Brian Ortega Issues Statement After Pulling Out of UFC 331

Long-time UFC veteran Brian Ortega issued a statement after he was forced to pull out of the upcoming UFC 331 card.

Ortega was set to fight Renato Moicano in a rematch on the UFC 331 main card, but due to an injury, he was forced to withdraw from the bout.

With Moicano vs. Ortega 2 now off the card, Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf takes its place on the main card.

Taking to his social media, Ortega issued a statement about why he was forced to pull out of UFC 331, sharing a photo of a cut that he received in training above his eye.

"This one hurts. I have to pull out of the fight because of the stitches in my eye. I'm on weight, I've been training my ass off, and this has honestly been one of the best camps I've ever had. I was really looking forward to fighting at home in Los Angeles in front of my family, friends, and everyone who's been supporting me. My next fight is in soon, so I'm getting right back to training. We've brought some new people into camp and I'm excited to show you guys a new side of me. Thank you to everyone who's been supporting me through all of this. I'll see you guys in November," Ortega wrote on his Instagram .

In his statement, Ortega said that fans can expect to see him fight again in November, so perhaps he will be rebooked for the UFC 334 card on November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

If that happens, then he won't be fighting against Moicano, as the Brazilian was rebooked to take on Tom Nolan in the main event of the Meta Apex card on Halloween.

Ortega may still get a top-15-ranked opponent like Moicano, but it's also possible that the UFC might give him someone unranked for his next fight instead, especially after he was forced to pull out of UFC 331. After all, it's not easy to get ranked opponents, and it's even harder after you withdraw from a fight.

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