Esparza Replaces Magana, Meets Fujii at Bellator 24
Brian Knapp Aug 10, 2010
Carla
Esparza will meet the unbeaten Megumi
Fujii in the first round of the Bellator Fighting Championships
115-pound women’s tournament at Bellator 24 on Thursday at the
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Esparza
replaces Angela
Magana, who withdrew from the tournament with an injured
toe.
“If I wasn’t in shape and ready for this fight, I wouldn’t have taken it,” Esparza said in a release. “With just three days notice, I’m not going to be as prepared as I’d like to be, but I’m not going in there to survive for three rounds -- I’m going in there to win.”
Fujii, 36, made her promotional debut in June, as she stopped
Sarah
Schneider on third-round punches at Bellator 21. Perfect
through 20 professional appearances, the Japanese standout has not
gone the distance in nearly three years and sports 13 first-round
finishes on her impeccable resume. Fujii, a black belt in judo and
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has trained under Shooto veteran Hiroyuki
Abe and former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett.
She will enter the eight-woman draw as a prohibitive pre-tournament
favorite.
A two-time All-American wrestler at Menlo College in Athlerton, Calif., Esparza trains out of the Team Oyama camp. Undefeated as a mixed martial artist, she coaxed a tapout from Lacey Schuckman at a No Mercy Extreme Fighting event on July 16 in Colorado. Esparza has delivered all three of her victories by submission. She hopes her considerable wrestling chops can neutralize Fujii’s potent submission game.
“I definitely think my wrestling is going to play a huge factor in this fight with Fujii,” Esparza said. “I don’t think she’s ever encountered a wrestler that has my striking ability. It’s not going to be a grappling match. She’s going to have to worry about my wrestling and my striking.”
Bellator Fighting Championships 24
Thursday, Aug. 12
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, Fla.
Hector Lombard vs. Herbert Goodman
Megumi Fujii vs. Carla Esparza
Jessica Aguilar vs. Lynn Alvarez
Neil Grove vs. Eddie Sanchez
Yves Edwards vs. Luis Palomino
Brian Eckstein vs. Tulio Quintanilla
Eric Luke vs. Chino Duran
Moyses Gabin vs. Frank Carrillo
Nico Parella vs. Efrain Ruiz
“If I wasn’t in shape and ready for this fight, I wouldn’t have taken it,” Esparza said in a release. “With just three days notice, I’m not going to be as prepared as I’d like to be, but I’m not going in there to survive for three rounds -- I’m going in there to win.”
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A two-time All-American wrestler at Menlo College in Athlerton, Calif., Esparza trains out of the Team Oyama camp. Undefeated as a mixed martial artist, she coaxed a tapout from Lacey Schuckman at a No Mercy Extreme Fighting event on July 16 in Colorado. Esparza has delivered all three of her victories by submission. She hopes her considerable wrestling chops can neutralize Fujii’s potent submission game.
“I definitely think my wrestling is going to play a huge factor in this fight with Fujii,” Esparza said. “I don’t think she’s ever encountered a wrestler that has my striking ability. It’s not going to be a grappling match. She’s going to have to worry about my wrestling and my striking.”
Bellator Fighting Championships 24
Thursday, Aug. 12
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Hollywood, Fla.
Hector Lombard vs. Herbert Goodman
Megumi Fujii vs. Carla Esparza
Jessica Aguilar vs. Lynn Alvarez
Neil Grove vs. Eddie Sanchez
Yves Edwards vs. Luis Palomino
Brian Eckstein vs. Tulio Quintanilla
Eric Luke vs. Chino Duran
Moyses Gabin vs. Frank Carrillo
Nico Parella vs. Efrain Ruiz
