Brian Ortega did everything he could to make it to fight night at UFC 303. Unfortunately, his body didn’t cooperate.
Ortega agreed to face Diego Lopes on short notice as part of a the promotion’s renovation of the UFC 303 card. The bout was initially slated for 145 pounds, but when Ortega began to struggle with his weight cut, he and his opponent agreed to move the bout to lightweight. Ultimately, Ortega developed a fever on the day of the fight and was forced to withdraw hours before the UFC 303 co-main event.