Feuds in the UFC are nothing new, but the ongoing war of words between Tracy Cortez and Ailin Perez seems to have taken a life of its own. But where did it all begin?  Flashback to UFC Denver in 2024, where Cortez narrowly made weight by cutting her hair—a desperate yet determined move to ensure her fight against Rose Namajunas went ahead. Enter Perez, who mocked Cortez’s struggle on Instagram by stating, “What a waste of an opportunity, you are showing your lack of preparation for a moment so big.”

Perez continued to fuel the fire after her win at UFC Paris, where she called out Cortez in a post on X dripping with sarcasm. Fast forward to this week, and the feud has hit a new high—or low, depending on your perspective. Tracy Cortez took to social media to recount a chance encounter with Perez at the airport, and her words were anything but subtle!

Tracy Cortez goes off on Ailin Perez in a no-holds-barred warning on social media

At UFC 311, Ailin Perez secured a victory, but her post-fight comments made more headlines than her performance against Karol Rosa. When asked about her ongoing tension with Cortez, Perez dismissed her rival by stating, “That’s trash. Don’t name her in this conversation right now. Get better quality people to have beef for me while I’m here, all right.” She didn’t stop there, even accusing Cortez of being “dirty”.

Well, Tracy Cortez revealed that things might not be as simple as Perez might be trying to portray. In a post on X shared by MMA Mania, Cortez revealed in the video, “Just landed… because I ran into my best friend the girl that (twerking pose), I’m not gonna do it. I was like, ‘No, what the f**k?’ Boss b*tch, you’re gonna do f***king something? She didn’t do sh*t, she tried to shake my hand.”

Cortez’s words made it clear: she’s done playing games. For her, this isn’t just a public spat; it’s about respect and authenticity. With a few more choice words to blast Perez, the no. 11 ranked women’s flyweight star further shared, “I don’t do sh*t for clout. I’m from the f**king hood, if you gonna talk sh*t, stand by it. Coz I’m standing ten toes down b***h, when I see you…”

Cortez’s fury is more than just a reaction to the airport encounter. It’s about months of perceived disrespect. Perez’s post-fight comments at UFC 311 weren’t just dismissive; they were personal. As such, the airport incident served as a perfect microcosm of their feud. Words were exchanged, but no physical confrontation occurred. As stated by Cortez in her salvo, the lack of follow-through from Perez was a sign of weakness.

The question now is whether this heated rivalry will ever make its way into the Octagon. After all, the UFC fans love nothing more than a grudge match with real stakes. Well according to Tracy Cortez, the future may be shrouded in mystery but the fans need to just wait and watch! 

Cortez reveals her plans for 2025 as she proclaims “the world will see” 

For Tracy Cortez, 2024 was a turbulent year both inside and outside the Octagon. After a loss to Rose Namajunas last July, she hasn’t been back in the Octagon. She was scheduled to face Miranda Maverick in December at UFC on ESPN 63, but health issues nixed those plans. Cortez underwent surgery due to the same issues and stated in a social media post, “I look forward to getting back in the cage early next year!”

At the recent UFC 311 event, Cortez was present in Los Angeles and talked to Cageside Press and confessed, “This last one, before we signed the contract, I got scheduled for surgery, I had just personal [issues]. Would we schedule it again? Honestly I don’t know. It’s something that I don’t even think the fans care for much anymore.”

So what about settling the score with Ailin Perez? After all, their feud seems to have reached the boiling point with Cortez’s latest salvo. But according to Cortez, “Right now, I’m just in the present moment. And when the time comes, the opportunity comes and contracts are signed, the world will see.”

Yet it’s clear that Perez’s taunts have struck a nerve as highlighted by Cortez’s video on social media. So, do you think we’ll see these two go to war inside the Octagon in 2025? Why or Why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!