UFC Fight Night is set to take place in Denver on Saturday night, but the main event was nearly cancelled.
Tracy Cortez was scheduled to fight Rose Namajunas in a women's flyweight bout, but when she initially weighed in, the scales weren't in her favor.
The women's flyweight limit is 126 pounds, but the Scottsdale native weighed about a half-pound more.
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Tracy Cortez poses on the scale during the UFC weigh-in at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel on July 12, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
With time running out and not many options to cut that last bit of weight, he had an epiphany: get out the scissors… literally.
Cortez cut his hair, got back on the scale and weighed in at exactly 126 pounds.
“What was it, .5?” [pounds]“?” he told ESPN afterward. “I was like, ‘Don’t hesitate. We’ll do whatever it takes. This is a great opportunity.’”
Opponents Rose Namajunas and Tracy Cortez face off during the UFC weigh-in at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel on July 12, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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Namajunas weighed 124.75 pounds, ESPN reports.
Originally, Cortez was not in the main event. Namajunas was actually supposed to face Maycee Barber, but she had to withdraw from the fight due to health issues.
Since losing her first pro fight, Cortez has reeled off 11 straight wins but is currently the underdog to Milwaukee native Namajunas (12-6).
Tracy Cortez poses on the scale during the UFC weigh-in at the Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel on July 12, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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Rose is ranked 11th in the flyweight rankings, with nine of her wins coming by decision. Her only loss was by submission. Namajunas is ranked sixth in the weight class and seventh in the pound-for-pound rankings.
There are six fights on Saturday's card, two weeks before UFC 304 in England.
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