If UFC 303 at the end of the last month will be remembered for anything, it may be the host of changes to the headlining fights on the card.
What once was to be topped by Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler and Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree wound up as Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka and Dan Ige vs. Diego Lopes — with Ige taking the fight just four hours before stepping into the cage.
Opponents fall out routinely in the UFC, which makes Rose Namajunas’ recent opponent switch from Maycee Barber to Tracy Cortez — whom the former strawweight champ will face in Saturday’s flyweight Fight Night main event in Denver — so surprising with the proper context: Namajunas has never had a late-notice opponent switch like this in 10 years with the promotion.
Rarely have Namajunas’ opponents withdrawn at all — she could only recall the phenomena happening as an amateur — and this is the first time she’s been able to keep the same fight date but be forced to adjust to a new foe, after Barber pulled out in late June with what she described as an ongoing medical issue.
“The moment that I found out [that Barber was out], I was instantly disappointed,” Namajunas said Monday during a video call with The Post. “I was pretty devastated for, like a day, even some residual days after that.
“But once I knew that there was a new opponent possibly, I immediately was trying to get my mind to just process that as quick as possible.”
In stepped Cortez, accepting the fight less than three weeks ago.
The original booking against Barber had the makings of a potential No. 1 contender’s bout, with many speculating an impressive victory for either woman could leapfrog presumed next challenger Manon Fiorot — after champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko face off for the third time in two years, anticipated for the fall.
Namajunas (12-6, seven finishes), sitting at No. 6 in the UFC’s own rankings behind No. 4 Barber, harbored such hopes as well.
“Originally, that was kind of the idea,” Namajunas said. “… That’s what it was looking like. And obviously, I still think that it could potentially be that [with this fight]. It really just kind of depends on what happens.”
Namajunas, in her debut at 125 pounds last September, lost a decision to Fiorot in the latter’s native France in a competitive contest.
But while Fiorot remains unbeaten through seven UFC bouts and is coming off a clean sweep decision win over Erin Blanchfield in March in Atlantic City, her style has failed to captivate fans.
That’s where “depends on what happens” comes in, as it’s not unthinkable for the popular and accomplished Namajunas to skip the line with another thrilling victory in Colorado, where she has trained for many years.
That may not sit right with those who would point out that Cortez (11-1, two finishes), while 5-0 in the UFC and also having edged a decision over Blanchfield on the regional scene, sits outside the top-10 contenders in the UFC’s rankings.
Nonetheless, Namajunas has respect for what Cortez brings to the octagon … to a point.
“I like Tracy. I think she’s pretty good, well-round in a bunch of different [facets],” Namajunas, who is originally from Milwaukee, said. “I think her skills that she brings to the table is going to [make her] a good opponent for me. I just believe in my skills, and I just believe that I’m on that next level.”