Frustrated and sad Carla Esparza trying to sell Harley to pay bills
In 2014 when the UFC determined to add a new women’s strawweight division they got 11 fighters from Invicta FC….
In 2014 when the UFC determined to add a new women’s strawweight division they got 11 fighters from Invicta FC. Claudia Gadelha couldn’t stay on weight and was dropped, Juliana Lima had insufficient English and was dropped, and Paige VanZant was too young and was dropped. Eight other fighters were added via tryouts, leaving 16 for a tournament.
Carla Esparza tapped Angela Hill, majority decisioned Tecia Torres, unanimous decisioned Jessica Penna, and at the Finale in December of 2014 she tapped Rose Namajunas to become the first UFC women’s strawweight champion. Among her winnings was a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Esparza lost her first title defense to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in March of 2015. She had surgery not long after and did not fight again until April of this year, decisioning Juliana Lima.
The division now looks a little different.
Champion: Joanna Jedrzejczyk
#1. Claudia Gadelha
#2. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
#3. Carla Esparza
#4. Rose Namajunas
#5. Jessica Andrade
Esparza has not fought since, and her money is running out. In desperation, she is selling her Harley to the highest bidder.
“If anyone is interested, I am selling my 2015 Harley Breakout that I won on The Ultimate Fighter 20: A Champion Will be Crowned,” she wrote on her social network. “Brand new (because of my shoulder surgery), purchase price was $19,799. Going with highest bid OBO.
“It’s very unfortunate that I am selling this bike not because I want to, but because I HAVE to in order to make ends meet. After having a year off from shoulder surgery (injury obtained at UFC 185), taking a short notice fight, and then eight months since that fight, I literally have enough in my bank account to pay for two more months of bills.
“I need to fight and have been asking for a fight for so long, multiple times a week. I know I can make my run again but I also know that after being off for so long that I’m not ready to fight a title contention fight right away and all I’m being offered is the #1 contender (whom I’ve accepted and been scheduled to fight 2x in the past). I’m 100% down for that fight. I just asked for just one non-title contention fight with an actual camp after having so much time off from injury and the result is being benched for eight months and still no word of a fight, not even a whisper.
“I’m at a loss of what to do. When I make my run, my intention is to WIN not because I’m being forced to when I’m not ready. Just frustrated and sad 🙁 if anyone is interested in buying my Harley or knows someone that might please contact me at carlakristen1010@gmail.com.”