Could Golden State Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry have a career in the UFC? According to UFC fighter Tracy Cortez, the answer might be yes.

When asked by a reporter to name one professional athlete from another sport who would thrive as a UFC fighter, Cortez didn’t hesitate. After a thoughtful pause, she mentioned Curry.

“One athlete from another sport,” Cortez said, “I would say Steph Curry.”

This surprising endorsement raises some questions, especially considering Curry’s relatively slight 6-foot-2 stature. Without further context from Cortez, it’s unclear what qualities make Curry an ideal candidate for a future UFC career.

Meanwhile, Curry has been sidelined due to illness, missing his second consecutive game this week. However, he remains a topic of conversation beyond basketball — a testament to his broader influence.

### How Stephen Curry Influenced Steve Nash’s Retirement

In a recent interview on *The Mind of the Game* podcast, Hall of Fame guard Steve Nash revealed how playing against Curry actually contributed to his decision to retire.

Nash explained that while chasing Curry around the court during a preseason game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, he realized his body was not recovering properly.

“My nerves were messed up and I couldn’t recover,” Nash said. “I was like, I’ve got to find out, so I had a week since I’d last played. We were playing them (Warriors) in preseason. I’m like I’ve got to find out. Like I have to play hurt or else what’s the point.”

Recounting the game in Ontario, California, Nash said, “I remember the game. We came out, I’m guarding Steph. I think they put up like 50 in the first quarter. Maybe it was 45, but it felt like a 50-piece. He’s running everywhere. My back is broke, everything is jacked. I couldn’t have stopped him if I was 100% and now I’m like dragging around.”

Nash continued: “Steve Kerr is putting me in every action. I’m looking over at Steve like, ‘Come on, Steve.’ They’re laughing at me. Alvin Gentry over there laughing at me like ‘no, no, no we want to see what you’ve got.’ I’m literally like three or four more days of thinking on it. I was like, yeah, uh, I think it’s time. And that was it.”

### Looking Ahead

Curry’s next opportunity to play will be when the Warriors host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Fans will be eager to see if he can return to the court and continue to showcase the skills that have made him an NBA superstar — and apparently, in the eyes of UFC fighter Tracy Cortez, a potential MMA contender.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-stephen-curry-the-mma-fighter-ufc-star-says-he-could-compete