Justine Kish

Tracy Cortez (126.5: Missed Weight) vs. Justine Kish

Round 1
The lone catchweight contest of this evening and the second of two women’s bouts is officially at 126.5 pounds as Cortez (8-1, 2-0 UFC) missed weight before taking on Kish (7-3, 3-3 UFC). Our referee is Keith Peterson, and the nonsense level in the arena just dropped to dangerously low levels. There is no glove touch offered or exchanged, and Cortez takes the center of the cage to engage. It is Kish that lands the first offense, with a barrage of punches leading to a head kick and a follow-up takedown attempt. Cortez stuffs the try, and the two muscle one another around on the fencing. Both score short knees, and Kish aims for a trip only to get reversed and put on her back. Cortez postures up and stands up in high guard to blast Kish in the face with heavy hands. Kish arches her back to try to tie up Cortez or set up a submission off her back, but Cortez ignores it and slams her in the face with repeated fists and elbows. Kish aims for an armbar, and Cortez breaks it up with stern ground-and-pound. This same situation happens again, and Kish cannot get the leverage nor the angle to set up any serious submission. Instead, Kish hacks with elbows from her back, all while Cortez busts her in the face. When Cortez stands up to rain down shots, Kish nails her in the face with an upkick but Cortez darts back down to take top position. As Kish scrambles, she returns to her knees and gives up her back, and Cortez gets both hooks in. Kish defends with two-on-one wrist control all while trying to break the body lock that Cortez takes, and Cortez keeps the body triangle tightly secured. Cortez flirts with a choke attempt and gets punched, and the round ends in this position.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cortez
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cortez

Round 2
Cortez rushes out of her corner to begin the second frame, and both trade single jabs early. They commit to body kicks, and Kish sits down on a right hand to back her foe off. Kish aims another kick, and Cortez wades forward with a combination. Kish returns fire, and they close the distance but Cortez cannot grab her. Cortez sweeps with a kick, and blocks low to aim to take the fight down. Kish gives up her back in an exchange, and Cortez drags her down to set up the body triangle like she ended the previous stanza. Kish throws no-look punches, and she breaks the body lock to burst out of the position, on top, and then back up. Kish slashes at her with a standing elbow, and Cortez replies with a solid right hand. Two punches from Kick get off, Cortez does not let her off the hook, and they continue to trade one after the other. Both get off leg kicks, and they reach out with jabs. A low kick turns into a hook kick for Kish, and Cortez avoids the latter. Cortez marches forward with a one-two, and the head kick that comes after it gets blocked. Kish stings Cortez with a one-two, and she lands to the body with a punch and a few kicks. When Cortez aims her own kick to the body, Kish is there with an overhand right counter. Kish lands an inside calf kick when Cortez comes at her, and Kish avoids the strikes that flow towards her. Kish takes a leg kick and comes up short of her intended target. A pair of leg kicks from Kish conclude the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kish
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kish
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kish

Round 3
When Cortez starts the round aggressively, Kish is there to greet her with several punches and a leg kick. Cortez pursues a takedown, and Kish sees it coming and staves her off. A right hand connects to the jaw for Kish, and Cortez counters her effectively. Cortez leaves a kick out too long, which allows for Kish to nail her on the jaw with a right hand. Kish shrugs off a front kick to smack Cortez with a few right hands, and she follows them with two lefts. Cortez rushes in to clinch up and hit a body lock takedown, and on the second effort, she gets Kish down to her back. Cortez sits up to land strikes, and Kish pushes off and may have gotten away with a upkick with Cortez’ knees down. As Kish rolls to her knees, Cortez nails her with heavy ground-and-pound. Kish scrambles and gives up her neck, and as they stand up, Cortez grips on to a guillotine choke. Kish does not panic, and instead wriggles her neck free. Kish thanks her by landing a few punches, and they go body kick for body kick. Kish attempts a standing back fist, but she misses. When Cortez throws a body kick, Kish times a huge right hook that plants her square on her backside. Kish does not want to play on the ground, so she allows Cortez to get up. Cortez thanks her for this by landing a few punches when she gets her feet beneath her again. Kish eats an uppercut to score a right hand counter, and she catches a body kick but cannot make Cortez pay for it. Cortez shoots in to take the fight down, and Kish stuffs it, eats a knee up the middle and scores a few right hands. Kish paws out with punches, landing another right as Cortez throws a naked body kick. A few more from Kish end this very close fight.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Kish (29-28 Kish)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Kish (29-28 Kish)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Kish (29-28 Kish)

The Official Result
Tracy Cortez def. Justine Kish via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)