“I’ve got to take a page out of Volkanovski’s book.” Brian Ortega on UFC Long Island Headliner vs. Yair Rodriguez
Brian Ortega has learned he can’t forget about his bread and butter.
This weekend at UFC Long Island, the main event will be between Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez in what could determine the next title challenger for the UFC Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
While speaking to reporters, Ortega talked about how he almost had the win over Volkanvoski
“I sat there, and I looked at that tape over and over again, I said, ‘How the f*ck did this man get out of that choke?’ I was on top celebrating. I’ll be honest with you. I was in there, and I had him in that guillotine, and I was like, ‘I’m about to be a world champ.’ I swear. I was just waiting for the tap, and it never came. He got out, and I was like, ‘Sh*t.’ Well, this is a tough motherf*cker. Then it was like, ‘Oh, he’s on top now. OK. He’s pissed.’ Then I was like, ‘Another triangle. T-City by T-City.’ And he escaped and I went, ‘F*ck me, right?’ I was like, ‘Damn, bro. This is not my f*cking night, or what’s going on?’”
Despite constantly being reminded by fans that he almost had it, Ortega has used this time to become undeniable like the champion and go back to the skill that got him to the UFC in the first place,
“I’d be lying to you if I didn’t, for the last couple months, and every fan reminding you, ‘Yo, you almost became a champ.’ I was like, ‘Thanks, you f*cking d*ck.’ You don’t think I sit there, and I think about it? Trust me. I know. I’ve got to live with my f*cking self,” Ortega said. “Then there’s a part of (me) like, ‘Bro, stop being a b*tch. Go in there and make the adjustments, and make sure you’re undeniable the way he is doing right now.’ I’ve got to take a page (out of Volkanovski’s) book.
“As a fighter, you stick to your bread and butter, and you do things,” Ortega said. “Because I’ve been known as a jiu-jitsu guy, I kind of got comfortable with it. I hadn’t trained it as hard as I used to. I was like, ‘Well, I’ve got that in the bag. Let me work on these other things that I’m not so good at. Let me work on my striking. Let me work on other things.’ Then when it came down to the situation, where your bread and butter is going to get you this fight, I forgot minimal, minor details. It was a reality check for me. It was like, ‘Don’t forget where you come from and what brought you over here.’”
Rodriguez, the opponent of Ortega has said he is being promised a title fight if he is able to secure the win over “T-City”, Ortega will be looking to go into this fight with the goal of facing Volkanovski in a rematch to secure the title once and for all.
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