What would 2024’s International Fight Week be without additional last-minute drama and more massive changes to the UFC 303 main card?
Brian Ortega was replaced by Dan Ige mere hours before his scheduled co-main event with Diego Lopes after falling ill.
Ortega vs. Lopes was originally scheduled to be contested at featherweight (146-pound limit for non-title fights) but the matchup was changed to a lightweight contest in the early hours Friday morning after Ortega was having difficulty cutting weight.
Lopes and Ortega each weighed in at an even 155 pounds on Friday morning in Las Vegas but Ortega was sick on Saturday.
The organization made the announcement during the preliminary card broadcast, calling it an “unprecedented situation.”
Reports began to surface during the prelims that Ortega was ill and contemplating withdrawing from the fight. Jon Anik said during the announcement that Ortega at one point had a fever of 103 degrees.
Jeff Mullen of the Nevada State Athletic Commission confirmed that Ortega was medically unable to compete.
Ige had teased something big less than two hours before the official announcement on his social media when he wrote, “So you wanna be a BMF?” Not long afterwards he was in the building.
Ige (18-7) is the No. 14-ranked featherweight contender and had been preparing for an upcoming July 20 Fight Night matchup with Chepe Mariscal.
Lopes is ranked No. 15 in the division so that was another reason the matchup was approved by the commission.
Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter pointed out on social media, “If a fighter has competed in Nevada, their medicals are valid for a calendar year and their blood tests are valid for six months.”
Since Ige fought in Las Vegas in February, knocking out Andre Fili in the opening round, all his medicals were in order. Ironically, Fili was getting his hands raised against Cub Swanson on the UFC 303 preliminary card while all this was happening.
The Ortega vs. Lopes matchup had been added to the UFC 303 lineup only two weeks ago after the original main event between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler fell apart due to a McGregor injury and the organization revamped the card with a new main and co-main events.
The Ige vs. Lopes matchup will take place at a catchweight of 165 pounds. Lopes re-weighed in at 161 pounds.
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