Rose Namajunas has a brand new opponent lined up for her return to the octagon.

The previous UFC strawweight champion is now focused to tackle Tracy Cortez, as a substitute for her authentic opponent Maycee Barber – who withdrew from the matchup attributable to undisclosed causes. The combat nonetheless stays the headliner of the UFC Battle Evening occasion scheduled for July 13 in Denver.

Two individuals with information of the matchup knowledgeable MMA Junkie of the change however requested to stay nameless because the promotion has but to make an official announcement. MMA Mania and MMA Preventing first reported the information Tuesday.

Namajunas (12-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) is 1-1 since her transfer as much as flyweight from in 2023. After a unanimous resolution loss to Manon Fiorot in her divisional debut, Namajunas rebounded with a unanimous resolution win over Amanda Ribas in March.

Cortez (11-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) stays undefeated since becoming a member of the UFC in 2019. She final fought in September, the place she defeated Jasmine Jasudavicius in a unanimous resolution. This would be the first UFC occasion Cortez headlines.