Randa Markos and Carla Esparza have history. Markos has said repeatedly that during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter 20, Esparza and Felice Herrig engaged in bullying. Revenge is a dish best served by winning inside the Octagon, and at UFC Fight Night 105, Markos won a split decision over Esparza. Immediately afterward, she spoke out against bullying, and shortly afterward, Markos confirmed that the remarks were pointed.

[My speech] was because of my history with Carla, and I needed to say it because she feels she didn’t bully me, said Markos to MMAjunkie. I’ve heard in some interviews she didn’t do anything wrong. No, she did. She made me feel really bad about myself, and that didn’t need to happen.

It’s so satisfying [to beat her]. You don’t even know. I do hold grudges sometimes, but that really bothered me. She was constantly shoulder shoving me and all this stuff. I thought in the back of my head, ‘Just keep it inside, you’re eventually going to get your time.’ This was it, and I’m really, really happy I got this opportunity.

The stuff I went through, it was clear bullying. I have a niece at home, and she’s being bullied right in school, and it really breaks my heart. I know what it feels like. I’ve been bullied in school and then I’m an adult now, and I was on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and I was being bullied as an adult. It really needs to stop.

You don’t know the effect you’re giving somebody when you treat them so badly. It really affects them sometimes, especially little children. To see adults do it, that’s where it starts. Kid’s learn it from their parents, kids learn it from gown-ups. It needs to stop.

I’m not one person you want to bet against, because you never know what you’re going to get with me. Most likely [my next fight is] going to be top competition. She was a former champ, and if I can beat the former champ, what else can I do?