Former two-time featherweight championship challenger, Brian Ortega has opened as a significant betting favorite to emerge as the next chaser to the throne following the coronation of Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 earlier this month – beating out former champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and ex-duel-weight kingpin, Conor McGregor.
Ortega, a former two-time title challenger at 145 pounds, returned to the winner’s enclosure at UFC Fight Night Mexico City over the course of the weekend, turning in a third round arm-triangle choke submission win over former interim titleholder, Yair Rodríguez in the pair’s rematch.
As for Topuria, the Spaniard turned in a spectacular second round KO win over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 earlier this month, ending the Australian perfect-promotional run at the featherweight limit, to snatch the crown at his first time of trying.
And weighing up a slew of potential suitors to his featherweight title next ahead of his newly-minted reign, Topuria is most likely to face off with grappling ace, Brian Ortega as per new odds released – with the latter opening as a +150 betting favorite to draw the 15-0 gold holder first and foremost.
Brian Ortega backed to fight Ilia Topuria next
With the ex-title challenger welcoming the opportunity to compete in a much-rumored first landing in Spain for the organization later htis year, fans and punters can use a host of bitcoin sports betting sites to bet on the possibility of Brian Ortega challenging Ilia Topuria for the undisputed featherweight champion.
Coming up short in a pair of championship fights with Max Holloway, as well as the above-mentioned, Volkanovski, Brian Ortega arguably came closest to stopping the Australian – with a late guillotine choke attempt in their 2021 title affair.
And striking a victory for the first time since a decision success against the now-retired, Chan Sung Jung the year prior with his submission victory against Rodríguez, Ortega, who holds the number three rank in the featherweight pile, has now primed himself for a fight with Topuria next.
Staking his claim for a first featherweight title defense in his residency in Spain, German-born champion, Topuria has weighed up fights with the likes of the above-mentioned duo of Volkanovski, and McGregor since his ascension – as well as a stunning lightweight title charge against pound-for-pound kingpin, Islam Makhachev.
Predicting a stunning win over the dominant Russian, Makhachev claimed the lightweight titleholder was “in trouble” if they ever share the Octagon in the future, before poking fun at his 2015 knockout loss to Brazilian stalwart, Adriano Martins.
Amongst other potential opponents on the list for Topuria, the Spaniard has been backed to fight the likes of surging long-time foe, Movsar Evloev, as well as former champion, Holloway – who features at UFC 300 in April, and even Rodríguez, who has found himself in the midst of a heated rivalry with the newly-minted gold holder in recent weeks.
Issuing a stark warning to Volkanovski who is pursuing a re-run against him, Topuria urged the New South Wales native to avoid a rematch, for his own “sake” and heath in the immediate aftermath of their UFC 298 grudge fight.
Who wins in a featherweight title fight: Ilia Topuria or Brian Ortega?
Turning in his first victory inside the Octagon in four years overnight, former two-time featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega…
Turning in his first victory since 2020, former featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega was forced to rally from some…
Brian Ortega says he is willing to fight Ilia Topuria in his eventual UFC return. The 32-year-old featherweight is coming off back-to-back losses, suffering a dislocated shoulder in his last fight against Yair Rodriguez. Ortega, who’s previous two title challenges resulted in defeat, has not given up on his quest for gold and he remains […]