Brian Ortega Reveals Detailed Incident During Weight Cut in Shanghai
UFC featherweight fighter Brian Ortega has confirmed that he fainted and woke up in the emergency room during his weight cut process at last month’s UFC Fight Night in Shanghai. Ortega, with a record of 16-5, was originally scheduled to face Aljamain Sterling in a co-main event at featherweight (145 pounds). However, the fight was transformed into a catchweight of 153 pounds after Ortega failed to make weight. During the weigh-in, the former champion appeared emaciated and unstable. In a social media post, Ortega detailed the severity of the problems he faced to reach the required weight, including a fainting spell that lasted for a considerable time on Friday morning.Ortega added that, during that time, they applied ice to him, took off his clothes, and left him in his underwear. He woke up in the emergency room and, although he couldn’t speak well, insisted on taking off everything he was wearing. Due to the time limit for the weigh-in, he decided to fight despite feeling unwell. The 34-year-old fighter has considered permanently moving up in weight for over a year, but has yet to secure a lightweight fight in the UFC. He was forced to withdraw from a short-notice bout against Diego Lopes in 2024 due to medical issues related to weight cutting. According to Ortega, the UFC had a replacement opponent ready in Shanghai, but he stood firm in his decision to fight despite the complications of the weight cut.“I was on the bike for 20 minutes and, when I got off, I lost consciousness,” Ortega recounted. “I was unconscious for about 30 minutes.”
Brian Ortega
“[Sterling told me], ‘they have a replacement fighter, don’t worry’, but I told him, ‘no, I don’t want to waste your time'”, Ortega commented. “We ate. We rehydrated throughout the day. I didn’t feel good; I wanted to cancel the fight. When leaving, I almost fainted and fell. Everything in my body was telling me not to fight. I decided to fight, first, for my family. That’s my job, to show up and do what I do for them. Second, I fought for you, the fans”.
Brian Ortega
