Tracy Cortez is one of those athletes whose athletic career loses the spotlight to personal life. Often. And when it came to her relationship with fellow UFC star Brian Ortega, fans followed every twist and turn like a championship rivalry. 

Last year, the Phoenix, Arizona native faced Erin Blanchfield at UFC 322 in what was seen as a potential flyweight title eliminator. However, ‘Cold Blooded’ defeated Cortez via rear-naked choke, avenging her loss from their 2019 Invicta FC 34 bout. Now heading into this year, Tracy Cortez will be looking to make a comeback inside the Octagon. But before that, her relationship status took a turn. 

Tracy Cortez’s relationship status in 2026: Is she dating Alex Pereira? 

On New Year’s Eve 2026, Tracy Cortez and Alex Pereira shocked the UFC fanbase with one of the most unexpected updates of their lives. Taking to their Instagram stories, both MMA stars officially confirmed their relationship by uploading photos of themselves spending quality time together, wearing the same beige-colored hoodies.

Two very famous UFC superstars getting together isn’t exactly uncommon. But what made Alex Pereira and Tracy Cortez’s announcement special was that nobody saw it coming. Regardless, both fighters are now set to step into a new journey in their lives, moving on from their past relationships.  Still, it has to be acknowledged that Brian Ortega’s name will always be associated with the 32-year-old, given how their relationship ultimately turned out.

What happened between Tracy Cortez and Brian Ortega?

It all began with a bold Instagram comment. Brian Ortega wrote under one of Cortez’s Instagram posts, “F*** ima shoot my shot.” That one-liner kicked off a whirlwind romance that soon became public. From Instagram moments to UFC corners, the two seemed inseparable.

But in 2023, Tracy Cortez, who was reported to have been engaged to Brian Ortega, saw the end of their relationship. They started dating in 2020, and when things ended, it got really ugly as a social media war ensued between the two. 

Ortega wrote on X, “Everyone out here talking bout I fumbled. Y’all must not know the rules of the game. When you drop the ball on accident, that’s a fumble, but when you throw it away on purpose, that’s called a complete pass. Top G s*** !”

It was a clear sign that the relationship had ended, and on his terms. Yet, Cortez fired back with, “Let me just say that to this day, I’ve yet to say anything negative about you or bash your name! Don’t start throwing shade now.”

The back-and-forth was raw but respectful, with both fighters choosing to walk away publicly from their relationship. But what happened after the storm? Because rumors later surfaced that Cortez also dated Paulo Costa for some time. Was it true?

Were Tracy Cortez and Paulo Costa dating?

No, Tracy Cortez and Paulo Costa were never in a relationship. But the internet sure thought otherwise.

Rumors started flying when the two were spotted together, just around the time her split with Ortega went public. But Cortez shut it all down in a lighthearted way during an interview where he joked that even taking a photo with someone sparks dating rumors now.

She also revealed that Paulo Costa and his girlfriend, Tamara Alves, even video-called her to talk about the rumors, and all three had a good laugh. So, were they ever together? Not even close. Just good friends caught in the whirlwind of online gossip.

In the end, it was actually true that Tracy Cortez remained single for a while after the fallout with Brian Ortega. But now, she’s currently started a new romantic journey with the reigning light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira.