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UFC women’s flyweight Tracy Cortez (11-1) enters the biggest fight of her life on Saturday as she headlines UFC on ESPN 59 against former two-time strawweight titleholder Rose Namajunas.  Cortez has lofty aspirations and goals that exceed a win over Namajunas (12-6).  

There have been several women pioneers in the sport: Tara LaRosa, Shelby Walker, Gina Carano, and Miesha Tate, to name just a few.  They all laid the way for Ronda Rousey to put women’s MMA on the mainstream map.  Rousey was crowned the inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion in 2012 and went on to set nearly every UFC record for women.  Cortez plans to surpass Rousey’s accomplishments.  

“Everyone’s waiting or the next Ronda, for the next Joanna [Jędrzejczyk].  Someone incredible like Weili [Zhang] to stay on top and prove themselves.  Someone like Rose to ride that like Ronda did, or even myself now that I’m here,” Cortez said during an appearance on The MMA Hour. 

“I’m very grateful for the way Ronda paved the way for women’s MMA.  No one has done it like she has.  I say this humbly, I hope to surpass that,” continued Cortez.  

Cortez will enter the octagon on Saturday at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado ranked 11th in the women’s flyweight division.  Namajunas will make the walk to the cage ranked sixth.  It will be Cortez’ first UFC main event, but she loves having pressure to perform. 

Related: Conor McGregor wins mouth-watering amount on Nate Diaz bet, Diaz responds

 “I thrive off of pressure.  I’ve always been judged and overlooked and just a pretty face.  I’m here now.  The record speaks for itself, and I thrive off of it.  I love it.  I genuinely love the pressure.  I feel like I perform.  I embrace it to the fullest,” Cortez said.

A win over Namajunas would put Cortez squarely in contender status, but she’s looking to be more than just a contender.  She plans to be the best.  

“I see myself being the best.  I look back at my fights against these girls that are killers.  Killers.  Black bets, they can’t submit me.  I’m still in disbelief.  That’s me?  Oh my God.  It’s just one of those things where I saw myself, I was watching footage of myself and I said, ‘Man, I have the ability to be the best.  I have what it takes,'” Cortez said.  “I’ve been training for this.  I’ve been preparing for this.”    

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Nate Diaz improved his professional boxing record to 1-1 on Saturday with a majority decision win over Jorge Masvidal.  The two had previously fought in the UFC with Masvidal winning via doctor stoppage due to a cut.  The two fought for the inaugural “BMF” belt at UFC 244 in November 2019. The stoppage didn’t sit well with Diaz.  And on Saturday, the decision did no sit well with Masvidal.

Masvidal’s boxing record now stands at 1-1.  He made his professional boxing debut in 2005 picking up a majority decision win over Joseph Benjamin.  Diaz made his boxing debut last August, losing to Jake Paul via unanimous decision.  Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping believes the loss to Paul was ‘a wake up call’ for Diaz and it showed in his performance against Masvidal. 

“This was a different Nate Diaz,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.  “When you look at Nate Diaz and the way that he performed against Jake Paul, I thought it was going to be a bad night for Nate Diaz.  But I was wrong.  He came in motivated, in shape, and super aggressive from the very get-go.”

“I think Masvidal landed the cleaner shots, the more powerful shots, but Nate Diaz was in his face the whole time,” Bisping continued.  “However, because of the output, because of the non-stop throwing, and the aggression shown by Diaz, it certainly looked to me without seeing the compustats that Diaz was probably just ahead in a very, very , close fight.”

Masvidal felt like he was robbed by the judges and called for a third match against Diaz.  With the win, Diaz has options, and Bisping believes he’s ‘still a force.’  

“I thought he had kind of dropped off against Jake Paul because it was a little bit embarrassing,” Bisping said.  “It showed Nate Diaz is still a force.  He’s still got to be respected, and he’s a man that now has a lot of options.”

“The Diaz that showed up against Jake Paul was not the Diaz that showed up for Jorge Masvidal.  It just wasn’t the same guy,” continued Bisping.  “I think that (the loss to Paul) taught Diaz a lesson.  I think that was a wake up call.”  

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Wasting no time following his impressive performance against Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Nate Diaz was spotted smoking weed backstage to celebrate.

Diaz is unapologetically himself and has been throughout the years in combat sports. The 39-year-old is a vivid marijuana smoker and even has his own CBD oil company called GAME UP Nutrition, alongside his brother Nick Diaz. Unfortunately for his Nick, marijuana was once an illegal substance and smoking it cost him the best years of his career after he was banned from competing for 5 years back in 2015.

Luckily for Nate Diaz, cannabis has since been legalised in the state of California, so he can smoke freely. That was the case for the UFC veteran after his decision victory over Jorge Masvidal. 

Nate was spotted backstage alongside his team, enjoying the fruits of his labor. Check it out below.

Pre parrting after the Diaz fight pic.twitter.com/yKF0YPLtAx

— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) July 7, 2024

Despite entering the fight as a slight underdog, Nate Diaz proved he can still put on high-level displays.

Both Diaz and Jorge Masvidal performed to their best and put on a memorable showing for viewers. The clash arguably exceeded expectations and did a great job in capturing headlines despite Darren Till’s post-fight brawl earlier that night.

Related: Darren Till involved in huge brawl after unfortunate end to boxing debut

What’s next for Nate Diaz?

Diaz’s win now puts him in a good position for his next career move.

While he has a number of options, the BMF title challenger has plans on returning to the UFC. 

A future meeting with the welterweight champion Leon Edwards is the ideal matchup for Nate Diaz, but there’s another potential option for him.

After revealing he wants to return to the octagon, the aging star put a target on his back. One man who looks keen on welcoming the vet back is three-time UFC title contender Dustin Poirier.

‘The Diamond’ confirmed his interest in running their canceled matchup back on social media.

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Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal finally got the chance to settle their differences in the ring on Saturday, and they did not disappoint.

The two former UFC stars saw their rivalry grow in the weeks leading into fight night, which later led to a fiery encounter between the ropes. Entering the bout as the slight underdog, Diaz managed to overcome the odds and get his hand raised when all was said and done.

The pair combined for a thrilling showcase, leaving the viewers pleasantly surprised by their pace and output over 10 rounds. In the end, it was seemingly Nate Diaz’s constant forward pressure and volume that earned him the nod on the judges’ scorecards.

While he is known for his endless cardio, the Stockton native arguably looked in the best shape he has been in for quite some time. Diaz never faltered and, as we’ve come accustomed to with the MMA star, he used his cardio as a weapon to overwhelm his opponent.

Nate Diaz Wins By Majority Decision! #DiazMasvidal pic.twitter.com/DhXRscOujH

— MMA WiZZ (@themmawizz) July 7, 2024

As he often does, Nate Diaz had much to say following his victory over Jorge Masvidal. The fan-favorite took his chance on the mic to call for a high-ranked boxer after his standout performance. 

He then turned his attention to some bigger names in the world of combat sports — with a UFC return firmly on his mind.

Related: Nate Diaz eyeing UFC 306 return at Las Vegas Sphere

“I’m down to fight the highest ranked boxer I can find,” Diaz said following his win over Jorge Masvidal. “Get him on a high level so people know who the f*** he is.”

“My main objective has always been to be the best fighter in the world, so I want to go back and get a UFC title.”

“Leon Edwards, Jake Paul, and anybody the f*** else. You’re dead.”

Check out what Nate Diaz had to say during his post-fight in-ring interview below.

Nate Diaz calls out Jake Paul and Leon Edwards #masvidaldiaz pic.twitter.com/OibFzxYp2O

— Delinquent MMA (@DelinquentMMA) July 7, 2024

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Former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski took some time off following his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February.  Back to training, “The Great” looks to the future.

Topuria is expected to defend the 145-pound belt against former titleholder Max Holloway later this year.  In the meantime, Volkanovski would like to take on some big names in the lightweight division while he waits for a featherweight title shot. 

“For me right now, what excites me?” Volkanovski said on Israel Adesanya’s YouTube channel.  “The things that excite me in featherweight, it’s just the belt – obviously the rematch and the belt? That’s big. I’m still that competitor where, ‘All right, this is my division. I’m getting it back. I want that win back’ – things like that. So it’s going to be there. But then at lightweight, let’s have some fun while we’re waiting. I think they’re probably going to do Max and Ilia September.

“I told the UFC I didn’t want to fight till later in the year. I really committed to that in my head. Now I’ve started training, I’m like, ‘I wish I didn’t tell them that.’ So I did that, but that’s fair. I did say, ‘Look, I don’t want to wait too long, either.’ I’m in a position now where if they do that and they want me to fight in bloody March or something, or April, I was like, ‘Oh, well, all right, I’m going to fight a lightweight. Give me exciting fights.’”

While waiting to see how Topuria and Holloway plays out, Volkanovski wants to fight a couple of top lightweights.  During the interview, Volkanovski mentioned two names in the 155-pound weight class that he’s be excited to face.

“I want an exciting fighter like a Charles Oliveira,” Volkanovski said. “I did call out [Dustin] Poirier after that. He’s a great dude. We get along. I think he’s a good man and he’s obviously a big, fun fight. There’s still history there with mutual opponents. He used to fight at featherweight, things like that, and obviously a big name, fun fight, that would be. So that’s exciting.

“Charles Oliveira, there’s a lot of exciting fights that I would love to do while I’m waiting as well. So yeah – just whatever excites me. The belt excites me. Ilia, obviously, rematch excites me. So that’s the main thing in the featherweight. I wouldn’t just fight anyone in featherweight because my next fight’s for the title, and that’s that.”

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Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal officially weighed in on Friday ahead of their rematch.  Diaz weighed in at 175.6 pounds while “Gamebred” tipped the scales at 175.2.  

The two fought for the inaugural “BMF” belt at UFC 244 in November 2019. Masvidal won via doctor stoppage due to a cut at the concluding of the third round. The stoppage didn’t sit well with Diaz.  They’ll run it back on Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.  

Masvidal in 1-0 is a professional boxer but hasn’t had a boxing match since June 2005. Diaz made his professional boxing debut last August, losing to Jake Paul via unanimous decision.

Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal Weigh-in Video

Diaz vs. Masvidal 2 Official Weigh-In Results

Main card  (On Fanmio, ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET)

Nate Diaz (175.6) vs. Jorge Masvidal (175.2)

Daniel Jacobs (169.2) vs. Shane Mosley Jr. (167.6)

Chris Avila (175.6) vs. Anthony Pettis (175.3)

Amado Vargas (134.1) vs. Sean Garcia (138.1)

Devin Cushing (131.9) vs. Manny Correa (131.2)

Nikolai Buzolin (137.7) vs. Curmel Moton (133.5)

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Former UFC welterweights Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal have unfinished business and the two will rematch inside the boxing ring at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on July 6.

The two fought for the inaugural “BMF” belt at UFC 244 in November 2019. Masvidal won via doctor stoppage due to a cut at the concluding of the third round. The stoppage didn’t sit well with Diaz.

Masvidal in 1-0 is a professional boxer but hasn’t had a boxing match since June 2005. Diaz made his professional boxing debut last August, losing to Jake Paul via unanimous decision.

Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal 2 Weigh-In

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Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been calling out Jon Jones since winning the interim championship in November 2023.  Jones has been sidelined since tearing a pectoral tendon while preparing to face former two-time titleholder Stipe Miocic at UFC 295.  The two are expected to finally fight later this year.  

During Jones’ absence, Aspinall was crowned the interim champion and will defend that title at UFC 304 on July 27 in Manchester, England against fourth-ranked Curtis Blaydes.  A win could put Aspinall on a collision course with Jones.

Former three-time light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson believes Aspinall will defeat Jones if a fight between the two comes to fruition.  Gustafsson fought Jones twice.  He lost to Jones both times but their first fight at UFC 165 may have been the toughest test of Jones’ career.  

‘‘Aspinall is on fire right now and he is a very, very good heavyweight. I don’t see anyone beating Aspinall right now,” Gustafsson told Crypto Sports Betting.  “I understand why Tom wants to fight Jon, it’s because Jon is the GOAT, he is the biggest UFC star right now. If Tom was to beat Jon it would be bigger than winning any UFC belt. The biggest achievement in the UFC right now is to beat Jon Jones. I understand why Aspinall is chasing the fight. I think he is ready for Jon. He’s on fire right now. If he fights Jon Jones it should be now.

“Yes, I think Tom will be too much for Jon. He has all the weapons to beat Jon. Jon hasn’t been that active, but he’s still the GOAT. You can never count this guy out, he’s so freaking good at what he does,” Gustafsson continued.  “He’s handled every opponent and everybody knows how good he is, but Aspinall right now, I see him as very dangerous for Jon right now. He’s dangerous on his feet, he’s fast, he has great footwork and he’s a smart fighter. He has the tools to do good against Jon and even beat him. If they will fight, now is the time for Aspinall. He could go down as one of the best heavyweights ever.’’

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Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall respects what light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira has been able to accomplish, but he’s be more than happy to welcome “Poatan” to the heavyweight division.  

Pereira has indicated that he’d like to move up the the heavyweight following his last two fights.  “I think that’s (a move to heavyweight) in my future. I said that last time I was here. I said it a lot but there didn’t seem to be too much interest in the organization, but I’m here. I’m available, and I do think that’s in my future” Pereira said following his knockout win over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 last weekend.  

“As we’ve seen with me, I’m not shying away from anybody. So, if the UFC wants to do that, I’m more than happy to do it. But, as an elite level fighter myself, you can’t help but be impressed with what Alex Pereira has done over the past couple of years,” Aspinall told TalkSPORT MMA.   

“This time a few years ago, nobody knew who he was and now he’s one of the biggest stars in MMA, one of the best fighters in UFC history. I’ve really respected what he’s done. Does that mean I don’t want to fight him.  No.  I absolutely want to fight him.  I’m sure there will be a time and a place for it. I’m not jumping ahead of things right now, fighting Curtis Blaydes now, and if that’s what the UFC wants to do one day, then we’ll absolutely do it,” Aspinall continued.  

Aspinall puts his interim belt on the line in the UFC 304 co-main event in Manchester, England on July 27 against Blaydes.  “Razor” is ranked fourth in the weight class and holds a win over Aspinall.  Seconds into their UFC Fight Night 208 main event bout in July 2022, Aspinall suffered a knee and was unable to continue.  Blaydes was declared the winner via TKO.  The bout lasted 15 seconds.  

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Jorge Masvidal hasn’t held back when talking about Nate Diaz ahead of their upcoming fight.

Masvidal and Diaz have put their MMA careers to the side and are now set to lock horns in the world of boxing. The former UFC stars will collide when they step into the ring on July 6.

As their fight draws near, Jorge Masvidal recently had a lot to say about Nate Diaz. Masvidal called Diaz and his team cowards for their actions during the pre-fight press conference last month.

“My coach that’s in his mid-40s and isn’t a professional fighter, getting attack by a professional fighter and one other guy and being on the ground and getting kicked and punched, to me, you guys are cowards.” Masvidal told CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri.

“Whatever bro. It’s f***ing coward sh*t. He’s fine. He’s a soldier. He comes from the hood like me so he’s alright. But you don’t do that sh*t.”

“He’s a coach. I’ve never attacked a coach in my life. Especially someone who is in their mid-40s or closer to their 50s… That’s the person you set out to attack? Two of you f***ing Nate Diaz’s gimps. It just shows what type of character that them and Nate are because Nate started that whole sh*t.”

“There was no pushing or shoving. His guys f***ing immediately tried to do his dirty work and he took off. He didn’t even come back and ride for his people. It shows what a coward of a general he is.”

“He had all his gimps there and he couldn’t even show face for his gimps. He’s probably hoping I’d get hurt, my hands, punching one of these f***ing morons.”

Masvidal continued, discrediting Nate Diaz for his lack of fight promotion despite their bout taking place this Saturday.

“If we were salesman and we were working off commission, that motherf***er wouldn’t be eating because hasn’t done sh*t.”

“From the start of it, he wanted to go on a date that was just stupid to me. I know the guy has been in a lot of wars. You can tell by the way he f***ing stutters. He can’t even get his words out.”

Related: Influencer enrages Nate Diaz, Diaz’ crew chases him in the streets | Video

“I get it, the guy is not the brightest. But holy smokes, if you’re not the brightest get out of the way and let the people that know what they’re doing do their job. This guy wanted to go when UFC was having a huge pay-per-view, Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier. Sean Strickland was also on the card. Nate was deadset on going on that day.”

“Brother, you’re not a f***ing boxer. You don’t have boxing fans behind you. You have one f***ing boxing fight against a non-boxer. You’re not a boxer. Your fanbase you f***ing dumb idiot is the UFC. So you don’t want to go up against the UFC.”

“This fight could have took place on May 25. As far as partnership and working with this f***ing moron of a person, never again in my life. I really got to find out what a diva he is and how dumb of a diva he is. I just can’t wait to f***ing fight.”

Check what Masvidal told CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri below.

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