Fan-favorite ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas is returning to action this week in Denver Colorado against short-notice replacement Tracy Cortez. The two ladies will take center stage headlining the Saturday, July 13 event in a barnburner of a flyweight bout at the Ball Arena.
According to Marca.com, Rose is reported to have racked up a payday of $225,000 for her fight against Manon Fiorotin in France. Though Namajunas lost that bout via unanimous decision her previous bout against Carla Esparza at UFC 274 got her $500,000. Now with these numbers in the equation, the upcoming #6 vs #11 bout will most likely get her a cheque between $225,000 & $500,000.
On the other hand, Cortez, who is undefeated with a record of 5-0 in the promotion, earned $85,000 for her last bout against Melissa Gato at UFC 274. Essentially, Saturday’s bout will net her something around that figure with a chance at a bigger paycheck if she manages to upset Namajunas in a thriller.
Tracy was the last-minute replacement for Maycee Barber who was forced to pull out of the fight due to an untimely illness. Ahead of Saturday’s showdown, the confident 30-year-old shared her thoughts on the matchup, getting real about what it feels like to be a last-minute replacement against a former champion like Rose.
Tracy Cortez is confident in her skills and eyes an upset – “I thrive off of pressure”
With Ronda ‘Rowdy’ Rousey as her role model, Tracy Cortez(11-1-0) looks to outshine her opponents and has her sights set on the former champ’s accolades. In fact, she wants to become the next Ronda, a superstar who captivated the fanbase and reeled in massive numbers.
Ahead of her one-on-one against Namajunas, Cortez had a conversation with renowned MMA analyst and pundit, Ariel Helwani, during which she claimed she was actually welcoming the challenge, saying,
“I thrive off of pressure. I’ve always been judged and overlooked and I’m just a pretty face. I’m here now. The record speaks for itself. I thrive off of it. I love it. I genuinely love the pressure. I feel like I perform, I embrace it to the fullest.”
The Phoenix native also chimed in on her life, relaying that it is her authenticity and simplicity that got her to be the fanbase’s heartthrob. Though she admitted that she is still honing her skills, tweaking and fine-tuning it, a bout against the #6 is a chance to prove her worth.
