Poatan and Tracy Cortez They kiss. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/cortezmma
2026 has barely begun and the MMA world has already been caught by surprise. On New Year's Eve, Tracy Cortez posted a photo kissing someone on the mouth Alex Poatán, making the relationship public. Since the new couple has been making headlines, especially because the Brazilian is a champion and one of the biggest stars in the UFC, it's only fair to introduce his new girlfriend to the public, who is anything but anonymous.
Tracy, 32, is an American of Mexican descent who grew up in a Mexican immigrant family. Outside the octagon, the athlete is a success. Cortez is considered one of the most beautiful fighters in the UFC, has 1,5 million followers on Instagram and 178,2 on X.
Before getting involved with Poatan, Tracy was engaged to Brian ortega, the top featherweight (up to 65,8 kg) fighter in the company. Currently, the new UFC couple has not yet publicly commented on their relationship, opting for discretion, but a connection is already noticeable.
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Professionally, Tracy began her MMA career in 2017, gained prominence by participating in the reality show 'Contender Series' in 2019, and in the same year, debuted in the UFC. The American competes in the flyweight division (up to 57 kg) and holds the eighth position in the ranking. In the sport, the athlete has built a record of 12 wins and three losses. Her main victories were against Erin Blanchfield, Jasmine Jasudavicius e Viviane Araujo.
Losses in the family served as motivation.
Tracy Cortez She poses smiling. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/cortezmma
Tracy began training in MMA at age 14 after watching her older brother, Jose Cortez, whom she considers a hero, fight in 2008. Cortez dreamed of becoming a UFC fighter but was forced to retire shortly afterward due to cardiovascular problems and was later diagnosed with cancer, passing away from the disease in 2011. To make matters worse, the American also had to cope with the death of her mother in 2016.
Due to the losses, Tracy suffered from depression for a long period, but managed to recover with the help of her family and... Henry Cejudo, one of José's best friends. Very close to her brother, the American woman honored him by getting a tattoo of him wearing a UFC shirt on her left arm.
“That’s why I do what I do, to make my mom and brother proud. They’re always on my mind. My family is my priority. I wish they could be with me, but they’re always on my mind and they’re the only thing on my mind when I go into a fight. Whenever I feel tired or question something, I think, ‘My brother fought cancer and didn’t give up. He didn’t give up. I’m perfectly healthy and I’m more than capable of doing what I’m doing. This is an easy job. That’s a great motivation for me,’” Tracy said in an interview with the UFC.
Further information
In her official profile on the UFC website, Tracy revealed that before becoming a professional fighter, she pursued MMA as a hobby, working as a receptionist at a gym and also as a personal trainer. The American also detailed her training routine, which consists of two workouts a day, morning and evening, focusing on strength and conditioning on alternate days.
Connection with Brazil
It's also worth highlighting that Tracy doesn't only know Brazil through Poatan. On the contrary, the American, with Cejudo's support, trained at the Pitbull brothers' academy, located in Rio Grande do Norte. That's how the athlete became close to Patrício and Patricky and also met them. Paulo borrachinhaIn fact, the athlete spent Christmas in the country and trained at the duo's training center.
“Merry Christmas. Spending the holidays away from home. I've been focusing a lot on training, improving my skills, evolving and growing in every way! Gratitude is an understatement, I've never felt so comfortable as when I visit the Pitbull brothers. Last night I had my first Brazilian Christmas. Thank you for always welcoming me with open arms and for helping me year after year! 2026 is the year!”, the athlete wrote on her official Instagram account.
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