Esparza, Namajunas knew path to strawweight title went through each other

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Dec. 12, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Modern conveniences like cell phones and computers are denied on the set and house of “The Ultimate Fighter,” leaving competitors to search for more traditional ways to spend their down time over six months of filming.

On the most recent season, Rose Namajunas stayed sane by keeping a journal. After the first round of fights in the single-elimination tournament, Namajunas penned how she thought the rest of the starting 16-fighter bracket would pan out.

She wound up with herself challenging Carla Esparza in the final fight.

“I just kind of predicted it that way early on,” Namajunas said. “I just kind of had a sense (Esparza) was going to make it out.”

That makes one person who mapped out the volatile “The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned” season correctly. Esparza and Namajunas battle for the inaugural UFC women’s strawweight (115 pounds) title tonight at the Pearl at the Palms.

The vast majority of those who filled out a bracket would have called for Esparza, a 27-year-old veteran from Redondo Beach, Calif., in the finals. The former Invicta champion, Esparza entered “TUF” as the No. 1 seed.

Namajunas, a relatively novice 22-year-old from Milwaukee, was the bracket-buster. The No. 7 seed, Namajunas came into the show off of a loss and with only three professional bouts.

“She went in there and showed that in the time she’s taken off since her loss, she’s evolved and become an extraordinary fighter,” Esparza said.

Namajunas blitzed through the competition, submitting all three opponents — Randa Markos, Joanne Calderwood and Alex Chambers. Esparza got one stoppage of her own, submitting Angela Hill, before winning decisions over Tecia Torres and Jessica Penne.

Namajunas and Esparza fought a combined 10 rounds, not losing a single frame. They were so dominant that it’s natural to imagine tonight’s winner immediately vying to join the ranks of the UFC’s most dominant champions.

“I think about that all the time,” Esparza admitted.

Before the season aired, UFC President Dana White boasted that the “next Ronda Rousey” was included in the cast. It’s now presumed he was referring to Namajunas, who showed a similar aptitude for finishes as the women’s bantamweight champion.

“I think it’s fair to say that I’m potentially the next Ronda Rousey in terms of potential star power that I have,” Namajunas said. “As long as I keep doing what I’m doing and being myself, I think I’ll be one of the biggest stars in MMA.”

Esparza won’t even deny that Namajunas has that level of appeal. The top seed was wary of the long shot from the start of “TUF”.

Esparza may not have labeled as Namajunas as the most likely fighter to make the final, but she didn’t see the No. 7 seed as far-fetched either.

“I knew she was dangerous on the ground so I figured she could possibly beat anybody,” Esparza said.

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.