Jul 16, 2022; Elmont, New York, USA; Brian Ortega (red gloves) reacts to fight against Yair Rodriguez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

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Brian Ortega Supposed Fight With Movsar Evloev Falls Through, Gets Called Out By Another Rising Featherweight!

Brian Ortega in demand as two rising featherweights try to get a fight with the former featherweight title challenger!

Brian Ortega has had a rollercoaster career in the UFC‘s featherweight division. The California native burst onto the scene with his technical Brazilian jiu-jitsu and surprising knockout power. His guillotine choke is one of the most feared submissions in the division. Few fighters can match his versatility when the fight hits the ground. But recent years haven’t been kind to ‘T-City’ as he has dropped three of his last four fights.

Despite his recent struggles, Ortega remains one of the biggest names in the division. He has fought the who’s who of featherweights, including both headliners of the upcoming UFC 314 event. His submission skills and warrior mentality keep him relevant even when results don’t go his way. Now it seems everyone wants a piece of the former title challenger. In the span of just a few days, Ortega has found himself the target of not one, but two rising contenders looking to use his name as a stepping stone to title contention.

Also Read: UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Murphy Results: Who Won The UFC Fights Last Night?

Movsar Evloev Reveals Plans For Potential Showdown

Undefeated Russian standout Movsar Evloev recently took to social media to express frustration over a potential matchup with Ortega falling through. He revealed that he was in talks with the former title challenger for quite some time now.

“Today I got offered a fight in the UFC against someone new for May 17th.I have been waiting for Ortega for 3 months I’m not sure what is going on with him, but I’m ready to fight May 17th against anyone.”

Today I got offered a fight in the UFC against someone new for May 17th.

I have been waiting for Ortega for 3 months I’m not sure what is going on with him, but I’m ready to fight May 17th against anyone.
— Movsar Evloev (@MovsarUFC) April 4, 2025

The revelation suggests the UFC had been trying to book the Ortega-Evloev matchup for some time without success. Evloev, sporting a perfect 9-0 record in the UFC, is coming off a victory over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. Many believe he should be next in line for a title shot.

The timing is particularly interesting given the current state of the featherweight division. Champion Ilia Topuria has vacated his belt to move up to lightweight. This has led to a title fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes at UFC 314. Evloev has a legitimate gripe about being passed over, especially considering he holds a win over Lopes. Critics point to Evloev’s lack of finishes as the reason he was skipped in line. A dominant win over a name like Ortega could be exactly what Evloev needs to secure his shot at gold, making his frustration understandable.

Lerone Murphy Makes His Move

Fresh off his impressive victory over Josh Emmett at UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Murphy, undefeated British featherweight Lerone Murphy has also set his sights on Brian Ortega. Murphy is nicknamed ‘The Miracle’ after surviving being shot in the face twice as a young man. He has quietly built one of the most impressive resumes in the division. His win over Emmett marked his eight straight victory in the UFC. Yet he remains somewhat under the radar compared to other contenders.

“If I got a finish, I was going to call for the title. Where’s Brian Ortega ranked? Diego Lopes went up to get a title shot after fighting him. So let’s go, Brian Ortega!”

Murphy’s logic makes perfect sense. If beating Ortega was enough to catapult Lopes into a title fight, perhaps it could do the same for him. With recent victories over established veterans like Dan Ige and Edson Barboza, Murphy has proven he belongs among the elite.

His calling out of Ortega shows he understands the game beyond just fighting. For Brian Ortega, this presents an interesting dilemma. Whether to face the grinding wrestling of Evloev or the well-rounded attack of Murphy. Either way, ‘T-City’ finds himself in the unique position of being a gatekeeper to title contention while still having championship aspirations of his own.

(Image Credit: Ed Mulholland – Imagn Images)

Brian Ortega

Lerone Murphy

Movsar Evloev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!