Tracy Cortez is off to a great start in her UFC career but is yet to score a finish inside the octagon.
Under the guidance of Henry Cejudo and his brother, Angel, at Fight Ready in Arizona, Cortez (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) hopes to change that when she meets Amanda Ribas at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 42 event, which airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
“Henry, he’s a good mentor,” Cortez told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 42 media day. “He’s there for me when I need him and, for the most part, my coach is his older brother Angel. That is my wrestling coach. That is who I ultimately listen to when it comes down to game-planning and sticking to the fight.
“But he does give me great advice, he does help me, he does tell me what I need, what it takes, and what has to be done in the fight. It’s just changing the mindset ultimately. Word by word of the advices he gives me, it’s hours upon hours of conversation, but he’s not wrong. I would like to finish a fight.”
Finishing Ribas will be no easy task. The Brazilian praised Cortez for her fight IQ, and Cortez feels the same way about her. She thinks it’ll come down to who has the better game plan.
“I think she’s a smart fighter,” Cortez said. “I’ve seen her fights. I’ve seen how disciplined she stays to her game plans, as well. There’s threat on both ends, and at this point it’s who’s gonna make the smarter choices, who’s gonna stay more disciplined to the game plan, who’s gonna fall into who’s fighting style, and ultimately it’s who wants it more, because we both tend to put on a good pace.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 42.
