Along with her amazing combat resume, Carla Esparza has also created a beautiful life outside of the octagon. So, it’s no surprise that she wants to dedicate her full-time attention to her family after her upcoming retirement bout. In fact, ‘Cookie Monster’ who has a record of 20-7-0, tied the knot with her husband just the week after she won the UFC’s strawweight title against Rose Namajunas at UFC 274. So, you can see how her love life has been going hand in hand with her professional one.

Esparza got married to Matthew Lomeli and since she had won a belt just a week before she decided to carry the belt during the ceremony. What a perfect ornament for a perfect day! She even uploaded pictures of her wedding day on Instagram and now the couple has a son too! So let’s see how the champ met the love of her life and how they are creating a beautiful family together.

Meet Matthew Lomeli, Carla Esparza’s husband

Esparza and Matthew Lomeli have been dating for a long time and he is a physician by profession. According to reports from the LA Times the couple had dated for some time before he asked the UFC champion to be his wife in June 2021. She experienced marital bliss with Lomeli just after achieving a UFC belt so this could not have gotten any better.

Her husband Matthew Lomeli, is a Family physician and is affiliated with AHMC Anaheim Regional Medical Center. He holds expertise in curing chronic diabetes and gastroenteritis among other conditions. He received his medical degree from Ohio State University College of Medicine and has been in practice for almost a decade.

By now it is pretty evident to you that their professions are completely different- while she is a fighter, he is a healer. So how did they meet?

When did Carla Esparza get married?

The couple’s story of meeting each other is nothing short of a movie!  They met on the Coffee Meets Bagel dating app. But hold on it gets better- Lomeli was the one who sent her a message that referenced a place on her bio. The strawweight queen then asked him out for a couple of drinks. Funnily enough, Lomeli was a little bit hesitant at first but a friend encouraged him to go on the date. When he arrived on the date, he was very thrown off to see Esparza and Felice Herrig, who had both just fought at UFC 252. Finally, he realized that Esparza was a UFC fighter. He was surprised even though he did not know much about the promotion or the sport. And this is how their whirlwind romance started.

Esparza is a fierce fighter but along with that, she is a dedicated individual who loves her family. Her affections poured out when she wished him on his birthday. She wrote a heartfelt post that could melt the coldest frost! Esparza said, “I still don’t know how I got so lucky. You are beyond what I ever even dreamed was possible in a partner, and I am grateful for you every day. Thank you for being such an amazing father and husband. The time and dedication you have put into our son since the day he was born is above and beyond. Thank you for having such strong ethics, morals, and work ethic; you inspire me to want to be a better human being every day.” 

After the lovebirds met, the couple dated for two years before he proposed and they got married in May 2022. Their love story kept on being more wholesome because in March 2023 Esparza announced that she was pregnant with their first child. The little one was born in late September 2023 and the couple was extremely elated. They shared everything about their son and even his first birthday on Instagram.

All we know about Carla Esparza and Matthew Lomeli’s son

The strawweight queen announced the birth of her little ‘Cookie Monster’ on September 2023 and shared some heartwarming postpartum pictures on Instagram. The former UFC women’s Strawweight Champion took to X and shared the news. She wrote,  “And now, introducing Donovan Lomeli! 9-23-23. Best day of my life. 5 hours of active labor, 20 minutes of pushing with zero tearing, and our healthy baby boy was here! We are now resting at home and loving on our little guy. So, in love.”

The champ also posted about Donovan’s first birthday this September and gave a heartwarming post with pictures of her along with her husband and son. She wrote, “Happy 1st birthday Donovan!!! Being your mom and watching you grow is by far the best experience of my life.”

She welcomed her new chapter with open arms and this not only seemed to light up her life but also her social media pages. Her posts seem to proudly say that family is everything. She cherishes the ones she loves and celebrates every occasion not only with her family but with her fans as well.

As UFC 307 approaches, the strawweight star is not just focusing on her match inside the octagon. Esparza is also taking a glance at her personal life and wants to call it a career with a win at UFC 307. And what a marvelous way to step away- with a legacy-defining winning streak and a title reign in the strawweight division.

So what do you think about her thrilling love story with her husband? Are you excited to see her fight at UFC 307? Tell us in the comments below.