Brian Ortega broke his silence on Wednesday after enduring a disastrous UFC 303 struggle week that ended with him dropping out of his struggle in opposition to Diego Lopes simply hours earlier than he was scheduled to compete.
The 2-time featherweight title challenger launched an announcement addressing the ordeal that started after he accepted the struggle in opposition to Lopes simply two weeks previous to UFC 303 following the withdrawal of unique headliner Conor McGregor. Ortega knew he needed to drop fairly a little bit of weight to get all the way down to the 146-pound restrict for a non-title struggle, however he appeared assured in getting the job accomplished.
That every one modified after he arrived in Las Vegas for struggle week actions.
“Come struggle week, I felt off and I didn’t really feel proper,” Ortega mentioned on Instagram. “I believed it was simply the residual results from the [weight] lower. I used to be 178 kilos once I accepted this struggle on 15 days’ discover. Thursday night time after seven straight hours, I couldn’t break 151 kilos. Later, I might discover out that I used to be battling a fever and I couldn’t break into the ultimate 5 kilos as my physique began to close down.
“Moderately than risking large well being penalties, and probably calling the struggle off, fortunately we have been in a position to transfer the burden to 155. At weigh-ins, I nonetheless felt off however I used to be certain it will go away after I rehydrated and ate.”
Regardless of an additional 10-pound allowance, Ortega nonetheless didn’t bounce again from the burden lower. He actually began feeling sick in a single day main into Saturday’s scheduled struggle.
“Afterward that night time, I nonetheless felt off and was affected by chilly sweats and no sleep,” Ortega wrote. “Lastly, I really feel asleep at 6 a.m. Saturday morning and awoke at 1 p.m. hoping to really feel higher. I couldn’t maintain any meals or water down nor may I rise up to make use of the restroom.”
Lastly realizing that he was coping with an sickness on prime of the struggles he had together with his weight lower, Ortega referred to as to tell his supervisor and UFC that he simply couldn’t struggle.
“I struggled with my very own ego, bought on a name with Tiki [Ghosn] and Hunter [Campbell], and I made the choice to name off the struggle,” Ortega mentioned. “I dared to do one thing loopy for the love of preventing however I bought sick and my physique gave out on me. I wish to give the followers and my opponents my finest efficiency each time I step into the cage.”
Ortega additionally addressed Lopes straight after Lopes initially lower all the way down to featherweight, then gained just a few kilos to compete at light-weight, then finally bought a completely totally different opponent in Dan Ige simply hours earlier than he was scheduled to compete.
“Diego Lopes, I can solely think about what went off in your facet, you don’t have anything however my respect and I’ll discuss to Hunter and and Tiki and make this proper by you,” Ortega mentioned. “To the UFC, Dana [White], Hunter and the followers, thanks for having my again.”
Lopes has acknowledged his curiosity in working it again with Ortega as long as the struggle occurs at featherweight, however it stays to be seen if UFC nonetheless needs to ebook that matchup. As for Ortega, he beforehand mentioned he deliberate to finally transfer to light-weight, however didn’t straight handle his future within the assertion supplied on Wednesday.