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“It brings more confidence in the fact of, if you’re in that arena at Madison Square Garden, it’s like (you’re following) the legends. So being able to have the opportunity to compete there, and to come back here – the T-Mobile Arena, it’s home. It’s my backyard from Phoenix, Arizona, so I’m really excited to be back and put on a show for the crowd.”
Cortez’s defeat to Blanchfield, via second-round rear-naked choke, left her frustrated, but not disheartened, and she’s determined to ensure that she puts things right this time around as she prepares to face Wang.
“I made a mistake, and it cost me the fight. Nevertheless, it doesn’t define me. I’m still here to make my mark and show everybody that I belong at the top.”
One notable difference this time around is the fighting style of Cortez’s opponent. While Blanchfield’s specialism lies in her ground game, Wang is a decorated former kickboxer. But, despite the difference in her opponent’s style, Cortez said that the one constant is the toughness of her schedule, and the opponents she’s facing.
“I think not just her, but anybody in the top 10, we’re all tough,” she said.
“I think we can all agree that every single woman in the flyweight division that’s top 10, or in the division, period, is a tough athlete, so there shouldn’t be any question on why they’re in the top 10.
“If anything now, it’s just who is going to be the higher-IQ fighter, who’s going to be the better fighter, who’s going to be more strategic, more disciplined.
“I’m very well aware of her strength, but I know what I’m capable of. I know who I am. I know my boxing is good, I know my wrestling is good, and I have great ground and pound, so I’m not too worried, really. If anything, I’m going to go in there and bring it, and I think the best thing I can do is give it all I have. And that would be my way of respecting her, because I hope she brings it and gives it all she has, as well.”
It’s an important matchup in the top 10 of the women’s 125-pound division, on one of the biggest fight cards of the year. And Cortez said that she’s determined to send a clear message with a strong performance, and a victory, on Saturday night.
“I prepared really hard for this fight, so to me, there’s no other option than winning. So I’m going to make sure I go out there and give it all I have,” she said.
“The message that I would want to send, not just to the division, but to the entire world, is that I’m not going anywhere.
“I’ve been knocked down by life. We’ve all had our ups and downs in this sport, but I’m here to stay, and I’m going to continue to make my mark.”
Don’t miss a moment of UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2, live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 11, 2026. The early prelims begin at 5pm ET/2pm PT, followed by the prelims at 7pm ET/4pm PT and main card at 9pm ET/6pm PT. Stream the entire event live on Paramount+.
Source: www.ufc.com
