UFC fighter Tracy Cortez employed an unconventional approach to make weight for her upcoming flyweight fight. Faced with difficulty in shedding the final half pound ahead of the weigh-in, Cortez opted for a spontaneous haircut. On Friday, following unsuccessful attempts to drop the last pound, the 30-year-old fighter resorted to cutting a handful of her hair.
Initially weighing in at 127 pounds and then 126.5 pounds, Cortez was determined to make the required weight of 126 pounds. Amid tears of relief upon successfully making weight, she told her team to “just f*****g chop it,” according to Nolan King of USA Today. With her weight down and a new long bob hairstyle, Cortez was cleared to fight.
Cortez and Rose Namajunas are set to face each other in the main event of UFC’s Fight Night card on Saturday. Originally, Namajunas was scheduled to fight Maycee Barber, who withdrew in June due to health issues, prompting Cortez to step in as a replacement.
Cortez boasts an 11-1 record since joining the UFC in 2019, while Namajunas holds a 13-6 record over her 11-year professional career. Earlier this year, Cortez had a scheduled fight against Miranda Maverick that was canceled. Namajunas secured her last win by unanimous decision against Amanda Ribas in March.