Tracy Cortez

Wang's low kicks compromised Cortez's lead leg. She repeatedly stuffed or escaped Cortez's takedown attempts. Wang kept the fight standing on her terms for the unanimous decision.

Key moments

• Wang's low kicks compromised Cortez's lead leg.
• She repeatedly stuffed or escaped Cortez's takedown attempts.
• Wang kept the fight standing on her terms for the unanimous decision.

In this flyweight rematch at Madison Square Garden, Cortez was competitive through the first round, mixing in knees and right hands to build an edge. In round two, Blanchfield secured a big takedown late and quickly moved to the back, sinking in the rear-naked choke to force the tap at 4:44.

Key moments

• Cortez appeared to be winning round one, landing knees and right hands while staying busy
• Blanchfield reversed a Cortez takedown attempt in round two and seized top position with a bodylock
• A powerful Blanchfield takedown late in round two opened the door to a back-take and the fight-ending rear-naked choke

Returning after nearly a year away following her loss to Namajunas, Cortez delivered a dominant unanimous decision (30-27 x3) against Araújo in Las Vegas. She controlled Araújo on the ground throughout, imposing sustained top pressure and landing effective ground-and-pound in the championship rounds.

Key moments

• Cortez secured takedowns early and kept Araújo pinned to the canvas for long stretches across all three rounds
• In round two she was in complete control from the opening minute, grounding out the Brazilian without answer
• Solid ground-and-pound in the final round punctuated a methodical, complete performance
• All three judges scored it 30-27, the widest possible margin, marking a statement return from inactivity

Cortez stepped in on short notice to headline her first UFC main event in Denver, replacing the injured Maycee Barber. Namajunas controlled the fight from the outside, dropping Cortez with a clean punch in round one and outlanding her 119–85 in total strikes across five rounds, winning 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 on all cards.

Key moments

• Namajunas dropped Cortez with a sharp punch two minutes into the opening round
• Cortez was game throughout but struggled to close the distance against Namajunas's precise long-range striking
• Namajunas logged over six minutes of control time and outlanded Cortez significantly across all five rounds

Cortez's UFC debut, and she made it a wrestling clinic — outscoring Melo across three rounds for a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). An emotional post-fight moment followed, as she dedicated the win to her late mother and brother.

Key moments

• Round 1: a striking-led round, using speed to dart in behind the jab and body kicks
• Round 2: repeated takedowns, grounding Melo and working knees to the body and legs along the cage
• Round 3: caught a Melo body kick into a takedown and closed with elbows and ground-and-pound from top

The win that signed Cortez to the UFC.

Key moments

• Agapova had her moments early in the first before Cortez seized control of the fight's location
• Cortez spent an extended stretch on the back, looking for a finish she couldn't quite secure
• Lopsided cards — 30-26, 30-26, 29-27 — earned one of the night's UFC contracts

A split-decision win that aged into a notable one: it handed Erin Blanchfield her first professional loss, years before Blanchfield grew into a flyweight contender. Cortez edged the first two rounds; Blanchfield took the third, and the cards split 29-28. The two rematched at UFC 322 in 2025, where Blanchfield avenged it by submission.

Key moments

• Cortez banked the first and clearly the second round; Blanchfield's third made it close
• Per-judge cards were 29-28 Cortez, 29-28 Cortez, 29-28 Blanchfield — a true split
• Blanchfield's first pro loss — later avenged when she submitted Cortez at UFC 322 (Nov 2025)