Tracy Cortez eyeing title fight with Alexa Grasso with victory at UFC Denver: “A great show for Mexican Independence Day”

If Valentina Shevchenko doesn’t want to fight UFC champion Alexa Grasso, Tracy Cortez will.

The women’s flyweight contender is currently set to step up on short notice this Saturday in the main event of UFC Denver. The original main event for that card featured Rose Namajunas and Maycee Barber. However, due to an injury to ‘The Future’, Tracy Cortez is stepping into the main event.

The bout will be by far the biggest test of her career thus far. Tracy Cortez was last seen in the cage in September, scoring a unanimous decision victory over Jasmine Jasudavicius. That bout took place on the undercard of Noche UFC, which featured Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 2. The two stars fought to a draw that night in Las Vegas.

According to several reports, Alexa Grasso is expected to run it back with Valentina Shevchenko in September. That fight is expected to go down on the UFC’s trip to the Las Vegas Sphere, in celebration of Mexican Independence Day. In recent months, ‘Bullet’ has provided some pushback against facing Grasso on that date.

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If Tracy Cortez beats Rose Namajunas she would like to fight Alexa Grasso next at the Sphere.#TheMMAHour pic.twitter.com/X8mDVOtbZo

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) July 8, 2024

Tracy Cortez targeting fight with UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso

However, Tracy Cortez is more than willing to fight Alexa Grasso in September. Speaking on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the women’s flyweight contender discussed her return. There, Cortez called her shot, and offered to fight the champion in September if Shevchenko declines.

“I would say that I am next [for the title].” Tracy Cortez stated on The MMA Hour when asked what would be next with a victory over Rose Namajunas. “I would be next, I would say, and I heard that Valentina doesn’t want to fight Alexa at the Sphere. So, after this fight, I would love, whether it’s for the women’s baddest female fighter [title], or just to put on a great show for Mexican Independence Day, I would love to fight Alexa.”

She concluded, “So, we’ll see how July 13th goes. I’ll be ready for that, pretty soon. That would be huge.”

What do you make of these comments from the UFC women’s flyweight contender? Do you want to see Alexa Grasso vs. Tracy Cortez?