Brian Ortega was supposed to make his long-awaited UFC Lightweight debut this weekend (Sat., Sept. 19, 2026) at UFC 331 in his home city of Los Angeles, California opposite former foe Renato Moicano. After a rough stretch in the last few years that saw him lose four of five fights and nearly die cutting weight, the hope was that a move up to 155 pounds could rejuvenate his career.
Instead, Ortega was forced to withdraw on Monday. Initially, the exact reason for his withdraw was unclear, but pictures of Ortega with a bandage on his eyebrow certainly seemed to offer an explanation. Shortly afterward, Ortega took to social media to clear the air, as well as offer insight into his fighting future.
“This one hurts,” Ortega wrote on Instagram. “I have to pull out of the fight because of the stitches in my eye. I’m on weight, I’ve been training my ass off, and this has honestly been one of the best camps I’ve ever had. I was really looking forward to fighting at home in Los Angeles in front of my family, friends, and everyone who’s been supporting me.
“My next fight is in soon, so I’m getting right back to training. We’ve brought some new people into camp and I’m excited to show you guys a new side of me. Thank you to everyone who’s been supporting me through all of this. I’ll see you guys in November.”
Renato Moicano has already received his new matchup: a Halloween main event versus rising Aussie Tom Nolan. As for Ortega, it sounds like “T-City” will be back in action in November and presumably already has an opponent in mind.
Hopefully, there won’t be any more fight week mishaps.
