Flyweights Tracy Cortez and Wang Cong faced off on the preliminary card of UFC 329 on Saturday, the lone women’s bout on the docket in Las Vegas.
China’s Cong, on a three-fight win streak, opened the action with leg kicks and by 90 seconds in had taken Cortez off her feet with one. Cortez popped back up, but had to be wary of Cong’s kicking attacks. Despite catching a leg, she was unable to take Cong down, and soon Cortez’s calf was showing considerable redness and swelling. They’d finish the round tied up against the fence.
Round two saw Cortez go down early after her lead leg appeared to be compromised from the kicking attacks of Cong. She would make it back up, but Cong had taken some wild swings in the early moments of the round. Cortez landed her left hand, but the calf kicks of Wang Cong continued to land. What also landed for Cong was an illegal knee, one that left Tracy Cortez slumped against the fence. Cortez was clearly a downed opponent, making the foul particularly blatant.
Luckily, Cortez was able to continue. The ref took a point, but the bout moved forward. Though Cortez was clearly hurt, Cong failed to really press, allowing her to get her wits about her once more.
Between rounds, Cortez’s corner urged her to get the fight to the ground. She was still contending with the calf kicks and overall standup of Cong however, and when she did close the distance and clinch, Cortez couldn’t get the fight to the ground. Cong broke free of a body lock, and moved back to center. Cong would pop off more offence before Cortez clinched up again; she would drop to her knees, grab a leg, but still couldn’t take Cong down. With 90 seconds to go, Cortez was running out of time. They’d fight to the final horn, with little doubt as to the winner even with the foul.
Cong later called out champ Valentina Shevchenko, who the Chinese fighter holds a win over in kickboxing. With Cortez ranked #8 to start the night, Wang Cong is at the very least inching closer to the title.
Official Result: Wang Cong def. Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
