Randa Markos Says UFC Fight Night 105 Victory Speech Was Directed at Carla Esparza

– Following her UFC Fight Night 105 victory over Carla Esparza, Randa Markos spoke with MMAJunkie, admitting that she felt she was being bullied by Esparza and Felice Herrig during her time on the Ultimate Fighter, which is why she delivered a speech during her post-fight interview, pleading with people to stop bullying…

“The stuff I went through, it was clear bullying. I have a niece at home, and she’s being bullied right in school, and it really breaks my heart. I know what it feels like. I’ve been bullied in school and then I’m an adult now, and I was on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and I was being bullied as an adult. It really needs to stop. You don’t know the effect you’re giving somebody when you treat them so badly. It really affects them sometimes, especially little children. To see adults do it, that’s where it starts. Kid’s learn it from their parents, kids learn it from gown-ups. It needs to stop.

My speech was because of my history with Carla, and I needed to say it because she feels she didn’t bully me. I’ve heard in some interviews she didn’t do anything wrong. No, she did. She made me feel really bad about myself, and that didn’t need to happen. It’s so satisfying (to beat her). You don’t even know. I do hold grudges sometimes, but that really bothered me. She was constantly shoulder shoving me and all this stuff. I thought in the back of my head, ‘Just keep it inside, you’re eventually going to get your time.’ This was it, and I’m really, really happy I got this opportunity.”