Invicta FC strawweight champ Carla Esparza said in a Jan. 18 interview with Pro MMA Now that she would like to fight either Ayaka Hamasaki or Claudia Gadelha in her next cage fight.
Esparza, 25, was originally slated to fight Gadelha at Invicta FC 4, but that fight fell through when "Claudinha" went down with a broken nose.
Bec Hyatt took Gadelha's place, and Esparza earned the Invicta strawweight strap with a convincing 25-minute performance that featured her superb wrestling and ground-and-pound skills.
"I would love to fight one of my original opponents," Esparza said. "Either Claudia Gadelha or Ayaka Hamasaki."
"She's the JEWELS champ," Esparza said of Hamasaki. "She actually just defended her belt, which is why she couldn't fight for the Invicta FC one. She's ranked No. 3 in the world, so I definitely would love to go in there and take her spot."
Hamasaki, who holds an undefeated 9-0 record, is coming off a lopsided decision victory over Emi Fujino at Jewels 22. The 30-year-old Japanese star is known for her exciting submission victories, as she stopped four women via the armbar, kimura or keylock over the course of her MMA career.
"She's a southpaw," Esparza said of Hamasaki. "She does a lot of judo and overall she just has a good game."
Invicta FC 5 is slated for Apr. 6 in Irvine, Calif. Esparza is not expected to be featured on the card.
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