Tracy Cortez may have dominated Viviane Araujo in the octagon at UFC 317, but it was her powerful message outside the cage that made headlines. After securing a clear-cut unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27), Cortez used her post-fight moment with Joe Rogan to speak directly to the Latino community, unafraid to challenge the political atmosphere under Donald Trump’s second term.
Speaking in Spanish to the crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Cortez said,
“Ugly things are happening to La Raza all around the U.S. I just want to say you guys have a voice. I’m here for you, and I want to make all Mexicans proud.”
Her comments sparked an immediate firestorm online. Some praised the rising flyweight star for using her platform to stand with immigrant communities amid increasing ICE raids and recent Supreme Court decisions that have shaken protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants.
UFC Supporters Cheer, Critics Push Back
Support from fans poured in:
“Tracy Cortez is the GOAT. Thank you for standing up for us Latinos,” one fan wrote on X.
Another joked, “Cortez dissing Trump after a W should be enough for the 50k bonus.”
But not all responses were positive. Some critics accused Cortez of injecting politics into sports, saying her comments turned the UFC spotlight into a divisive platform. This isn’t the first time fighters have walked the tightrope between activism and backlash in the UFC, a space where politics and fighting often collide.
Cortez Defends Her Decision
In the post-fight press conference, Cortez stood by her words:
“Many of my fans are Mexicans. It’s the Latin community. People I represent very much to my core. It would be almost cowardly if I didn’t speak on something.”
As one of the few UFC athletes willing to publicly comment on ICE actions and broader immigration policies, Cortez’s message lands at a politically charged moment, just weeks after a Supreme Court ruling opened the door for Trump’s administration to end protections for migrants from multiple countries.
With a 12–2 record and rising star status, Tracy Cortez isn’t just fighting for rankings, she’s fighting for her people.
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