UFC Fight Night took place in Denver on Saturday night, but there was almost a major hiccup in the main event. Tracy Cortez was set to go up against Rose Namajunas in a women’s flyweight bout, but when she stepped on the scale initially, it showed that she was slightly over the 126-pound weight limit for the women’s flyweight division. With time running out and very few options available to shed that last bit of weight, Cortez came up with a quick solution – she decided to cut her hair. After the impromptu haircut, she stepped back on the scale and hit the 126-pound mark right on the dot.
Cortez mentioned to ESPN after the incident that she didn’t hesitate to make the decision, stating, “What was it, .5 [pounds]? I was like, ‘No hesitation. We’ll do whatever it takes. This is a big opportunity.'” Namajunas, her opponent, weighed in at 124.75 pounds. Originally, Cortez was not even supposed to be in the main event. Namajunas was initially slated to fight Maycee Barber, who had to pull out of the match due to health concerns.
Despite losing her first professional fight, Cortez has gone on to win 11 consecutive matches. However, she is considered the underdog in this matchup against Namajunas, who holds a record of 12 wins and 6 losses and hails from Milwaukee. Rose Namajunas ranks sixth in the flyweight division and seventh in the pound-for-pound rankings, with the majority of her wins coming via decision.
The event featured a total of six fights on the card, leading up to UFC 304 in England in two weeks. Keep up with the latest sports news and updates on X, and don’t forget to subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter for more exclusive content.