A legendary MMA figure says that Brian Ortega is at a intersection in his UFC career.
It was a difficult night and week as a whole in the office for Ortega in Shanghai, where he held the latest UFC fighting evening in a five-round confrontation with former Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.
After he got hold of his momentum by Diego Lopes on UFC 306 in the atmosphere last September, 't-City' wanted to relieve his hope for a third shot in the featherweight title.
Instead, however, Ortega was comfortably beaten by going in 25 minutes, with 'Funk Master' who won all five rounds on each score card in a fight that did not provide the kind of grappling -twinding that many had predicted.
John McCarthy is not sure if Brian Ortega is still hungry to fight
After his last performance of many, Ortega came under fire in the community, especially considering what preceded it.
The fight had to take place with a catch of 153 pounds after Ortega had experienced a weight suitable on Friday. The former dual title challenge was reportedly admitted to the hospital while trying to drop the kilos, which marked the last of many struggles that Ortega had with his weight.
Much was shocked to see the fight go on, and when he entered the cage, 't-City' offered little offense to Sterling. John McCarthy, for example, saw a man who is not as motivated and passionate about fighting as he ever was.
“Brian, what do you think?” McCarthy asked about his ways in podcast. 'Are you really really in this?
“I can tell you when Brian was young and I knew him before he was ever in the UFC, did his fight and would talk to him, he would always talk about:” I love fighting, I love fighting. ” … you have and even in his (last) interviews: “I love fighting.” Okay, why don't you put things in it that will make you the success that you were earlier in your career?
“There seems to be something,” McCarthy continued. “There seems to be something that changes … and it's not just the competition. He has long had to deal with great competition.
“If you are unable to pull the trigger), it will be very difficult to win a fight. I just don't see the same attacking aggression of him.”
Brian Ortega has not won successive fighting since 2016
The result of Saturday marked the last about a series of inconsistency for Ortega since he had removed his unbeaten status.
After Ortega Frankie Edgar had eliminated UFC 222, he was 14-0 in MMA, he had gathered four bonuses in his previous three fights and was set for his first title challenge.
Ortega's brutal loss for Max Holloway followed and 'T-City' has won only two of his six performances in the seven years since then.
With its place in the featherweight division now in danger after a scary weight problem in Shanghai, it is still to be seen what the following will come for Ortega.