Brian Ortega might have missed out on a championship opportunity, but at least it sounds like he didn’t completely miss out on a paycheck.
What could have been a crowning moment for the 27-year-old on July 7 instead became a complete mess when featherweight champion Max Holloway, Ortega’s scheduled opponent for UFC 226, was forced to withdraw from their bout due to concussion-like symptoms just days before the event.
The UFC scrambled to find a replacement, with featherweight veteran Jeremy Stephens emerging as a frontrunner, but Ortega and his team ultimately declined to accept a replacement opponent.