It appears all is well with Brian Ortega and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Ortega was scheduled to challenge Max Holloway for the UFC featherweight title earlier this month. The bout would’ve served as the co-main event of UFC 226. Holloway was forced to pull out of the bout due to concussion-like symptoms. Ortega was offered a bout with Jeremy Stephens, but he turned it down.
“T-City” initially didn’t get paid his show money and revealed that UFC president Dana White wasn’t thrilled that the featherweight didn’t take a fight on three days notice. Cooler heads seem to have prevailed. During last night’s LFA 45 broadcast, Ortega revealed that he was compensated (via MMAFighting.com):
“I feel a lot better now. The heartbreak was a little bit real at first and then once I started to realize the bigger picture and everything and I had to put my ego aside and put my thinking cap on in terms of business-wise. We made the right decision. Talked to Dana just the other day and everything’s good between me and him, he compensated me — we reached an agreement.”
Ortega is expected to wait until Holloway recovers. There’s no official word on the condition of “Blessed,” but he has gotten more tests done and is waiting on the results. If he’s able to return soon, then we can expect Ortega vs. Holloway to be rescheduled.
Do you think Brian Ortega made a smart move not taking the fight at UFC 226?
