After Ultimate Fighter controversy, Jodie Esquibel didn’t want to ‘wait around’ for UFC call

Jodie Esquibel had a choice. After what was a controversial end to her short run on The Ultimate Fighter 24, she could have hung around and anticipated a call from the UFC to fight. Or she could have continued her promising career in a familiar place: Invicta FC.

Esquibel chose the latter.

“I’m back in Invicta, because I’m not about to wait around for anybody right now,” Esquibel told MMA Fighting. … “It was kind of like, well that’s all great and I’ll be ready for the [UFC] call no matter what, but I feel like I’m the best I’ve ever been and I don’t want to sit on the sideline right now. Invicta was gracious enough to allow me to headline this card and I thought, ‘Hey, why not?’ It’s a great opportunity for me.”

Esquibel will meet top prospect Alexa Grasso in the main event of Invicta FC 18 on Friday night in Kansas City. The card will air live on UFC Fight Pass, so once again Esquibel is on UFC programming, but not on the actual roster. If she beats Grasso, Esquibel will get a title shot.

Earlier this year, Esquibel (5-1) went into TUF 24 as one of the prohibitive favorites. But on the premiere episode, she dropped an elimination fight to Ashley Yoder by split decision. The close bout didn’t even go to the third round. Two judges thought Yoder won the first and second and a third was not needed. However, many including coaches Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Claudia Gadelha and …

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