Dana White Assures Brian Ortega He’s Next In Line For Featherweight Title Shot

Brian Ortega has revealed that Dana White personally got in touch with him to confirm that a featherweight title shot against Max Holloway is next up for the rising star.

“I’ve been told, but I really want to talk to the main bosses to find out if that’s true before I get too excited,” Ortega said of his potential title shot at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I don’t want to get too excited then have it get shut down. Then I’m gonna be heartbroken. In my opinion, I feel like that should be the next fight.”

A couple of days later, White sought to put ‘T-City’s’ mind at rest by giving him the good news himself.

“I am getting the shot for Holloway. I just got off the phone with Dana White. He said I’m positively, 100 percent getting a shot,” Ortega told the UFC Unfiltered podcast.

“I’m still cheesing up and smiling right now. It’s so surreal, but I’m not celebrating until I get that belt, you know? I’m staying with my blinders on and work ethic still in.”

It wasn’t exactly a difficult choice for the UFC to make as Ortega is now 14-0 (+1nc) in his MMA career and has racked up six wins in a row inside the Octagon, while he’s also proven to be a hit with fans too both inside and outside the cage.

Ross Cole
Ross launched MMA Insight (previously FightOfTheNight.com) in 2009 as a way to channel his passion for the sport of mixed martial arts. He's since penned countless news stories and live fight reports along with dozens of feature articles as the lead writer for the site, reaching millions of fans in the process.