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The co-main event of UFC 274 features an interesting rematch between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza. The two fighters faced off in the first-ever strawweight title fight in the UFC. Esparza won by submission to make history as the division's first champion. Things are likely to be different this time around with both women evolving in their respective games. Esparza has been leaning into the wrestling and dominating opponents that can't match her ground game. Namajunas has been defeating opponents with her excellent kickboxing and has really turned a corner in her career. The matchup is a very fun one and both women have something to prove.
Here are the UFC odds, featuring our Namajunas-Esparza prediction, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Odds: Namajunas-Esparza Odds
Rose Namajunas (-200)
Carla Esparza (+168)
Over 4.5 rounds (-186)
Article Continues Below
Under 4.5 rounds (+146)
How Rose Namajunas Wins The Fight At UFC 274
Rose Namajunas is the clear favorite in this fight for good reason. She's quickly working on building a legacy at strawweight and she boasts some remarkable wins. Her well-roundedness is excellent as she looks to defeat Carla Esparza and her wrestling-based game. Leg kicks should be pretty limited considering the threat of the takedown Esparza brings. Namajunas is comfortable on the ground but she'll look to keep things on the feet where she has a clear advantage. A long jab coupled with some patented head kicks should keep the challenger at bay. Her knees are very dangerous and her counter right hand is going to be a problem. She has all of the tools to win on the feet, she'll need to avoid letting the fight hit the ground where Esparza is at her best. The champion most likely wins a decision.
How Carla Esparza Wins The Fight At UFC 274
Wrestling. It's simple really, Carla Esparza has the game to upset Rose Namajunas at UFC 274. The challenger is really good at catching kicks and being relentless on the ground. The first fight showed that the caught kicks were a big factor that led to Namajunas quitting in the third round. Obviously, the two fighters have evolved but Esparza has the more consistent game and has been on an excellent stretch. She's relentless when the fight hits the ground and she's capable of landing plenty of damage. She'll have to avoid getting stuck on the outside and will most likely need to survive a few scary moments. Esparza has the right game to score the upset and it will have to be seen if she can get it done.
Final Namajunas-Esparza Prediction & Pick
The co-main event of UFC 274 is going to be a very interesting chess match. Rose Namajunas will look to keep things on the feet and establish her range early. Carla Esparza will look to aggressively find the takedown and take advantage of any kicks. Both women will have their moments and it will have to be seen if Esparza can get the fight to the ground and change the tides. Namajunas is likely to keep the challenger on the outside and keep the strikes coming to keep her there. The fight will inevitably go to the ground at some point where Esparza is going to have her moments to look good. The most likely pick here is Namajunas to win a hard-fought decision to stay the champion at UFC 274.
Final Namajunas-Esparza Pick: Rose Namajunas wins by decision.
