The road to greatness is rarely smooth, and for Tracy Cortez, it’s been a rough few months. The no.11 ranked women’s flyweight star took on Rose Namajunas in her last appearance inside the cage at UFC on ESPN 59 in July. Despite an impressive showing, Cortez was unable to add another win to her record as she came up short due to a unanimous decision. But her struggles continued beyond the Octagon.

She was linked to a bout against Miranda Maverick on December 14 at the UFC Tampa or UFC on ESPN 63 card. However, fate had other plans. In a candid post on X, Cortez explained, “Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication with me fighting Dec 14th in Tampa, as I informed the UFC weeks ago that I won’t be able to fight in December due to health issues that requires me to have surgery.”

Now, the UFC flyweight contender has updated the fans on her health after undergoing the surgery. A grateful and determined Cortez shared on Instagram, “Surgery went smooth, Still little loopy but I just want to thank everyone whos reached out! the road back won’t be easy but then again, nothing great in life ever comes easy.”

As such, the MMA community has rallied behind Cortez, flooding her social media with messages of support. Fans and fighters alike took to the comments to wish her well and here’s a look at what they had to say!

Tracy Cortez on the mend after surgery as fans and fighters join in to share their support for UFC star

Valentina Shevchenko, the division’s reigning queen, added her voice to the chorus of wishes for Tracy Cortez. With ‘Bullet’ reclaiming the title from Alexa Grasso at UFC 306, the women’s flyweight division is heating up. Rising talents are eyeing the rankings, eager to capitalize on every opportunity and with Cortez out of action, could we see new title challengers emerge in the rankings? After all, before dropping the fight to ‘Thug Rose’, Cortez had been undefeated in the UFC.  

@bulletvalentina: “Have a speedy recovery Tracy !”

No. 7 ranked Katlyn Cerminara also added a simple yet heartfelt message wishing her a quick recovery from her health problems.

Katlyn Cerminara: “Speedy recovery”

Other fans were curious to know more about the health issues that left Tracy Cortez in the hospital. However, at the time of writing this article, there isn’t any information available as the UFC flyweight star has left the specifics of her condition undisclosed. Yet her optimism shone through as she expressed excitement about, “I look forward to getting back in the cage early next year!”

“what happened???”

Many fans also echoed the sentiments put forth by her fellow fighters as they called for a “speedy recovery” for Cortez. But as she embarks on her road to recovery, one question looms, how will she bounce back? The UFC flyweight division waits for no one, and Cortez will need to fight her way back into contention.

“Praying for you fam. Speedy recovery champ”

And others also added their voices to the comments by hoping for a full recovery for Cortez and asked her to “stay strong”!

“Hoping you get well soon stay strong”

Tracy Cortez’s health issues may have temporarily sidelined her, but her optimism and fighter spirit shine through. In her absence, Miranda Maverick will now be taking on Jamey-Lyn Horth at UFC Tampa on December 14 instead.  As the flyweight division continues to evolve, Cortez faces the dual challenge of recovery and reclaiming her spot among the elite. Will she return stronger, ready to take on the division’s toughest challenges? Or will her time away shift the landscape further? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!