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Brian Ortega once again showed us what a unique entity he is in MMA when he overcame numerous hurdled for his first win since October 2020.
From all the injuries, surgeries and time off, to rolling his ankle during Bruce Buffer’s introduction, to nearly getting put away early in the first round – there were many chances for Ortega (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) to fold and give up on himself.
Ortega was adamant coming in, however, that this moment of resuming his career was a “rebirth.” His wrestling game seemed to be the biggest improvement to his skill set, and that was a key difference maker in getting the job done.
“T-City” still relies a bit too much on heart and durability for my liking. Maybe he will shake some of that off if he can maintain a more active schedule, but it’s not the type of thing you would want to go into a title fight against Topuria boasting about.
It remains to be seen if Ortega’s rebirth will come with further evolution in how he fights. But this was a much-needed first step.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 237.
