Brian Ortega will finally get his shot at the UFC featherweight belt Saturday when he challenges Max Holloway. Ortega has been waiting since UFC 226 in July when Holloway withdrew due to health issues on fight week. In Toronto, Ortega will attempt to secure gold.
Win or lose, though, Rener Gracie told Luke Thomas on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour that the result almost doesn’t matter this coming weekend. Obviously, Ortega’s longtime coach wants his star pupil to become a UFC champion. In his mind, however, the hard part might already be over — Ortega has pulled himself out of his upbringing in the projects of a rough area of Los Angeles.