Undefeated UFC featherweight Brian Ortega chose not to accept a short notice opponent for UFC 226. Now the fighter is claiming that he is willing to fight at UFC 227, if Max Holloway vacates his title.
Reigning UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway and top contender Brian Ortega were initially set to face off in the co-main event of UFC 226 on Saturday, July 7. However, Holloway was pulled from the match up after suffering concussion-like symptoms.
UFC President Dana White has since come forward to claim that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will be putting Holloway through a battery of tests to get to the bottom of the champion’s ailments.
Meanwhile, Brian Ortega refused all possible short notice opponents and instead elected to sit out UFC 226. Speaking on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, Brian Ortega has since come forward to reveal that he believes Max Holloway should be made to vacate the title.
If done, Ortega is willing to fight anyone within the featherweight division for the belt at UFC 227. The already highly anticipated live pay-per-view event will take place Aug. 4. and will see T.J. Dillashaw take on Cody Garbrandt for the bantamweight belt and Demetrious Johnson take on Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title.
“From what I’m getting now, they said that Max might not fight for a long time, and he might not even fight 145.” Ortega said. “So I told them then, make the belt vacant and then I’ll fight whoever you guys want me to fight ASAP. I’ll fight them at UFC 227 here in Staples (Center in Los Angeles) but let’s get that situated.”
