC. So many great fights. Thought I'd share a breakdown of this fun matchup that's on the prelims.

Carla Esparza (15-6) v. Michelle Waterson (17-7)

This Strawweight bout features two veterans who have proved they belong while being amongst the smaller fighters in the division. Carla was inaugural champ before losing her title to Joanna J. Since then she has bounced back gaining five victories, with her only blowout loss to wrestling monster Tatiana Suarez. She returns after going 2-0 in 2019, with successive wins over Virna Jandiroba and Alexa Grasso.

Michelle brings her entertaining karate hybrid style. She's enjoyed surprising success and durability, gaining consecutive wins against Cortney Casey, Felice Herrig and Karolina K. That win-streak earned Michelle a fight night main event match against Joanna J., who dominated the five-rounder. This led to Joanna's bloody title fight against Zhang Weili - candidate for fight of the year and an all-time great war. Versus JJ, Michelle proved game, nearly hitting an early submission and going the distance showing her toughness and heart.

Their styles are very different. Carla's a technically adept wrestler, hitting takedowns to gain top control. Her stand-up has improved. Michelle has a karate hybrid style, using high kicks, athleticism and unpredictable moves.

Expect Carla to be the aggressor. She'll try to close the distance and attempt takedowns to get some chain wrestling going. Waterson may try to pick shots from a distance and use her speed to create opportunities for her 'anything goes' style.

I'm rooting for Waterson. Picking Esparza.

Interested in everyone's thoughts. Stay safe & healthy, friends. Enjoy the fights!

Bro, your write up was boring as fuck.

Still way more entertaining than the actual fight was.

j/k about your write up. Not about the fight though.

 

[Nabs]

The only boring fight on the card. Glad Esparza won cos Warerson decided that she was gonna be punching air all night.

 

[Xuh]

But when a fighter as one dimensional as Esparza... pick up a win against anyone without having to use her wrestling.

You'd think ppl would wise up by now, coz it's happened multiple times against ranked opponents (Penne, Calvillo, now Waterson, some would say Gadelha...)

 

[orangecuse]

The Sam Alvey - Spann fight a few fights earlier seemed like Fight of the Decade compared to this snoozer.

 

[Nandez]

it was without doubt the most disappointing fight on the card, specifically with how the two combatants just refused to engage for 90% of the time. Very poor inactive display from both fighters, particularly Waterson.

Jackson Wink MMA

 

[molest]

You guys are being too hard on Waterson she coulda gotten that decision and no one would claim robbery, she cant really be aggresive because she never had good boxing, all she has are her kicks and those are really hard to do vs a wrestler.
I was more dissapointed on Esparza, she never got countered hard and everytime she attacked and went forward she scored points, yet she barely did enough and gambled unnecessarily.

 

[dim_]

Michelle Waterson has no passion/desire in fighting imo. She's a boring, lame fighter. She fights not wanting to lose, rather than wanting to win.

Thats Jacksons through and through though. Even Jones barely does enough to just get the win. Holm the same, win rounds, and just try to win the fight without losing.

The entire gym is a toxic bomb in the octagon.