Brian Ortega welcomes title fight with Ilia Topuria after UFC Mexico win: ‘I’m happy to go to Spain’
Turning in his first victory inside the Octagon in four years overnight, former two-time featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega managed to salvage triumph from the jaws of defeat in the co-main event of UFC Mexico City, and now welcomes the prospect of a championship battle with new gold holder, Ilia Topuria.
Ortega, the current number four ranked featherweight contender, co-headlined UFC Fight Night Mexico City last night in a rematch with former interim champion, Yair Rodríguez – surviving significant adversity in the opening round.
Suffering a pair of quickfire knockdowns at the hands of the lightning-fast striker, Ortega turned in a dominant second frame against the Chihuahua native, before mounting him in the third frame and setting up an arm-triangle submission win.
The victory came as Los Angeles-born challenger’s first win since a 2020 decision victory against Chan Sung Jung in Abu Dhabi, before back-to-back losses against Alexander Volkanovski, and the above-mentioned, Rodríguez.
Brian Ortega weighs up Ilia Topuria title fight
Weighing up the prospect of a third stake at featherweight gold, Ortega welcomed the possibility of a title clash with newly-minted champion, Topuria – if it means he has to travel to Spain to secure a charge.
“Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) was a great champ,” Brian Ortega told assembled media after his UFC Mexico City win. “For people to kick him down right now, I find it disrespectful for everything that he’s done. If (Volkanovski) decides that he does not want to fight and chill, I’m more than happy to go to Spain.”
Himself winning spoils earlier this month, Topuria shocked the world and his featherweight peers with a stunning win over dominant gold holder, Volkanovski – stopping the Australian with a blistering second round KO in Anaheim, California at UFC 298.
Who wins in a future title clash: Ilia Topuria or Brian Ortega?
