Latest news with #VivianeAraujo
Forbes
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Cuts Ties With Ranked Veteran And Fans Are Baffled
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 06: UFC president Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 290 press ... More conference at T-Mobile Arena on July 06, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The UFC dropped six fighters from the roster on July 10 and one of them was 38-year-old Brazilian veteran, and No-10-ranked women's flyweight, Viviane Araujo. While some of the other fighters who were cut weren't surprising, fans expressed disbelief when news of Araujo's separation from the company spread. UFC Roster Watch and UFC Roster Tracker reported the information on X, and fans commented on both posts with similar sentiments. Here's some of the comments from fans. 'That's a weird one, yea she's old but still decent. Just fraud checked Karine so.' 'Wow.' 'I get she's 38 and all, but she isn't even on a losing streak or anything like that. Weird to cut her like that.' 'They really burn you for having a s### performance, Tracy [Cortez] didn't look any better also I think they just cutting anyone who doesn't have any chance of being a champion one day.' Araujo's career record is 13-7. She lost her last fight via unanimous decision against Cortez at UFC 317 on June 28. Prior to that lost, Araujo pulled out an upset win over Karine Silva, despite coming in as a plus-240 underdog. Araujo established herself as a tough out in the women's flyweight division going the distance with Natalia Silva, Amanda Ribas, Alexa Grasso and Katlyn Cerminara, but falling short in each fight. Over her six-year UFC career, Araujo's biggest wins came over Alexis Davis, Roxanne Modaferri, Andrea Lee, Jennifer Maia and Silva. The one commenter is likely on to something as it pertains to Araujo's age and the unlikelihood of her challenging for a title. The UFC likely doesn't see her as a legit title contender and because she's close to 40–and not one for finishes–the powers that be likely found her expendable. Still, that doesn't make it sit right with everyone. Araujo's release feels more like a quiet rebalancing of the books than a cut based on merit. She wasn't streaking toward gold, sure—but she also wasn't getting blown out. Her recent loss to Cortez was one of those low-output, tactical chess matches, and it's not like Cortez ran away with it. And before that? Araujo flipped the script against Silva in a fight most expected her to lose. When a veteran wins as an underdog and gets released a month later, you have to ask: do gatekeepers have any security even when they win? This wasn't a fighter on a four-fight skid or someone getting stopped every time out. In fact, she's never been stopped in her UFC career. But the UFC has been blunt about what they value lately: marketability, momentum and ceiling. Araujo doesn't check those boxes at this stage, even if she remains a capable, game opponent. So she's gone. In the end, it feels like another reminder that in today's UFC, being solid just isn't good enough. You have to be ascending—or exciting enough to offset the plateau. Derrick Lewis who just defeated a talented up-and-comer in the UFC Nashville main event is proof. Araujo doesn't finish opponents or entertain like Lewis, so a ranked fighter who can actually push young fighters is off the roster. It's a cold MMA world out there.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The Thrill and Agony: UFC 317 winner and loser reactions
Since the early days when the sport was anything but a mainstream endeavor the MMA industry has thrived and survived through various websites, forums, and, perhaps most importantly, social-media platforms. Fighters interact with fans, each other and many more through the likes of X, Facebook and Instagram, which helps outsiders get a deeper look into the minds of the athletes. Following Saturday's UFC 317 event in Las Vegas, several of the winning and losing fighters, along with their coaches, training partners or family members, took to social media to react to the event or share a message with supporters. The defeated: Viviane Araujo The defeated: Jack Hermansson The defeated: Felipe Lima The defeated: Renato Moicano The defeated: Brandon Royval The defeated: Kai Kara-France The defeated: Charles Oliveira The victorious: Jacobe Smith The victorious: Terrance McKinney The victorious: Tracy Cortez The victorious: Jose Delgado The victorious: Gregory Rodrigues The victorious: Beneil Dariush The victorious: Joshua Van The victorious: Alexandre Pantoja The victorious: Ilia Topuria
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tracy Cortez 'grew a ton' from Rose Namajunas loss, excited to show evolution at UFC 317
Defeat can be painful, but often times, it's a necessary hardship for growth. Tracy Cortez, a contender in the UFC women's flyweight division, feels she's a testament of that and is thankful for her loss to former UFC champion Rose Namajunas in July 2024. Nearly one year later, Cortez (11-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) makes a return this Saturday against veteran Viviane Araujo (13-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) at UFC 317 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+). Advertisement Cortez, 31, didn't enjoy losing a decision to Namajunas, but did enjoy the evolution that came with it, and she can't wait to show it in her return. "I was obviously bothered that I lost, but I did feel like I learned a lot from that fight," Cortez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. "I learned a lot. I knew that I had good cardio, I'm well-conditioned, but I had never been in a five rounder. I remember telling my coaches, 'Hey, I can fight another round.' I had a lot more inside of me to give. So I learned a lot from that fight, and above all else, I feel like I grew. I grew a ton as a person and fighter. "I can be very harsh on myself. I try to be positive, but it's hard because as an athlete who's competing, you never want to lose. I applied everything I learned from my last fight to this camp and I feel 100 percent right now." Cortez was undefeated in the octagon prior to Namajunas. She was also on an 11-fight winning streak dating back to a lone stumble in her 2017 professional debut. Given her popularity, top 10 ranking in the UFC and record, Cortez doesn't view the short-notice defeat to Namajunas as a significant setback. She said two more wins after Araujo on Saturday, and she's in title contention. Advertisement "I honestly think that after winning this one, maybe one or two fights, I'm ready to fight for the title," Cortez said. "There's obviously a lot of people in front of me who already deserve the title fight, and have been competing for a long time, but all in due time. I know it's close, it's not that far." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 317 Tracy Cortez 'grew a ton' from Rose Namajunas loss
