Brian Ortega recently shared details about the 48 hours before he withdrew from his UFC 303 fight against Diego Lopes. Ortega had initially stepped in on short notice to replace Conor McGregor, who had pulled out, with the intention of salvaging the event. However, just before weigh-ins, the bout was shifted from featherweight to lightweight due to Ortega’s difficulties with making the weight.
Feeling unfit to compete, Ortega made the difficult decision to withdraw from the fight on the day it was scheduled. He admitted to the UFC that he would have merely allowed Lopes to attack him if he had entered the octagon, highlighting his lack of preparedness and poor physical condition.
Speaking on Morning Kombat, Ortega explained that something felt fundamentally wrong during fight week. He described the experience as being on autopilot while struggling to cut weight rapidly, dropping from 178 to 160 pounds within a week and a half.
Ortega noted that after gaining weight, fighters typically feel better after rehydrating and eating, but he continued to feel unwell. He experienced cold sweats and couldn’t stop sweating, indicating that his body wasn’t recovering as expected. These symptoms were severe enough to make him realize he couldn’t perform at his best.
After consulting with his manager and coaches, Ortega decided to withdraw from the fight. He candidly communicated his situation to the UFC, expressing that he would be unable to compete effectively and suggesting that he would be willing to enter the fight only to let Lopes dominate him. The UFC agreed with his decision to pull out of the fight, understanding his compromised state.
Despite this setback, Ortega is set to fight Lopes at Noche UFC on September 14. This rescheduling gives him another opportunity to prepare adequately and compete at his best, aiming to bounce back from the challenging experience he faced leading up to UFC 303.
