Tracy Cortez loves all the background noise ahead of her fights.
While the top-ten ranked flyweight contender describes herself as a private person, Cortez often finds herself in the headlines, whether it be for her weight-cutting woes against Rose Namajunas that forced her to cut off a chunk of her hair, the very public breakup with fellow UFC fighter Brian Ortega, or nerds on livestreams who don’t know how to conduct themselves respectfully.
Cortez has also been forthcoming about her mental health issues, which prompted her to take some time away from the Octagon in 2022 and 2023.
Sadly, much of the “drama” has urged fight fans to turn against her. Especially after suffering her first UFC loss against Namajunas last July. But Cortez is refusing to let any of the nasty headlines or the naysayers drag her down.
In fact, she embraces it.
“I’m a very private person,” Cortez said on the JAXXON podcast. “I don’t like people knowing my [expletive]. But I do feel like when I do fight, there is a lot of noise and personally, I thrive off it. I love it. I love the pressure. It’s like, give it to me, you know? Let me prove you [expletive] wrong.”
Tracy Cortez returns to the Octagon at UFC 317
Cortez will attempt to use some of that fuel on Saturday, June 28, when she returns to the Octagon for a clash with Viviane Araujo at UFC 317 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
Overall, Cortez is 11-2 in her mixed martial arts career, with five of those victories coming in the UFC. After earning wins over Vanessa Melo, Stephanie Egger, Justin Kish, Melissa Gatto, and Jasmine Jasudavicius, her momentum was halted during a short-notice scrap with Rose Namajunas.
Now, she’ll have the chance to get back into the win column and continue her climb way up the flyweight rankings against Araujo.
