In a wild turn of events, Tracy Cortez will be headlining UFC Denver against former two-time strawweight champion, Rose Namajunas. Ahead of the bout, Cortez did an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. They talked about her impending fight and the legacy she wants to leave behind. Cortez expressed her utmost admiration for Ronda Rousey but that her ultimate objective is to beat her going forward.
I’m very grateful for the way Ronda paved the way for women’s MMA. No one has done it like she has, but I say this humbly; I hope to surpass that. She set a goal and I think as competitors, we keep wanting to overstep these goals and what our heroes did.
Tracy Cortez via The MMA Hour Show
Ronda Rousey revolutionized women’s MMA, becoming the first female UFC champion. Her dominance and star power popularized the sport, paving the way for future female fighters and elevating the profile of women’s divisions in the UFC. She inspired a generation of young female fighters and one then is Tracy Cortez, who will take on Namajunas this weekend.
In a bout that seemed to have been planned for years, Namajunas was originally slated to fight against Maycee Barber. Unfortunately, ‘The Future’ had to withdraw from the battle because of a medical condition. This allowed Cortez to enter and take on one of the most adored female fighters in the UFC on short notice.
Tracy Cortez was doubtful about her MMA career before she was offered the Rose Namajunas fight
It’s been almost 10 months since Tracy Cortez last stepped inside the octagon. In her last bout, Cortez defeated opponent, Jasmine Jasudavicius via unanimous decision, extending her 10-fight winning streak. The fighter always wanted to fight the top fighters and get her hands on the title. Fighting against Rose Namajunas might be the first step towards her goal.
Tracy Cortez reveals how she got the Rose Namajunas fight (via X/Imago)While talking about her fight, Cortez revealed that she was concerned about her UFC career before the UFC offered her the fight. According to the fighter, she was rethinking her choice to continue fighting in the future.
I was praying and I said, God if this is for me, I said I want it but if it’s not I don’t want it no more. I want whatever you want me for me… I was in the car, I was crying…I’m like tired, so many things are going on in my life, some many things have gone on in my life and I had a moment of doubt with my career and right before I got off the car, that’s when I got a call
Tracy Cortez via The MMA Hour Show
On the other hand, Namajunas bounced back from her two-fight losing streak by defeating Amanda Ribas earlier this year. The #7 ranked fighter is eager to get back her strawweight title and a win will maintain her momentum going further.
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