Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Tracy Cortez Emotional On The Scales

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Jul 13, 2024 8:10 PM ET

Tracy Cortez makes weight by a hair. The challenger had to cut .5 pound to make the 126 pound limit after originally weighing in at 127 and then 126.5 pounds, teared up as she successfully made weight. Desperate to get her weight down, Cortez told her team backstage to just “f*****g chop it. Once she decided to get a new hair cut, that was enough for her to make weight.

Here’s the moment Tracy Cortez decided to “f*cking chop it” and cut her hair to make weight for #UFCDenver (via Eddie Cha/@FightReady_MMA). pic.twitter.com/6S6Grgj8G6

— Nolan King (@mma_kings) July 12, 2024

Cortez and Namajunas will now face off as planned in the main event of UFC’s Fight Night card on Saturday. The event was originally supposed to feature Namajunas against Maycee Barber, but Cortez filled in after Barber withdrew in June due to multiple health issues.

Biggest fight of her career

“What was it, .5 pounds?” Cortez said. “I was like, ‘No hesitation. We’ll do whatever it takes. This is a big opportunity.'”

126lbs for @TracyCortezmma

Your #UFCDenver main event is SET

[ Live on @ESPN | SATURDAY | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/aCstG2kPaX

— UFC (@ufc) July 12, 2024

Without a doubt this is the biggest fight of Cortez career. With a win tonight she’ll just into title contention. But tonight she is the underdog coming into the fight.

Tracy Cortez has an 11-1 record since joining UFC in 2019, while Namajunas is 13-6 in 11 years as a professional. Cortez’s only other fight this year, a bout against Miranda Maverick, was canceled; Namajunas won her last fight, against Amanda Ribas, by unanimous decision in March.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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