SAN JOSE, Calif. – The “T” in Brian Ortega’s “T-City” nickname stands for “triangle,” but apparently he can submit you any way he pleases.
The Los Angeles native wasted little time in his UFC debut on Saturday, submitting Mike De La Torre via rear-naked choke in 1:38 of the first round of their featherweight bout at UFC on FOX 12 at the SAP Center.
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Ortega went Urijah Faber style on De La Torre, getting his back while standing, sinking in a body triangle, and applying the RNC. De la Torre was still on his feet when he tapped.
“i didn’t think I could get the submission on him,” Ortega said. “But he came at me aggressively and an opening appeared and that was that.”
The win was Ortega’s fifth via submission and fourth in the first round.
The 23-year-old Ortega (9-0) is the latest former RFA champion to cross over to the UFC, joining the likes of Sergio Pettis, Pedro Munhoz, and Kevin Casey.