Maycee Barber has withdrawn from her UFC Denver bout against Rose Namajunas on July 13, and Tracy Cortez will now face Namajunas in a flyweight match at Ball Arena.
The upcoming UFC Denver card on July 13 is undergoing a significant change in one of its key matchups.
Maycee Barber has been forced to withdraw from her scheduled bout against Rose Namajunas for undisclosed reasons. Tracy Cortez will now step in to face Namajunas in a flyweight bout at the Ball Arena in Denver.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday. Barber’s withdrawal was first reported by Alex Behunin on Twitter.
This turn of events is unfortunate for Barber, but it presents a golden opportunity for Cortez. She was initially set to fight Miranda Maverick at a separate UFC Fight Night card on July 20.
Now, Cortez gets to move up a week earlier and take on a former champion like Namajunas. Meanwhile, Maverick remains on the July 20 card as the search continues for her new opponent.
Cortez, who is undefeated in her UFC career with a perfect 6-0 record, has notable wins over Jasmine Jasudavicius, Melissa Gatto, and Justine Kish. She also holds a split decision victory over highly regarded flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield before both joined the UFC roster.
Facing Namajunas marks a significant step up in competition for Cortez. The former two-time strawweight champion aims to build on her recent win over Amanda Ribas—her second appearance at 125 pounds after losing to Manon Fiorot in her debut.