LAS VEGAS -- Carla Esparza was out of the Octagon for more than a year, but once she got back, iit didn't take her long to go back to her wrestling instincts.
The inaugural UFC and Invicta strawweight champion made her first appearance since losing the title in March of last year to Joanna Jedrzejczyk and went right back to the style that made her a champ, using her smothering wrestling game to earn at unanimous decision over Brazil's Julianna Lima.
The Redondo Beach, Calif. native took scores of 30-27 across the board to earn the win at UFC 197 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.