Brian Ortega is out of UFC 331 after suffering a cut over his left eyebrow that required stitches, ending his scheduled lightweight debut against Renato Moicano before it could happen.
Ortega was set to fight Moicano on Saturday in what would have been his official move to the UFC lightweight division. Instead, he pulled out earlier this week after the injury, removing the bout from the card and setting off another round of criticism from fans.
The withdrawal also added to a frustrating pattern for Ortega. Earlier this year, he pulled out of a scheduled fight with Moicano at UFC 326, and he has dealt with several weight-related issues before fights in the past. That history helped fuel the reaction to the latest withdrawal, especially with Ortega having lost four of his last five bouts.
Ortega responds to backlash
On Tuesday, Ortega posted a response on social media and pushed back hard against the idea that he backed out because he was scared or trying to avoid the matchup. He said people suggesting that were wrong and called it a freak accident that happened while doing jiu-jitsu.
At the same time, Ortega also offered an apology to fans who were angry because they wanted to see the fight and felt let down by the cancellation. He said those fans had every right to be upset and apologized from the bottom of his heart, adding that the situation was not cool.
Ortega has long been one of the more recognizable names in the division. A two-time featherweight title challenger, he has spent much of his career near the top of the UFC's 145-pound class, but the recent run of results has made each setback harder to absorb. Missing UFC 331 was another one, especially with a new weight class debut on the line.
For now, the immediate question is when Ortega can return and whether the lightweight move is still on track once the cut heals. The larger concern is the same one that has followed him for a while: getting back to the cage and staying there long enough to build momentum.
