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TUF 20 Finale: Carla Esparza, Rose Namajunas Strawweight Title Clash Should Prove To Be Compelling Affair

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By @RickLaFitte

Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas face off during TUF 20 Finale weigh-ins

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The big payoff to Season 20 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ will be the crowning of the organization’s first-ever women’s strawweight champion. The main event clash at the TUF 20 Finale in Las Vegas between Carla Esparza and Rose Namajunas shapes up as a competitive and compelling title affair.

Esparza making it to the championship bout comes as no surprise. She was the No. 1 seed out of the 16 participants on a season that featured coaches Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez. Esparza has a solid 9-2 career mark and is a former Invicta 115-pound champion. She defeated fellow TUF cast member Bec Rawlings in 2013 to become that promotion’s inaugural strawweight titlist.

The 27-year-old “Cookie Monster” will now get the opportunity to try and become the UFC’s first 115-pound champion. Esparza was riding a four-fight win streak heading into the reality show, and continued her success by posting victories over Angela Hill, Tecia Torres and Jessica Penne. In the victory over Penne to punch her ticket to the final, Esparza showcased solid footwork and crisp, accurate punches in the stand-up game; she was also able to mix in effective takedowns. Esparza has produced six finishes by knockout or submission in her nine professional victories.

The 22-year-old Namajunas has been the season’s most pleasant surprise in earning her chance to compete for UFC gold. The No. 7 seed became the breakthrough star of the season and proved that she’s a major force to reckon with. “Thug” entered the show with a 2-1 career mark and was actually coming off a loss to Torres in her last bout. Namajunas showed that she had made major strides in her overall game, and featured her submission skills in finishing Alex Chambers, Joanne Calderwood and Randa Markos. The first-round kimura that she locked on to get Markos to submit in their semifinal was a prime example of how quickly Namajunas can transition to produce a fight-ending move.

History will indeed be made at the TUF 20 Finale with the addition of a new belt holder in the organization. While Esparza has the better career record, it appears as though the ultra-confident Namajunas will provide a very formidable challenge. It should make for an exciting initial 115-pound women’s title clash.

Rick LaFitte is an MMA Writer for Rant Sports.

 

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