Internet trolls played big role in Brian Ortega accepting rebooked fight with Diego Lopes for Noche UFC: "I'm here to remind you"
Former UFC featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega has said that online trolls played a significant role in his decision to accept a rescheduled fight with Diego Lopes at UFC 306.
The pair were originally set to face off at UFC 303 but Ortega was forced to withdraw due to a drastic weight cut. The unexpected turn of events left many questioning his commitment and dedication to the sport.
Speaking ahead of their upcoming bout, Ortega admitted that the negative comments from online trolls served as a motivating factor for him.
"I was sitting there and I was like, ‘You know, that should be me.' That’s kind of like what I was feeling and then you hear obviously, you know, the internet go be the internet so that was kind of bothering me a little bit. Cause they [fans] thought that I coward out so I was like okay, I’m going to have to make peace with the idea that people think."
When asked if the trolls were the main reason for his decision to fight Lopes, Ortega confirmed:
"Yeah! That’s kind of like the fire that lit me back up… For my fans, clearly they’re just very supportive, but they when you go and look at other pages and then you see like the commentary there... a lot of people believe that I’m done now… This [Lopes fight] is a perfect way… People are like all right you’re done… it’s like, 'All right cool, I’m here to remind you.'"
Check out Brian Ortega's comments below (3:56-5:45):
Brian Ortega eyes lightweight move following Diego Lopes fight
Brian Ortega has reaffirmed his plans to move up to the lightweight division after his upcoming fight against Diego Lopes at UFC 306. Despite the importance of the 145-pound bout, Ortega remains committed to his goal of competing at a higher weight class.
Speaking to the press during the UFC 306 media day, 'T-City' said:
"1000 percent [lightweight is the goal]... Because you got [Ilia] Topuria and Max [Holloway] fighting in October... depending on how this fight goes this weekend it’s gonna determine whether the fans believe that I deserve another shot or not. Either or, my goal is to stay busy and if there’s nothing for me in the featherweight division then I’ll move up.” [H/t: MMA Mania]
Check out Brian Ortega's comments below (2:10):