"This is bad" - Brian Ortega opens up about rolling his ankle while Bruce Buffer introduced him against Yair Rodriguez
Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez faced off in the co-main event of UFC Mexico City in a highly anticipated rematch this weekend. But the fight was almost over before it began as Ortega rolled his ankle while being introduced in the octagon by Bruce Buffer.
The former title challenger immediately appeared concerned after losing his footing, but it did not seem to hamper him once the fight began. While 'T-City' was dominated by Rodriguez in the first round, he was able to employ his elite grapping skills in Round 2 before securing an arm-triangle submission victory in Round 3.
The 33-year-old appeared in front of the media following his superb comeback win and shared what he was thinking after rolling his ankle before the fight. He said:
"Bruce was introducing me, and I jumped up and when I landed I rolled my ankle. I was like, 'Oh shoot.' I looked at my coach, and I was like, 'Bro, this is bad.' And he was like, 'Don't you effing worry about that!' He was just telling me to get in the zone."
He continued:
"I'd be lying if I said that panic didn't set in for a minute. Obviously I started off, right off the bat I started off, and I got clipped and I paid the price for not being in the zone and not focused on what I was supposed to do."
Watch Brian Ortega's interview below from 4:00:
Dana White reflects on Brian Ortega's stunning performance against Yair Rodriguez
Brian Ortega secured his first win since 2020 with a superb comeback against Yair Rodriguez at UFC Mexico City.
The pair first met at UFC on ABC 3 in 2022, where Ortega suffered a dislocated shoulder in Round 1.
After undergoing numerous surgeries ahead of his return to the sport, 'T-City' faced some adversity early on in his rematch with Rodriguez as he was dropped in the opening few minutes. But after regaining his composure, the former title challenger was able to secure a submission win in Round 3.
UFC CEO Dana White shared his thoughts on the fight during the post-event press conference, saying:
"Did you see him roll his ankle before? When he was jumping up and down. Saw that happen, and then he looked like he saw a ghost after that. I thought it was gonna be over quickly. Then you remember, a Brian Ortega who is mentally and physically right, is a problem for anybody."
Watch Dana White's interview below from 2:07: