Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius carried a two-fight win streak into Noche UFC on Saturday, where he took on the returning Tracy Cortez.
Still undefeated in her UFC tenure, Cortez was once again coming off a year-long layoff, a staple of her fighting career in recent years. While saying ahead of the fight that she had focused on her wrestling, Cortez had also travelled to Brazil to train with Bellator MMA’s Pitbull brothers earlier in the year.
Some feeling out on the feet early led to some solid low kicks form Cortez, and a right hand in response from Jasudavicius. Cortez also found a home for her right hand, with Jasudavicius eating a couple of them. Cortez would connect with several crisp punches in a combination near the midway mark, getting the crowd into it. Soon enough, Jasudavicius was showing a bit of damage by one eye.
Looking to change things up, Jasudavicius shot for the first takedown of the fight. She did get a hold of Cortez, but couldn’t complete the attempt. In the dying moments of the round, Jasudavicius walked Cortez down, but the first five minutes clearly belonged to Tracy Cortez.
Cortez landed a knee in the clinch early in round two. Jasudavicius flashed a front kick that landed just short. Cortez had a clear edge in power, and speed as well; Jasudavicius had the edge in reach, and used that, connecting with a high kick about two minutes in. Moments later, Jasudavicius slipped a punch and landed a key takedown along the fence. A great entry, but Cortez did make it back to her feet in quick succession. Jasudavicius stayed on her, and soon had another takedown landed. A bit of ground n’ pound slipped in from Jasudavicius, but Cortez again managed to work her way up. The only problem, there was less than a minute left on the clock, in a much closer second round.
The third frame opened with the fight very much up in the air. An early takedown attempt by Jasudavicius was stuffed, but she held on to Cortez, chain wrestling and briefly getting Cortez to a knee. Jasudavicius then fired some knees in the clinch along the fence, but they wound up back at center, with Cortez landing some heavy shots again. The right hands from Cortez were money, and Jasudavicius tied things up, firing a knee. Jasudavicius continued to walk forward, clinching again. Back at center, Cortez landed another right. A knee then hurt Cortez, who in turn complained Jasudavicius had grabbed her braid. The pair exchanged words, and slugged it out to the final bell, almost shot-for-shot!
When the decision was read, in favor of Cortez, she was overcome with emotion. “No matter what life throws at me, you can’t break me. You can’t break me!” she said on the mic afterwards.
Official Result: Tracy Cortez def. Jasmine Jasudavicius by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
