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Sadly, the UFC Fight Night event that was scheduled to take place on July 13 at Ball Arena in Denver, CO won’t go according to plan. The Maycee Barber vs. Rose Namajunas fight that was supposed to steal the show has been scrapped after Barber was forced to withdraw from it for unknown reasons. UFC fans will have to wait until later to see the much-anticipated Namajunas vs. Barber matchup.
Not to worry, though, as UFC did what it always seems to do and scrambled at the last minute to find a worthy replacement for the Rose Namajunas vs. Maycee Barber fight. With Barber officially ruled out, Namajunas will now take on Tracy Cortez in a flyweight bout. If you would like to wager on which fighter will win, begin by checking the DraftKings sportsbook review on Sambafoot for more information on how to do it.
The Rose Namajunas vs.Tracy Cortez fight might not have the same sizzle as the Rose Namajunas vs. Maycee Barber fight. But it’s worth noting that Cortez could very well save the day for the UFC at the July 13th Fight Night event by making the most of the great opportunity that awaits her.
Cortez was already scheduled to take part in a different UFC Fight Night event on July 20 in Las Vegas. Her opponent was slated to be Miranda Maverick. The UFC will now have to find an opponent to replace Cortez, but it’s a small price to pay when you consider what Cortez could bring to the table in a fight against Namajunas.
Namajunas is a two-time UFC Women's Strawweight Champion who is the first women’s fighter in UFC history to regain a UFC Championship belt after losing it. She has put together an impressive 13-6 UFC record with notable wins over the likes of Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Zhang Weili (twice), and, most recently, Amanda Ribas. It makes her the clear favorite over Cortez.
But Cortez is no slouch, either. She has an 11-1 UFC record with her most recent win coming against Jasmine Jasudavicius at a UFC Fight Night event in September 2023. She is also on the verge of earning a spot in the top 10 of the UFC women's flyweight rankings as she currently sits just outside of it at No. 11, five spots behind Namajunas at No. 6.
For each of these reasons, we wouldn’t be surprised at all if the hype surrounding the Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez fight surpasses the hype that surrounded the Maycee Barber vs. Rose Namajunas fight by the time July 13 comes around. If you’re interested in catching it, you can watch the fight on ESPN+.
Several other fights on the same July 13th UFC Fight Night card should also be on your radar, including fights like Drew Dober vs. Mike Davis and Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov. They’ll help make up for the lack of a Namajunas vs. Barber fight.
