Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC through Getty Photos
Brian Ortega launched an announcement on Wednesday that defined his resolution to withdraw simply earlier than his conflict with Diego Lopes at UFC 303.
Ortega talked about that he “felt off” throughout the week main as much as the combat and was additionally battling a fever.
“I couldn’t maintain any meals or water down nor may I arise to make use of the restroom,” the assertion mentioned. “I struggled with my very own ego, bought on a name with Tiki and Hunter, and I made the choice to name off the combat. I dared to do one thing loopy for the love of preventing, however I bought sick and my physique gave out on me.”
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Brian Ortega launched an announcement about his UFC 303 withdrawal on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/FXou3xY8vK
Dan Ige stepped in to interchange Ortega mere hours earlier than the combat, though Lopes ended up with a victory.
The combat went the space earlier than Lopes ended up profitable by unanimous resolution. He earned his fourth straight win on Saturday, enhancing his total document to 25-6-0.
The combat between Ortega and Lopes was modified to a light-weight bout from a featherweight contest, as Ortega could not get right down to 146 kilos. He talked about that his illness was a part of the rationale why he was unable to chop down in his assertion on Wednesday, explaining that he “couldn’t break into the ultimate 5 lbs as my physique began to close down.”
“Fairly than risking big well being penalties and probably calling the combat off, fortunately we have been capable of transfer the load to 155,” he mentioned.
Regardless of Ortega’s resolution to withdraw, Lopes revealed that he is nonetheless open to going through the 33-year-old and teased a possible bout on the Sphere in Las Vegas.
“If the UFC can really reschedule that combat towards Brian Ortega, I will be very glad,” Lopes mentioned, through Nolan King and Ken Hathaway of MMA Junkie. “If they’ll reschedule that for the Sphere, even happier.”
Whereas the preliminary UFC 303 co-main occasion ended up altering, Lopes and Ortega may nonetheless face off towards one another within the Octagon at a later date.
