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Former strawweight champion Carla Esparza is expected to face Yan Xioanan in a potential No. 1 contender’s bout at the upcoming UFC event on May 22.
Multiple sources confirmed to MMA Fighting that verbal agreements are in place for the matchup following an initial report from MMA DNA.
A winner of four fights in a row, Esparza has climbed back into title contention with consistent performances while taking out opponents such as Marina Rodriguez and Michelle Waterson during her current win streak.
Esparza has remained a top contender in the 115-pound division ever since she was the first champion in the weight class after claiming the title following The Ultimate Fighter season 20.
As for Yan, she’s remained undefeated since joining the UFC roster with six straight wins in a row.
Yan has climbed the rankings ever since arriving in the UFC while picking up victories over a pair of former title contenders in Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz in her past two fights.
As of now, no main event has been announced for the upcoming card on May 22.