UFC 322: Erin Blanchfield vs Tracy Cortez Preview & Prediction
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Erin Blanchfield vs Tracy Cortez set for critical flyweight contender showdown at UFC 322.
Erin Blanchfield vs Tracy Cortez facts
What time are Erin Blanchfield and Tracy Cortez expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev? Madison Square Garden, New York, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 322
What TV channel is UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev main card
Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev (Welterweight)
Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili (Women’s Flyweight)
Sean Brady vs Michael Morales (Welterweight)
Leon Edwards vs Carlos Prates (Welterweight)
Beneil Dariush vs Benoit Saint Denis (Lightweight)
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev prelims
Bo Nickal vs Rodolfo Vieira (Middleweight)
Roman Kopylov vs Gregory Rodrigues (Middleweight)
Erin Blanchfield vs Tracy Cortez (Women’s Flyweight)
Malcolm Wellmaker vs Ethyn Ewing (Featherweight)
Kyle Daukaus vs Gerald Meerschaert (Middleweight)
Pat Sabatini vs Chepe Mariscal (Featherweight)
Angela Hill vs Fatima Kline (Women’s Strawweight)
Baisangur Susurkaev vs Eric McConico (Middleweight)
Viacheslav Borshchev vs Matheus Camilo (Lightweight)
Erin Blanchfield: Elite grappling force looking to reinforce title aspirations
Erin “Cold Blooded” Blanchfield (13-2) returns to the Octagon after solidifying herself as one of the premier contenders in the flyweight division. The 26-year-old has already put together one of the strongest résumés among young fighters in the UFC, with victories over high-level opposition including Taila Santos, Jessica Andrade, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and most recently Rose Namajunas. That win over Namajunas showcased Blanchfield’s ability to stick to a game plan, apply consistent top pressure, and win rounds through wrestling control.Blanchfield’s game has long been built around world-class grappling. She’s one of the best pure technicians at 125 pounds, chaining takedowns fluidly and transitioning through dominant positions with ease. Her submission threat is ever-present, and she rarely finds herself losing prolonged scrambles. Although her striking is still developing, she makes up for technical gaps with volume and pressure, forcing opponents to defend high output before she changes levels.
Blanchfield’s consistency on the ground sets her apart. Few flyweights can match her pace or her ability to maintain top position without allowing opponents to create separation. Having already competed in main events and five-round fights, she enters this matchup with more big-fight experience than her age suggests. A win here positions her directly for another title eliminator or even a title shot depending on the division’s movement.
Tracy Cortez: Steady, disciplined wrestler facing her toughest test to date
Tracy Cortez (12-2) has quietly built one of the more respectable records in the division, earning wins over Viviane Araujo, Melissa Gatto and Jasmine Jasudavicius. The 31-year-old has established her identity as a composed control wrestler who excels in dictating where the fight takes place. Cortez’s strengths lie in her ability to blend single- and double-leg takedowns with heavy top-control sequences. She is disciplined, rarely takes unnecessary risks, and uses steady ground striking to maintain dominance in the eyes of the judges. On the feet, she offers functional volume and can disrupt opponents with simple, effective combinations.
However, Cortez has shown vulnerabilities against elite grapplers. Her fight with Namajunas exposed defensive holes, as she was taken down multiple times and controlled in several sequences before taking over later in the bout. Against opponents who can force scrambles or transition rapidly from defense to offense, Cortez has struggled to keep up. That becomes especially significant against someone with Blanchfield’s pace and technical depth. This represents the clearest step up in her career — a matchup that will determine whether Cortez can contend with the division’s true elite wrestlers rather than stylistically favorable matchups or mid-tier opposition.
Erin Blanchfield vs Tracy Cortez prediction
This fight comes down to which fighter can win the grappling exchanges — and based on recent performances, the edge leans strongly toward Blanchfield. Cortez’s control wrestling is effective against fighters she can outmuscle or out-position, but she has historically struggled when forced to defend multiple takedown attempts and high-paced transitions. Blanchfield, meanwhile, has shown she can dominate scrambles, chain attempts, and maintain top control against far more proven grapplers than Cortez.
Cortez may find early success defending or reversing isolated positions, but over fifteen minutes, Blanchfield’s pace and technique should consistently push her into advantageous spots. Given Cortez was out-grappled by Namajunas — the same Namajunas Blanchfield beat through stronger wrestling — the stylistic gap seems clear. Expect Blanchfield to secure takedowns in all three rounds, accumulate significant control time, and limit Cortez’s offense both standing and on the mat.
Prediction: Erin Blanchfield to win via decision
