Brian Ortega

Brian Ortega, fighting out of a switch stance, holds a 16-5-0 record (1 NC) and has posted a 5-2 mark across his last eight UFC appearances. The 5'8" lightweight operates as a submission-first grappler with legitimate striking volume, averaging 3.84 strikes landed per minute at 37% accuracy while absorbing 6.38 strikes per minute with 49% defense.

His wrestling metrics—0.93 takedown average per 15 minutes at 25% accuracy and 54% takedown defense—reflect a fighter who prioritizes clinch control and positional grappling over explosive shot entries. Ortega's submission threat remains his calling card at 0.9 submissions per 15 minutes, evidenced by his third-round finish of Renato Moicano in 2017 and first-round TKO of Frankie Edgar in 2018.

However, recent losses to Alexander Volkanovski (unanimous decision, September 2021) and Diego Lopes (unanimous decision, September 2024) highlight his struggles against high-volume strikers who exploit his defensive gaps. The Chan Sung Jung victory in October 2020 showed he can still execute his grappling gameplan effectively, but Ortega faces an uphill climb in a lightweight division increasingly populated by fighters capable of maintaining distance and pace.