Brian Ortega recounts painful ordeal that forced last-minute withdrawal from UFC 303 fight: "I can barely make it to the restroom"
Brian Ortega recently became candid about withdrawing himself from UFC 303. Ortega talked about the serious health problems that forced him to pull out from his fight with Diego Lopes only a few hours before it was supposed to take place.
For context, Ortega was originally slated to compete against Lopes in a featherweight bout at UFC 303. However, just a few hours before the weigh-ins, their contest was moved up to lightweight.
Ortega, who weighed 155 pounds, fell ill and was forced to withdraw on the day of the bout. This forced Dan Ige to step in as a short-term replacement and face Lopes at UFC 303, whom the latter defeated via unanimous decision.
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Ortega discussed pulling out of UFC 303, saying:
''I don't know how to explain it. All I know is that I was 178, I got here and I was already in like 60 something so I was already going through it and I was just surviving. I was on survival mode. I was just trying to get through the day, get the sweat that I had to get in and still try to figure out a way, I was just stressed.''
Ortega added:
''I just wasn't there. Even the day of the fight, I don't know if you ever been sick before... you don't have energy to leave the bed, like, just to go to the restroom, it's like ughh, that's where I was and then I have a whole arena waiting for me to go fight and I'm like no way, I can barely make it to the restroom right now.''
Check out Brian Ortega's comments below (0:34):
Ortega's fight against Lopes has been rescheduled on the main card of Noche UFC 306. Their featherweight bout will take place on Sept. 14 at the Las Vegas Sphere.
Brian Ortega predicts Diego Lopes clash at Noche UFC 306
Former UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega is ready to take on Diego Lopes after failing to face him at UFC 303.
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Ortega made a strong prediction for his featherweight showdown against Lopes at Noche UFC 306, saying:
''Someone is going to get finished, guaranteed, you know me, you've seen me. I either put you on your shield or you put me on mine. I'm not going on my shield.''
Check out Brian Ortega's comments below (16:44):