LAS VEGAS Miranda Maverick doesnt want to hear Tracy Cortezs excuses.
The pair were originally set to meet inside the octagon at Saturdays UFC on ESPN 60 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. However, a late lineup shift saw Cortez get bumped up to compete a week earlier against Rose Namajunas in the headliner of UFC on ESPN 59 in Denver.
Maverick (13-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) kept her spot on the Las Vegas event, and will now face Dione Barbosa.
Cortez lost her bout against Namajunas by a clear unanimous decision, suffering her first loss in the UFC. A late switch can be a tough challenge, especially against a former champion like Namajunas, but Maverick dismisses Cortezs reasons for her performance.
Whatever excuses she wants to give, Maverick told MMA Junkie Radio at SEICon. To me, you got to be ready for anything. You took a fight for five rounds, you took it in Denver youre making all the excuses the weight cut and everything else. Its not like it was a five-day notice, it was two-day notice. She should have been ready for a fight the next week. Like you start your weight cut two weeks before.
Its not like she was sitting on the couch. I see all these articles like, Oh, she came off the couch and did this. Im like, no, do your research. She was supposed to fight me this weekend. Its not that big of a change. Shes in the top 10 rankings. Tracys never even really fought a ranked opponent and she finally had an opportunity to move up, and she didnt show up.
Cortez accepted the opponent change 19 days out after Maycee Barber, the original headliner for Denver opposite Namajunas, could not compete due to medical issues.
Maverick would be up for facing Cortez, despite the loss to Namajunas. In fact, she says her confidence in her abilities to get the job done grew after watching what happened in the UFC on ESPN 59 main event.
I think it would look about the same if I fought her as it did when Rose fought her, Maverick said. I was not impressed, well just say that.
For now, Maverick has a new challenge in Barboza (7-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) on her hands, and she expects to finish the fight by submission. From there, its all about mixing it up with anyone in the top 15, anytime, anyplace.
Anyone they put in front of me thats in the top 15, Im ready to fight, Maverick said. I just dont see how she still has as high of a ranking as she does, and maybe that will end up going down. Maybe well switch spots after this fight, I dont know. Like I said, anybody they put in front of me, if it ends up being Tracy, Im down. Im ready to go if she wants that fight.
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Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie