Weight Change: Ortega vs. Sterling at UFC Fight Night
The expected featherweight clash between Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling will undergo a significant change for the UFC Fight Night event in Shanghai. Ortega and Sterling, originally scheduled to compete in the featherweight category, will now face each other at the lightweight limit, which is 155 pounds. The decision was made after both fighters registered a weight of 153 pounds during the official weigh-in on Friday.Although the UFC has not revealed the official reasons for this last-minute change, it is known that Ortega has had difficulties making weight in the 145-pound category, which has led to speculation about his possible permanent transition to a higher division.
The fight, which is not for the title, is scheduled for five rounds and will be the co-main event at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Sterling, former 135-pound champion, moved to the featherweight category after losing his title to Sean O’Malley in August 2019. The 36-year-old fighter is seeking a second UFC crown and currently has a 1-1 record in his new division. His most recent loss was against Movsar Evloev in December. For his part, Ortega has a 1-3 record in his last four fights, with two of those losses against undisputed or interim champions such as Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez.
