Ortega Withdraws, Moicano Faces Nolan in Vegas
Ortega Withdraws, Moicano Faces Nolan in Vegas
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Key Points
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Ortega and Moicano first fought at UFC 214 in 2017, with Ortega winning by a third-round guillotine at 3:29 and the bout earning Fight of the Night honors.
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The cancellation is another setback for Ortega’s long-delayed move to lightweight: he had previously withdrawn from a UFC 326 matchup, pulled out of a UFC 303 bout after missing weight, and lost to Aljamain Sterling in a 153-pound catchweight fight.
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Ortega’s withdrawal also cost him a planned hometown appearance in Los Angeles and his first fight in 13 months; he has lost two straight and is 1-4 in his last five bouts.
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Nolan had specifically called for a fight with Moicano after defeating Fares Ziam, saying Moicano would be a tough opponent and that a victory could put him near the lightweight top five; the UFC listed Nolan as the No. 11 contender in its announcement.
Brian Ortega withdrew from his UFC 331 rematch with Renato Moicano on Saturday in Los Angeles due to an eye injury, forcing a major card reshuffle just days before the event FightBook MMA. Rather than face a last-minute replacement, Moicano will now headline UFC Vegas 123 on October 31 in Las Vegas against rising lightweight contender Tom Nolan, who is riding a five-fight winning streak MMA Fighting.
Ortega's Long Struggle at Lightweight
This marks Ortega's third withdrawal from a lightweight fight in the past two years MMA Fighting. He previously pulled out of a UFC 326 matchup and missed weight for a UFC 303 bout. Most recently, Ortega lost to Aljamain Sterling in a 153-pound catchweight fight, bringing his record to 1-4 in his last five bouts BJPenn.
The eye injury costs Ortega a homecoming fight in Los Angeles and his first bout in 13 months. His move to the lightweight division has been repeatedly derailed by injuries and setbacks since leaving featherweight FightBook MMA.
Moicano Gets Dream Matchup With Rising Star
Instead of fighting Ortega for a second time, Moicano now faces a high-stakes opportunity against Nolan in Las Vegas. Nolan specifically called for this matchup after defeating Fares Ziam, saying Moicano would be a tough test MMA Mania. The UFC ranked Nolan as the No. 11 contender in the lightweight division MMA Mania.
Moicano comes into the fight fresh off a submission victory over Chris Duncan. A win over Nolan could vault Moicano into the lightweight top five and establish him as a serious contender MMA Fighting.
Nolan's First Main Event On Big Stage
Tom Nolan will make his first UFC main-event appearance on one of the promotion's biggest nights. The rising lightweight is undefeated in his last five fights and earned this opportunity through impressive recent performances MMA Fighting. Fighting Moicano represents a massive step up in competition for the young contender.
UFC 331 Moves Forward With 12 Fights
UFC 331 in Los Angeles will proceed Saturday with 12 fights on the card despite the main event cancellation FightBook MMA. Joshua Van's flyweight title defense against Alexandre Pantoja remains the headliner for the event FightBook MMA. The reshuffle marks another disruption for a card that has dealt with multiple fighter changes.
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