- George Chung
- Jul 11, 2024
- 3 min read
Tracy Cortez Steps Into Her First UFC Main Event Against Rose Namajunas This Saturday. Look Back At Some Of Her Previous Bouts That Led Her To This Point.
Tracy Cortez has made a steady climb up the ranks since earning her UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in July 2019. Her decision win over Mariya Agapova put her in position, and she also won over many fans when they heard her story, which included a teary tribute to her late brother Jose, who passed away due to cancer in 2011.
Her making it to the UFC was also her brother’s dream, and Cortez has honored her late sibling well since joining the organization.
After starting out at bantamweight, Cortez has found a home back in the flyweight division, and she has her biggest opportunity to date as she steps in for the injured Maycee Barber to headline a fight night against former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in Denver on July 13.
Before Cortez makes the second-to-last walk of the night, take a look at the body of work that led her to this major chance to ascend the rankings.
vs Vanessa Melo [UFC Fight Night 164, Sao Paulo]
With high expectations going into her UFC debut, Cortez had a hard-fought battle against Vanessa Melo in Melo’s backyard of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The contest was a tight one, but once Cortez mixed things up and implemented her grappling, she was able to wrest control of the fight.
vs Stephanie Egger [UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen, Abu Dhabi]
Cortez’s reputation as a fundamentally sound wrestler with great ability to maintain control grew greatly in her decision win over Stephanie Egger on Fight Island. Each round looked eerily similar to the one before — with Cortez getting Egger to the mat before maintaining control and dishing enough damage while on top.
vs Justine Kish [UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Gastelum, UFC APEX]
Facing a wily veteran in Justine Kish, Cortez aced another test while handling Kish’s ability to scramble, even on the bottom. While Cortez maintained control for the first round, Kish’s defense held up better in the second, forcing Cortez to adjust. The third round was the toughest yet for Cortez in the Octagon, but she was able to bring it home on the scorecards.
vs Melissa Gatto [UFC 274: Oliveira vs. Gaethje, Phoenix, Arizona]
Fighting in her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, Cortez once again got her wrestling going early against Melissa Gatto. However, Gatto pushed back and found success with her own grappling, proving Cortez was in for a difficult battle. Fighting out of an armbar, Cortez was able to find success with her hands to chain together her wrestling, and despite Gatto’s submission attempts, she was in dominant position for most of the rest of the fight.
vs Jasmine Jasudavicius [UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2, UFC APEX]
In what was likely her sharpest display yet, Cortez displayed slick boxing against Jasmine Jasudavicius, hurting the Canadian several times across 15 minutes. It was exactly the performance Cortez hoped for in front of the Noche UFC crowd, and it was enough to secure her fifth win in the Octagon.
Don't miss a moment of UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs Cortez, live from Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on July 13, 2024. Prelims start at 7pm ET/4pm PT, while the main card kicks off at 10pm ET/7pm PT.
