Frankie Edgar says Brian Ortega pissed off the wrong people by turning down a replacement fight at UFC 226 ... and now his chances at another title fight could be ruined.
TMZ Sports spoke with The Answer about Ortega passing on Jeremy Stephens after Max Holloway backed out due to injury ... and Edgar says that could come back to haunt T-City in a big way.
"Sometimes when you have the chance to fight for a title or an interim title, you gotta jump on it," Edgar says.