UFC on Paramount+ mocks World Cup final with Namajunas-Esparza post

A UFC broadcast partner took a shot at Sunday's World Cup final by invoking one of the promotion's least entertaining title fights.

Paramount+ posted a promotional image for the UFC 274 rematch between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza with the caption, "This World Cup final so far," according to Sherdog. Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time after a scoreless 90 minutes in which the Spaniards dominated possession while the Argentines offered little going forward.

Namajunas-Esparza 2 remains a low point for UFC title fights

The comparison lands because the Namajunas-Esparza strawweight rematch stands as a cautionary example of tactical timidity. Both former champions threw sparingly across five rounds in May 2022, with Esparza claiming a split decision after 25 minutes that barely resembled a title fight. Striking volume stayed low. Neither fighter committed to offense. The bout became shorthand for risk-averse championship MMA.

Paramount's social team apparently saw enough similarity in Sunday's final to draw the parallel. Spain controlled the ball without breaking through until extra time. Argentina sat deep and rarely threatened. The result was a World Cup decider that failed to deliver the drama its stage promised.

The UFC on Paramount+ account deleted the post hours later, but not before MMA media outlets captured the shot at both former champions and soccer's biggest match. Namajunas and Esparza have since moved on — Namajunas now competes at flyweight, while Esparza fights sporadically in the strawweight ranks.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — UFC broadcast partner shades former champs, World Cup final with a single social media post