After earning her contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in late July, Tracy Cortez has an opponent, location, and date for her UFC debut.
A flyweight fighter, Arizona’s Cortez (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will move up to bantamweight to take on Duda Santana (3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC on ESPN+ 22. Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the UFC has yet to make an official announcement.
Cortez will replace Leah Letson, whose reason for withdrawal from the bout is unknown.
UFC on ESPN+ 22 takes place Nov. 16 at Ginásio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The card streams on ESPN+.
Cortez, 25, had an impressive showing on DWCS 22 when she handed Kazakhstan’s Mariya Agapova her first professional loss. UFC president Dana White voiced his enjoyment in Cortez’s performance and awarded her a promotional deal.
While Cortez will be moving up in weight, Brazil’s Santana will drop 10 pounds for her first promotional contest at bantamweight. In her UFC debut in June, “Cowboyzinha” lost to fellow UFC newcomer Bea Malecki at featherweight.
With the addition, the UFC on ESPN+ 22 lineup now includes:
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Jacare Souza
- Mauricio Rua vs. Sam Alvey
- Bobby Green vs. Francisco Trinaldo
- Antonio Arroyo vs. Kevin Holland
- Priscila Cachoeira vs. Ariane Lipski
- James Krause vs. Sergio Moraes
- Tracy Cortez vs. Eduarda Santana
- Jack Marshman vs. Markus Perez
