Esparza vs Waterson

When is Esparza vs Waterson?

Carla Esparza could set to fight Michelle Waterson-Gomez, in Summer 2025.

The fight would be scheduled for 5 rounds in the Women’s Strawweight division, which means the weight limit would be 115 pounds (8.2 stone or 52.2 KG).

Esparza vs Waterson stats

Carla Esparza would step into the octagon with a record of 19 wins, 8 losses and 0 draws, 4 of those wins coming by the way of knock out and 4 by submission.

Michelle Waterson-Gomez would make her way to the cage with a record of 18 wins, 13 losses and 0 draws, 3 of those wins coming by knock out and 9 by submission.

The stats suggest Esparza would have a slight advantage in power over Waterson, with a 21% knock out percentage over Waterson's 17%.

If the fight goes to the ground, their records suggest Waterson would have a large advantage over Esparza, boasting a 50% submission rate over Esparza's 21%.

Carla Esparza is the younger woman by 2 years, at 37 years old.

Waterson has a height advantage of 2 inches over Esparza. Despite this, she has a 1-inch reach advantage.

Esparza is currently the less experienced professional fighter, having had 4 fewer fights, and made her debut in 2010, 3 years later than Waterson, whose first professional fight was in 2007. She has fought 4 less professional rounds, 72 to Waterson's 76.

Esparza vs Waterson form

Esparza has beaten 3 of her last 5 opponents, stopping 1 of them, going to the judges twice.

In her last fight, she lost to Tecia Pennington at UFC 307 on 5th October 2024 by unanimous decision in their 3 round contest at Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, United States.

Previous to that, she had been beaten by Weili Zhang at UFC 281 on 12th November 2022 by submission in the 2nd round in their UFC Women’s Strawweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden, New York City.

Going into that contest, she had won against Rose Namajunas at UFC 274 on 7th May 2022 by split decision in their UFC Women’s Strawweight championship fight at Jeunesse Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Before that, she had beaten Yan Xiaonan at UFC Vegas 27 on 22nd May 2021 by knockout in the 2nd round in the United States.

She had defeated Marina Rodriguez at UFC Fight Island 3 on 25th July 2020 by split decision in their 3 round contest at UFC Fight Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Waterson has lost to all of her last 5 opponents.

In her last fight, she was defeated by Gillian Robertson at UFC 303 on 29th June 2024 by unanimous decision in their 3 round contest at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, United States.

Previous to that, she had lost to Marina Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night – Fiziev vs Gamrot on 23rd September 2023 by knockout in the 2nd round at UFC Apex, Las Vegas.

Going into that contest, she had been beaten by Luana Pinheiro at UFC 287 on 8th April 2023 by split decision in their 3 round contest at Miami-Dade Arena, Miami.

Before that, she had been defeated by Amanda Lemos at UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez on 16th July 2022 by submission in the 2nd round at UBS Arena, Long Island, New York.

She had lost to Marina Rodriguez at UFC Vegas 26 on 8th May 2021 by unanimous decision in their 5 round contest at UFC APEX, Las Vegas.

Activity check

In terms of recent activity, Michelle Waterson-Gomez has been fighting more than Carla Esparza.

Carla Esparza last fought 5 months and 27 days ago, while Michelle Waterson-Gomez's last outing was 9 months and 3 days ago.

Esparza's last 5 fights have come over a period of 4 years, 8 months and 7 days, meaning she has been fighting on average every 11 months and 8 days. In those fights, she fought a total of 15 rounds, meaning that they have lasted 3 rounds on average.

Waterson's last 5 fights have come over a period of 3 years, 10 months and 24 days, meaning she has been fighting on average every 9 months and 11 days. In those fights, she fought a total of 15 rounds, meaning that they have lasted 3 rounds on average.

What are the odds on Esparza vs Waterson?

Sorry, we couldn’t find any odds for Esparza vs Waterson yet. If a contest doesn’t have odds initially after it is announced, bookmakers usually release them closer to the day of the fight.