Why did Brian Ortega pull out of UFC 303? The reason behind last-minute pullout, replacement, and more
In an absolutely unprecedented move, Brian Ortega was forced out of UFC 303 at the last minute. He was set to face Diego Lopes in the co-main event of the pay-per-view card.
As the preliminary card of the event was going down, Ariel Helwani reported that Ortega was on the verge of withdrawing as he was sick and the UFC was trying to book Lopes against Dan Ige.
Why is Brian Ortega out of UFC 303?
Before the main card of UFC 303 kickstarted, the broadcast confirmed Dan Ige vs. Diego Lopes to be official for the night. Brian Ortega was out of the UFC 303 card due to illness. Jon Anik said on the live broadcast that he was down with a 103-degree fever and had been taken ill since the official weigh-ins.
Ortega vs. Lopes was originally scheduled to be a featherweight fight but was bumped up to lightweight after 'T-City' had difficulty cutting weight. He still looked noticeably out of it when he stepped on the scales during the weigh-ins.
Brian Ortega is set to meet Diego Lopes at Noche UFC 306
Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes is one of the most intriguing matchups in the UFC featherweight division given both fighters' fan-friendly styles. After Ortega was forced to pull out of UFC 303, Lopes went on to defeat Dan Ige in a short-notice fight by unanimous decision in a closely contested fight.
The promotion re-booked the Ortega vs. Lopes fight for the Noche UFC 306 event scheduled to take place at the iconic Las Vegas Sphere on Sept. 14. The event commemorates the Mexican Independence Day. Ortega has Mexican roots while Lopes trains in the country, which makes it a perfect fight for the occasion.
The fight will mark a major step up in competition for the No. 13-ranked Lopes as he will try to take Ortega's No.3 spot in the featherweight rankings. Despite the massive gap in their relative positions in rankings, 'T-City' is a +155 underdog against the -185 favorite Lopes. However, the betting odds are subject to change.