Tracy Cortez and Miranda Maverick have been re-booked to throw down at the upcoming UFC Tampa event in Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 14, 2024, according to MMA Junkie.
If you recall, the duo were initially slated to throw down on July 20, 2024, before Cortez was pulled from the bout to face Rose Namajunas as a replacement for an injured Maycee Barber one week earlier.
Despite a valiant effort, Cortez simply didn’t have enough to pull off the upset against the former women’s Strawweight champion, losing via unanimous decision in what was her first-ever UFC headlining act. The loss snapped Cortez’ 11-fight unbeaten streak, marking her first defeat inside the Octagon (just the second defeat overall in her career). Prior to the short-notice fight, Cortez voluntarily cut her hair to make weight (video here).
Now, Cortez — ranked No. 12 — will attempt to bounce back and start another run when she faces off against Maverick, who has won three straight and is coming off a big win over Dione Barbosa this past July. Overall, Maverick is 5-1 and is looking to land a spot in the Top 15 with a big win over Cortez. In announcing the fight on her Instagram account, Maverick issued a warning to her opponent regarding her eyelashes.
“[Rose Namajunas] got it last time; now it’s my turn,” Maverick wrote. “I have a long time until the fight which means I have a long time to keep getting better. I suggest she leaves her eyelashes at home.”
Of course, Maverick is referencing the incident in which Namajunas knocked off one of Cortez’ eyelashes with a solid right hand (see it here).
Rose Namajunas knocked off one of Tracy Cortez’s eyelashes pic.twitter.com/19b2kqNF3Y
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) July 14, 2024
UFC Tampa will also feature a women’s flyweight rematch between Mackenzie Dern (No. 7) and Amanda Ribas (No. 8). Ribas initially handed Dern his first-ever defeat via unanimous decision back in Oct. 2019.
To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.