Gadelha to have knee surgery after UFC 225 win over Esparza

Claudia Gadelha will require surgery after defeating Carla Esparza at UFC 225 earlier this month.

After her split decision win over Carla Esparza at UFC 225 earlier this month, Claudia Gadelha will undergo surgery to mend a knee injury.

Following her win, Gadelha told MMA Fighting that two weeks prior to the fight she suffered a knee and thigh injury, but due to the guidance of the UFC performance institutes’ physiotherapist, she decided to not pull out of the fight.

“I badly injured my knee, everyone at the UFC (Performance) Institute knows that because I was treated by the institute’s physiotherapist. (The physiotherapist) was the only reason I didn’t pull out of the fight. She said ‘I’ll take care of you.

”I kept visiting the physiotherapist during fight week to be able to fight. I felt the knee in the first round, could barely stand, and still beat Carla in her game, wrestling, so I think she’s just mad she couldn’t outwrestle me.”

The win over Esparza marked Gadelha’s first victory in the octagon for over a year. The 29-year-old had not fought since September 2017, when she was outclassed by Jessica Andrade at UFC Fight Night 117. Gadelha also said that despite her victory, she would open to a rematch with Esparza.

”If Carla wants a rematch, I don’t see any problem with that,” Gadelha said. “I’m sure I’ll dominate her even more because I dominated most of the fight with only one leg.

”I think Carla is mad at me because this fight was supposed to happen for years, so she brought her best version. Her best version and me with one leg, I still won, so let her talk whatever she wants. If a rematch has to happen, I’m here.”