Tracy Cortez has built a reputation for her toughness inside the Octagon, but behind the fighter, her story reveals a complex blend of family, culture, and personal loss. She is currently working to regain her momentum in the flyweight division, coming off a 1-2 stretch in her last three UFC bouts. Most recently, Erin Blanchfield defeated her at UFC 322 after a hard-fought battle. Despite the setback, Cortez is far from finished. 

Now, as 2026 begins, she is turning a new page, starting with her personal life by publicly announcing her relationship with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira on social media. The announcement also shows that she is ready to make changes in her professional career. Cortez’s journey goes beyond MMA. So, where does she come from, and what shaped her fighting spirit? Let’s take a closer look at her roots and uncover the story behind the fighter.

What is Tracy Cortez’s ethnicity and nationality?

Tracy Cortez was born on December 10, 1993, in Phoenix, Arizona. She is of Mexican descent, raised in a household shaped by her immigrant parents and three older brothers.

Cortez is an American national of Hispanic ethnicity, as both her parents are Mexican. She grew up with three brothers, which her coach, Angel Cejudo, attributes to her toughness. It was due to her brothers, who were wrestlers, that she developed an interest in martial arts.

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Cortez’s older brother, Jose, had dreamed of becoming a UFC fighter. He even fought with the former UFC  fighter Drew Flickett in 2008, which he managed to win via a split decision. It was this fight that sparked Cortez’s interest in MMA. Her brother, however, stopped competing after the Flickett fight as he was soon diagnosed with cancer, and he passed away in 2011.

Jose was friends with future Olympian and UFC champ Henry Cejudo and his older brother, Angel Cejudo, who helped Tracy fight through her depression and trained her. Two years later, she made her MMA debut. She would soon lose her mother, too, but that would only make her more determined to become a mixed martial artist, in tribute to her deceased loved ones.

“I want to get my hand raised in that cage and look up and say, ‘This for you guys’ because honestly, they believed in me so much more than to this day than I believe in myself. And that’s why I keep going because every time I want to stop, I hear my mom’s voice in the back of my head, what she would tell me in Spanish,” Cortez was quoted as saying by Cronkite News. But what about her beliefs? Let’s look at her spiritual side next.

Which religion does Tracy Cortez follow?

While Tracy Cortez hasn’t openly discussed her religious beliefs, one social media post offered a glimpse. She once reposted a message on X that read, “A big part of faith is trusting God to what is best even if it means not answering your prayer according to your liking. Remember, it is not a matter of your will or mine but His.”

Another hint? During her appearance on ‘The George Janko Show’, Cortez confessed that she “prays” when asked about whether she believes she would go to heaven or not. 

That small gesture speaks volumes. It suggests that the UFC star draws strength from Christianity and leans on faith during difficult times. And given what she’s faced, it makes sense. Because Cortez’s road hasn’t been easy, and it all started with family.

About Tracy Cortez’s parents and family

The names of Tracy Cortez’s parents remain private, but their influence is evident. They were immigrants from Mexico who built a life in Phoenix, Arizona. There, they raised Tracy and her three brothers, Jose, Abraham, and Steven.

As mentioned above, Jose was a professional MMA fighter and tragically passed away in 2011 after a hard-fought battle against cancer. She once shared, “Every time I feel tired or I feel fatigued or I question anything, I think like, damn, my brother fought with cancer in his heart and he didn’t give up. He fought through it. I’m perfectly healthy. I’m more than capable to do what I’m doing. This is easy work. That’s a huge motivator for me.”

From Phoenix to the UFC, from heartbreak to love, Tracy Cortez has built a story defined by resilience. As 2026 begins, she is ready to take charge and start the next chapter of her journey. Regardless of the outcomes inside the Octagon, Cortez has already proven that her story extends far beyond her fighting career.