SALT LAKE CITY — Unlike many retirements in sports, particularly in MMA, Carla Esparza said she expects her retirement to stand.

Nearly 10 years ago, Esparza became a permanent part of the UFC history books when she became the first women’s strawweight world champion with a submission of future champion Rose Namajunas. Their fight ended the first women’s season of The Ultimate Fighter.

And although Esparza lost the belt to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her first defense attempt in early 2015, she went 8-3 for six years and, given the distance from her first title, she was unlikely to win the belt again with an upset of Namajunas won. Their time between belts remains the longest in UFC history.

On Saturday, Esparza (20-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is back in action for the first time since losing the 115-pound belt to Zhang Weili. She will face her “TUF 20” co-star Tecia Pennington (13-7 MMA, 9-7 UFC) in the early prelims at UFC 307 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) at Delta Center.

But seriously, that will be it, she said.

“Absolutely – no matter what the result is, (even if it’s just a one-minute finish), I think that’s it for me,” Esparza said at media day on Wednesday. “I’m kind of ready to move on to the next chapter of my life, just staying home with my son and maybe starting a bigger family. It will be a bit difficult to get back into the octagon with such a big belly.”

Esparza lost the title to Weili in November 2022. She gave birth to her first child in September 2023. This layoff represents the longest break in activity of her career.

But it’s possible that the rigors of being a newlywed and having a newborn nearby have caused Esparza, who turns 37 next week, to look at things differently, knowing that it’s her swansong.

“I’m really just trying to enjoy the moment, have a more carefree attitude and just have fun with everyone,” she said. “Normally I would just be a hermit in my room and super focused, but now I’m just enjoying every aspect of it and trying to take more pictures and document a little more. I’m hosting an after party and inviting all my friends to come out for lunch after the weigh-in – just have fun and appreciate the people and the experience of fight week.”

She also knows that times when things weren’t going well or when she was recovering from title losses can be a motivating factor for those around her.

“I would say the most important thing I want people to remember from my story is to never discount yourself. You can fall, but you can always work your way back up, and if you put in enough work and want it enough, you can always come back better.”

For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie’s UFC 307 event hub.