NEW YORK – Tracy Cortez met the media Wednesday ahead of her fight at UFC 322.
Cortez (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) meets Erin Blanchfield (13-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) in a crucial women’s flyweight bout on the preliminary card at Madison Square Garden. At media day, Cortez took questions from members of the press corps before her fight – which is a rematch of a bout she won nearly seven years ago under the Invicta banner.
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“I knew the rematch was going to happen – it was just a matter of when,” Cortez said. “I don’t mind (the talk about the rematch over the years). It’s part of the job. I’m not really fazed by it at all. I’m enjoying the ride, the process of it all. It’s what I call work – it’s my job to be here and do this, and if anything, I’m extremely grateful.”
Cortez got back in the win column earlier this year against Viviane Araujo. That win came about a year after the first loss of her UFC run, which was at the hands of former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas.
But with the Araujo win in her back pocket, Cortez knows a win over Blanchfield would be a big step to put her back in position to be in title consideration at 125 pounds. She also thinks her opponent has made some big strides since their last meeting, which was a split decision win for Cortez.
“I think she’s done an incredible job in her career,” Cortez said. “We started roughly around the same time and fought each other back in Invicta. She’s grown, she’s evolved – but I can say I have, as well. We’re very much different fighters. What happened in the first fight – this will be nothing like the first fight. It will be a lot more exciting.”
Check out Cortez’s full media day interview in the video above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 322: Tracy Cortez focused on ‘bread and butter’
