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Tracy Cortez targets title shot with “statement” win vs. Erin Blanchfield at UFC 322

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Nov 12, 2025 7:22 AM ET

Ahead of arguably the biggest fight of her career at UFC 322, UFC star Tracy Cortez spoke with MMA KO’s Drew Beaupré about fighting Erin Blanchfield at Madison Square Garden with a potential flyweight title shot on the line.

A Rematch Nearly Six Years In The Making

Cortez and Blanchfield actually met earlier on in their fighting careers at Invicta FC 34 in 2019. That initial fight saw Cortez hand Blanchfield the first loss of her MMA career, and now the two women are set to square off again on a massive stage at UFC 322.

“We’ve both kind of been in the game for about the same timeframe. And due to personal life issues, I haven’t been able to be as active, and I’ve just seen her on the rise. And I mean, on my end, I know this is a very competitive sport and very violent sport, but me as a person, I’m not a violent person, I’m not a hateful person. And it’s very admirable seeing her accomplishments from one woman to another. And it was inevitable, I knew the time was gonna come where we were gonna face each other again, and I mean, what better place than Madison Square Garden?"

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“I try to like gaslight myself – it’s cool, MSG is cool. But I mean, realistically, if I let the little girl inside me come out, it’s just one of those things that I think every professional athlete dreams of. That atmosphere, New York, the Big Apple, MSG, Mike Tyson’s fought there. The best of the best, these legends, and to be fighting there for such an important spot, where just a few people down the main card, the girls are also gonna be fighting for the title is just like, “I’m right there”…It’s gonna be a very historic night I think, for the women’s divisions. It’s gonna make a big impact, and it’s really gonna determine how the women’s division – it’s gonna change, it’s gonna look very different.”

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang

In addition to the headlining welterweight title bout between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev, UFC 322 also features another championship fight in the co-main event where Weili Zhang will attempt to claim a second UFC belt by challenging Valentina Shevchenko.

Lots of gold on the line this weekend

Jack Della Maddalena vs @MakhachevMMA @BulletValentina vs @MMAWeili

[ Watch #VeChain #UFC322 ONLY on @ESPN PPV | B2YB: @CryptoCom ] pic.twitter.com/QRzFtGhYt0
— UFC (@ufc) November 9, 2025

“I know them both personally, they both trained here at my home gym at Fight Ready, and I know them both. And they’re both great athletes. I mean, when I tell you great athletes, they are great athletes. They’re both extremely hard-working women, and it’s gonna be a great fight. And I’m really looking forward and excited to see who comes out as champ...If all goes well in my fight, it’s a big night. It’s an extremely important night.”

"I'm Ready To Make A Statement"

While she doesn’t control the title picture, Cortez firmly believes that an impressive win at UFC 322 could set her up for an opportunity to challenge for UFC gold against the winner of Shevchenko vs. Zhang.

“I 100% believe so, but again, there’s girls in the rankings that are also very well-deserving for that opportunity. So, I do believe I will have to make a statement, very much, to be deserving of that opportunity. And you know, coming November 15th, I’m ready to make a statement.”

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“I just hope I go in there and I make what I call ‘mi gente, la raza’ proud. A lot of Latinos are – a big, if not all of my fan base, is very Latino-based and Mexican-based. And I hope to make my people proud.”

Cortez and Blanchfield will rematch on the prelims of UFC 322 this Saturday (November 15) at Madison Square Garden. You can check out Cortez’s episode of the Threads Oddly Wholesome Post-Fight Rituals series below.