Former UFC strawweight champion Carla
Esparza will be taking some time away to start a family.
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Esparza revealed on social media over the weekend that she is 14
weeks pregnant and expects to give birth to her first child in
September. That means “Cookie Monster” won’t be back in the Octagon
until next year at the earliest.
“So we’ve been keeping a secret the last 14 weeks… we’re
expecting!” Esparza wrote. “Baby Cookie Monster grand entrance
September 2023.
“Excited for this next chapter and hoping to make my return early
to mid 2024.”
Esparza is a two-time UFC title holder. She became the promotion’s
inaugural strawweight queen with a submission win over Rose
Namajunas at “The Ultimate Fighter 20” finale in December 2014
before dropping the belt to Joanna
Jedrzejczyk in her next outing at UFC 185. The Team Oyama
product recaptured the crown with a split-decision triumph against
Namajunas at UFC 274, but lost the title to Weili Zhang
via second-round submission in her most recent promotional
appearance at UFC 281 this past November.