It was a triumphant return to the Octagon in more ways than one for Brian Ortega.
Not only did “T-City” avenge a previous loss to Yair Rodriguez in the UFC Fight Night 237 co-main event, but he pocketed a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus in the process. After being dropped and nearly finished in the opening stanza, Ortega rallied to impose his will, ultimately eliciting a tapout from his opponent with an arm-triangle choke 58 seconds into Round 3. It was Ortega’s first appearance since July 2022, when a shoulder injury prematurely ended his first meeting with Rodriguez.