Tracy Cortez, a prominent figure at UFC 322, expressed surprise regarding the main event of the evening, specifically Islam Makhachev’s presence, which seemingly caught her off guard recently.
This revelation surfaced during a pre-bout conversation with Nina Drama, a segment of which was shared on X via the account @RedCorner_MMA. Cortez is scheduled to face Erin Blanchfield in a noteworthy contest on the preliminary portion of the card. Cortez aims to secure the number four position in the flyweight rankings, currently held by Blanchfield.
When prompted by Nina Drama about a common misconception people have about her, Cortez responded,
“That my awareness is limited… For instance, I wasn’t even aware of who the main event participant was… I knew the co-main, but then I noticed, what’s his name again?… Islam [Makhachev]. Am I saying it right? Upon seeing him, I wondered what he was doing there. My coach overheard and said that he’s the headliner.”
Tracy Cortez anticipates a potential title opportunity following UFC 322
Tracy Cortez is preparing to compete at Madison Square Garden on November 15th, viewing this fight as a potential stepping stone towards a title contention in 2026. The timing of Valentina Shevchenko’s defense of her 125-pound title against Zhang Weili on the same card adds weight to this possibility.
In an interview featured on UFC.com during a media day, while discussing the dynamics of this particular fight and the potential career advancements a victory could lead to, Cortez remarked [as cited by MSN],
“This bout is essentially a battle for the No. 4 spot, maybe even No. 3 — call me optimistic, but a victory here could position me as a title contender. Although I don’t want to jump the gun, achieving that would be a dream come true. It’s the culmination of my hard work, and I’m laser-focused at the moment.”
“It’s been an extensive journey, taking longer than initially anticipated, but being here now and the path I’ve taken — everything unfolds as it should. All the obstacles, the injuries, the delays… the timing is ideal.”
Cortez and Blanchfield share a history, marked by a contentious split decision win for Cortez over Blanchfield during their Invicta FC encounter in 2019.
