The world of mixed martial arts witnessed a heated exchange between Tracy Cortez and Ailin Perez following the UFC Paris event. The controversy ignited when Perez failed to make weight for her bout against Darya Zheleznyakova, tipping the scales at 136.6 pounds – 0.6 pounds over the non-title bantamweight limit.
This mishap came with consequences for Perez, as she was required to forfeit 20 percent of her purse to her opponent. Despite the setback, Perez went on to secure a first-round submission victory over Zheleznyakova.
The situation took an interesting turn when Cortez, who had previously faced criticism from Perez for her own weight-cutting struggles, seized the opportunity to respond. Taking to social media platform X, Cortez didn’t hold back, stating, “Y’all won’t catch me talking sh** here on social media BUT my oh MY how the tables have turned. 136.6 [pounds] lol”
Cortez didn’t stop there. In a follow-up post, she made a pointed reference to a popular content-sharing platform, suggesting it as a means for Perez to recoup her financial loss: “The @onlyf*ns will help you with that 20% deduction.”
This exchange harks back to July when Cortez faced her own weight-cutting ordeal before her match against Rose Namajunas. In a dramatic turn of events, Cortez had to resort to cutting a significant portion of her hair to make weight. Unfortunately, her efforts didn’t translate to success in the octagon, as she suffered a decisive loss in the five-round main event.
Perez, not one to back down from a verbal sparring match, fired back at Cortez on X: “I would rather lose 20% of my purse than half my hair along with the fight @TracyCortezmma.” She then proceeded to challenge Cortez to a bantamweight showdown, escalating the rivalry further.
The Argentine star continued to fan the flames, criticizing Cortez for not directly tagging her in the social media posts. This ongoing back-and-forth has certainly caught the attention of MMA fans, potentially setting the stage for a future encounter between the two athletes.
It’s worth noting that Cortez has primarily competed in the flyweight division throughout her professional MMA career. Her sole bantamweight appearance dates back to November 2019, where she emerged victorious against Vanessa Melo in her UFC debut.
On the other hand, Perez began her career in the flyweight division but has since transitioned to competing at bantamweight. As the verbal jousting continues, fans are left wondering if these two will eventually settle their differences inside the octagon.
