Tracy Cortez took a big risk accepting a last-minute fight against Rose Namajunas in UFC Denver’s main event this past weekend (Sat., July 13, 2024) inside Ball Arena. And while it didn’t end up paying off with a win, numerous people were impressed with her grit and determination in the face of a vintage performance from the former two-time Strawweight champion (Namajunas).
Cortez discussed the results of the fight in a post-event interview with Megan Olivi.
She expressed, “I accepted [the fight] with only two weeks’ notice, without proper preparation, and I gave it my all. If I had been given a full training camp, prepared and with a solid game plan, I believe I would have performed much better, despite having good cardio. Nonetheless, I believe tonight I demonstrated my ability to endure and fight for five rounds.”
It is true that the duration of 25 minutes signifies the championship time, and Cortez’s performance notably improved throughout the fight, ultimately winning the third round according to all three judges’ scorecards.
Cortez admitted, “During the first and second rounds, I was making a conscious effort to take it slow. But then I had an epiphany – I realized that I needed to give it my absolute best. It was a ‘go big or go home’ situation. Unfortunately, I think I hesitated a bit too much before truly unleashing my full potential on her.”
In addition, she mentioned that a toe injury significantly affected her grappling performance against “Thug Rose,” preventing her from executing moves as desired.
She emphasized, “Absolutely no excuses. I understand it can be challenging for me to rise, but still, I felt really upset about how she brought me down.”
All the 30-year-old desires at this moment is to swiftly return to the cage.
“I’m eager to jump right back into it,” she expressed. “After my previous defeat, I embarked on an impressive winning streak and reaffirmed my abilities. My intention isn’t to prove anything to the world, but rather to prove myself.”
Cortez just did UFC a major solid, and hopefully it will do one right back and book her for the big Mexican Independence Day card, Noche UFC, on Sept. 14, 2024. Considering reports of the main- and co-main events, the show could use some proper Mexican representation.
Irish, too?
For complete UFC Denver results and play-by-play click here.
