A lot riding on Brian Ortega-Yair Rodriguez UFC Long Island main event bout at UBS Arena
Brian Ortega, left, and Yair Rodriguez during UFC Long Island media day on Wednesday. Credit: Newsday/Mark La Monica
Brian Ortega has a message for any UFC featherweights aiming to break into the division’s upper echelon any time soon: good luck.
“You know at a party where you walk in and no one welcomes you? That's who we are to these newcomers,” Ortega said. “Like, [expletive], you're not welcome, it’s hard to get in.”
The top of the 145-pound division is ruthless as ever entering UFC Long Island on Saturday inside UBS Arena at Belmont Park, where second-ranked Ortega (15-2, 1 no contest) will face No. 3 Yair Rodriguez (13-3, 1 NC) in a five-round main event. The fight may determine the next challenger to champion Alexander Volkanovski following his defeat of No. 1 Max Holloway on July 2.
There have been six fights involving two of Ortega, Rodriguez, Holloway and Volkanovski. Five were championship fights. Two were awarded Fight of the Night honors. All went the distance but one, a fourth-round doctor’s stoppage in Ortega’s loss to Holloway.
And all that doesn’t account for veteran Josh Emmett, now ranked even with Rodriguez while riding a five-fight win streak and looking for his own shot at the division’s elite.
“Top 5 ain't pretty for anyone. Like, we're hard,” Ortega said during Wednesday’s media day. “It's insane. I feel like this is the most stacked the featherweight division has been in in its entire life . . . None of us go down easy. None of us go down at all.”
Should someone go down Saturday, both fighters expect a championship bout for the victor. Rodriguez, 29, said Wednesday he’s been assured as much, but understands there’s equal talent all around.
“I think anybody in the division is a threat. Everybody's really good,” Rodriguez said. “It doesn't matter who it is. I think Josh Emmett is right there and as I say before, he could fight for the title, I could fight for the title, anybody could fight for the title, it's just a matter of timing.”
The 31-year-old Ortega hasn’t been afforded the same promise, but is confident he’ll get another chance at Volkanovski after he nearly submitted the champion during his last bout.
“I personally haven't had anyone come up to me and tell me 'hey, you're going to win and you're going to get another title fight,’ but looking at how it's looking, it makes sense,” Ortega said. “I look at it as I'm, so far, the man who has put the champ in the most trouble. I'm not saying I beat him or nothing, but where he's had the most difficulty, or someone who's dangerous to face him, is me. The world saw that, he knows that and we'll see what happens. I have one man to focus on this weekend.”
That man is Rodriguez, who thinks he'll secure his first finish since 2018 if he can stay on script against Ortega.
“More than anything it’s just sticking to the strategy, trying to make less mistakes when possible and stick to the game plan,” Rodriguez said. “I’m sure he’s coming into this fight thinking that he can win, thinking he can finish, so I’m doing the same and think I can finish the fight.”
Welcome to the party, it's just getting started.
Ryan Gerbosi is an internet news manager for sports at Newsday.com. He also covers NYCFC and mixed martial arts and believes the designated hitter should be banned from baseball.
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