Ailin Perez didn’t waste her mic time at UFC Mexico City. She secured her sixth straight bantamweight win and immediately shifted the spotlight somewhere unexpected.
“The bantamweight division has my name,” Perez said in her post-fight interview. “But tonight, I’m looking for Tracy Cortez.”
But that’s where the MMA community split. Perez had just gone 15 hard minutes with Macy Chiasson, a former TUF 28 winner who brought size and physicality into the cage. Chiasson threatened early with a leg lock, then transitioned into back control and elbows in Round 1. Perez had to fight through adversity early. But as the fight progressed, the Argentinian found her rhythm. She secured multiple takedowns, controlled from top position, and closed the third round strong enough to earn three 29-28 scorecards.
Six straight wins at 135 pounds. That matters. Momentum in the bantamweight division isn’t easy to build. Yet instead of calling out a ranked contender in her weight class, Perez doubled down on a long-running feud with Tracy Cortez, who competes at flyweight.
Ailin Perez calls out Tracy Cortez… but did she forget they are in different divisions? Weird callout #UFCMexico
— Adam Martin (@MMAdamMartin) March 1, 2026
If you’ve followed their history, the tension isn’t new. There have been social media jabs and even a heated confrontation at a past UFC event. Perez once told Cortez to “make weight first” before talking to her. Then Cortez later claimed she confronted Perez in person and went on a tirade against her on Instagram Live and said, “If you’re gonna talk s—t, stand by it.”
But divisions still matter. Bantamweight is 135. Flyweight is 125. That’s a 10-pound gap, and fans noticed.
Ailin Perez’s win at UFC Mexico gets overshadowed by fan reaction to her Tracy Cortez callout
One fan wrote, “Ailin Perez calls out Tracy Cortez for obvious reasons and don’t give me some bulls– like they’re not in the same division.” That reaction leans into the rivalry. From that angle, divisions are secondary to storylines. Beef between fighters sells, no doubt. If there’s real tension, some fans want it settled in the cage regardless of weight class.
However, another fan countered, “Ailin Perez calls out Tracy Cortez… but did she forget they are in different divisions? Weird callout #UFCMexico.” That’s the competitive purist viewpoint. Ailin Perez just beat a legitimate No. 8-ranked bantamweight in Chiasson. Why not climb toward title contention instead of calling someone 10 pounds lighter?
Another fan added, “I understand Ailin Perez calling out Tracy Cortez because of their past beef. But those girls aren’t even in the same weight class.” That middle-ground take probably reflects where most people sit. The rivalry is real, sure, but who will move up or down in this equation? That’s the dilemma. Should there be a catchweight bout to settle the feud once and for all? What do you think?
Then came the sharper criticism as this fan wrote, “Bantamweight Ailin Perez just won her fight and also won worst callout of the year as she calls for flyweight Tracy Cortez.” That’s frustration rooted in opportunity cost. Perez is on a six-fight win streak. At some point, momentum should convert into a ranking movement. Despite that, she took aim at a rival from another weight division, which is why the “worst callout” calls echoed on social media.
Another fan asked the practical question, “Ailin Perez calls out Tracy Cortez after beating Macy Chiasson at #UFCMexico, do you want to see that happen? They are in different divisions, who’ll move up or down?” That’s the crux. Cortez moving up would mean fighting naturally bigger athletes. Perez dropping to flyweight would require a significant cut.
Here’s the other layer in this saga: Ailin Perez understands attention. Her antics, including twerking celebrations, already put her on the radar. Calling out Tracy Cortez at UFC Mexico guarantees headlines. That noise could be leveraged. Is it the most direct path to a title shot? Probably not. But it keeps her name circulating.
Perez said the “bantamweight division has my name.” The record and her performance at UFC Mexico back that confidence. But by targeting Cortez, she chose rivalry over rankings. The MMA community hasn’t agreed on whether that’s genius or misdirection, but only time will tell if this leads to a fight between the two in the future.