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Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Tracy Cortez after UFC on ESPN 59 loss?
(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Rose Namajunas after UFC on ESPN 59 win?)
Tracy Cortez rolled the dice by filling in as a replacement for the UFC on ESPN 59 main event against Rose Namajunas, and ultimately it didn’t pay off.
Cortez (11-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) saw her perfect octagon record come to an end Saturday with a unanimous decision loss to former women’s strawweight champion Namajunas (13-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in the women’s flyweight bout at Ball Arena in Denver. With that outcome are questions about the future of Cortez.
There are plenty of built-in excuses for why the fight didn’t go her way, but ultimately it’s on Cortez to rebuild and reset. Whether the 30-year-old can do that or not remains to be seen, but Cortez gained valuable experience over five rounds that she can take forward, and it appears she wants a quick return to action.
Is this Cortez’s ceiling, or can she continue to flourish in the face of adversity? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Cortez’s future after UFC on ESPN 59.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 59.
Rose Namajunas def. Tracy Cortez, UFC on ESPN 59
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; An overall view of the octagon before the fight between…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; An overall view of the octagon before the fight between Rose Namajunas (red gloves) and Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; An overall view of the octagon before the fight between…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; An overall view of the octagon before the fight between Rose Namajunas (red gloves) and Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) fights Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; A ring girl walks around the octagon during the night…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; A ring girl walks around the octagon during the night between Rose Namajunas (red gloves) and Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) and Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) reacts…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) and Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) reacts after their fight during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) reacts after her right against Rose…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) reacts after her right against Rose Namajunas (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Tracy Cortez (blue…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) reacts after her fight against Tracy…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) reacts after her fight against Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) reacts after her right against Rose…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) reacts after her right against Rose Namajunas (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) hugs Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) after…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) hugs Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) after their fight during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) celebrates with fans after defeating Tracy…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) celebrates with fans after defeating Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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MMA: UFC Fight Night-Denver-Namajunas vs Cortez
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) celebrates with fans after defeating Tracy…
Jul 13, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Rose Namajunas (red gloves) celebrates with fans after defeating Tracy Cortez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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Rose Namajunas def. Tracy Cortez, UFC on ESPN 59 scorecard
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