Brian Ortega rebounds from freak injury to submit Yair Rodriguez at ...
Brian Ortega defeated Yair Rodriguez via submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 3 - 0:58 at UFC Mexico on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico.
Ortega almost didn't even fight when in his pre-fight warm-up, he jumped and rolled his ankle on the landing.
"Right when they were introducing us, I rolled my ankle. I'm like not again. I just kept saying, god is good," said Ortega in the Octagon afterward. "I see the boss Dana (White), I see Hunter (Campbell), we'll talk," said Ortega when asked by Paul Felder when asked about Ilia Topuria winning the featherweight title and what he would like next.
WELCOME BACK BRIAN ORTEGA ????@BrianTCity submits Rodriguez for a HUGE victory at #UFCMexico pic.twitter.com/fn2yVkU5V8
— UFC (@ufc) February 25, 2024In their first fight, Rodriguez defeated Ortega after Ortega suffered a shoulder injury in the first round. The injury kept Ortega out of the Octagon since he suffered the injury on July 16, 2022.
The first round opened with Rodriguez rocking Ortega and dropping him. Initially, it looked like Rodriguez would again finish Ortega in the first round but Ortega was able to survive the round but took a ton of damage. In the second round, Ortega was able to take the fight to Rodriguez.
Ortega controlled the round and landed a high volume of strikes with Rodriguez defending from the bottom. Ortega opened the third round with a trip. Ortega landed an elbow and then transitioned to an arm-triangle choke and forced Rodriguez to tap out.
Several fighters commented on social media throughout the fight complimenting Ortega on winning after suffering an injury.
Did Ortega just hurt himself warming up ????
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) February 25, 2024Oh hell nah y’all peep Brodie twist his ankle ????
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) February 25, 2024Ortega might have the roughest first rounds in the history of mma . Dude is just too tough !
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) February 25, 2024So much improvement in that wrestling department! Wow Ortega looked great!! #UFCMexicoCity
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) February 25, 2024Great heart by Brian Ortega battling through adversity against the always dangerous Yair! #UFCMexicoCity
— Dan Ige (@Dynamitedan808) February 25, 2024Twisted his ankle at opening bell and still finished in the third against Yair what a savage #UFCMexico
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) February 25, 2024Next. Who is the best Mexican MMA fighter of all-time?. Who is the best Mexican MMA fighter of all-time?. dark
