Preview:

July 13, 2024, will see the UFC Denver Fight Night event held at The Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The event is sometimes referred to as UFC on ESPN 59 or UFC Fight Night 243. The main event will be the women’s flyweight match between Tracy Cortez and Rose Namajunas. The preliminary card is scheduled to begin at 7 PM ET, while the main card is scheduled to begin at 10 PM ET. Both ESPN on TV and ESPN+ streaming will provide it for viewing in the United States. Several locations across the world will broadcast the event on UFC Fight Pass. In the UK, TNT Sports will televise the tournament. Namajunas made his official weight rise to 125 pounds earlier this year when he decisively defeated Amanda Ribas, a seasoned fighter. “Thug Rose” is already in the running for the title, and if Valentina Shevchenko stays particular about where her trilogy matchup with Alexa Grasso takes place, Namajunas might just win this one! Meanwhile, Cortez is covering for Maycee Barber, who is injured. Unbeaten (5-0) in the UFC, Cortez hopes to defeat the former champion quickly to move up from being a ranked prospect to a legitimate contender.

Namajunas has a unique gift. She had natural talent from the beginning of her career, but she went beyond that to become one of the greatest boxers in women’s mixed martial arts history. Now a true veteran of the sport at 32, Namajunas is aiming to win a third championship. The advantage of Namajunas is very clear in this case. By divisional standards, Cortez is a fairly clean kickboxer, but Namajunas moves more quickly and puts together better combinations. She’s also really tough to take down, so Cortez usually resorts to her when things become shaky in the kickboxing. Apart from that, Namajunas ought to be more ready. While Cortez only accepted a few weeks ago, she has gone through an extensive camp in preparation for this fight. Namajunas should be able to command the fight’s location and speed if they keep their feet moving and use their hands freely.

Cortez is a calm and well-rounded fighter. She knows how to play the game well and can exploit her opponent’s weaknesses by playing the distance striking game or wrestling, depending on which style matchup works best. The decision is obvious: wrestling is the way to go! Since Namajunas has previously battled with raw physicality, Cortez is a formidable Flyweight. Even in Namajunas’ most recent fight, Ribas’ pressure and groundwork cost her a few rounds. Assuming Cortez is in good health, embracing the wrestling grind is the right course of action. The key to that tactic is to close the distance before attempting a wrestling move. Cortez is a skilled striker who can also compete on foot. Cortez offers herself a good opportunity to take down the former champion if she can gain Namajunas’ respect, loosen up the cage a little, and then work hard for the takedown.

Match Card:

Prelims – 7PM ET

• Flyweight Joshua Van vs. Charles Johnson
• Women’s Flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Fatima Kline
• Bantamweight Montel Jackson vs. Da’Mon Blackshear
• Women’s Flyweight Luana Santos vs. Mariya Agapova
• Middleweight Josh Fremd vs. Andre Petroski
• Welterweight Evan Elder vs. Darrius Flowers

Main Card –10.00PM ET

• Women’s Flyweight Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez
• Welterweight Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov
• Lightweight Drew Dober vs. Jean Silva
• Welterweight Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa
• Featherweight Julian Erosa vs. Christian Rodriguez
• Middleweight Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage

EVENT INFO :

• Date: July 13, 2024
• Location: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
• Start Time: Prelims: 7:00 PM EST, Main Card: 10:00 PM EST