Brian Ortega out of UFC 331: a cut in fight week kills the Moicano rematch, and Moicano lands a main event

Brian Ortega is out of UFC 331 with an eye cut that needed stitches, days before the September 19 card in Los Angeles. The rematch with Renato Moicano, nine years in the making, is off. No replacement was found in time, so Moicano was pulled from the card too and rebooked to headline a UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on October 31 against Tom Nolan.

Fight card, results and fighters UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2 →

Key takeaways

Brian Ortega (16-5) withdrew from his lightweight rematch with Renato Moicano (21-7-1), scheduled for the UFC 331 main card on September 19 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The reason is a cut sustained in training that required stitches near the eye; Ortega says he was already on weight and calls it one of his best camps.
With no short-notice replacement available, Moicano was moved off the card and will headline a UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on October 31 against Tom Nolan (11-1), who has won five in a row.

Why Brian Ortega is out of UFC 331

Stitches, in the middle of fight week

The withdrawal landed on September 15, four days before the event. Ortega cut his eye in training late in camp, and the stitches made him unfit to compete. He posted images of the injury along with his statement, and the bout came off the UFC 331 card the same day.

The timing is what stings. This was supposed to be his lightweight debut and a home fight, in the city where he grew up, in front of family and friends.

What he said

His message to fans was short and direct, and it made clear he had not been cutting corners in preparation. He also said his next fight is already being worked on for November.

Renato Moicano loses a rematch and gains a headline slot

No replacement on four days’ notice

The UFC looked for a short-notice opponent and found none, which is common this deep into fight week, when everyone at that weight is either booked, out of shape or already cutting for another card. Rather than leave Moicano idle, the promotion moved him to the next Las Vegas event, on October 31, and gave him top billing.

Tom Nolan, five straight wins

Nolan (11-1) is the kind of opponent a top-10 lightweight does not get to overlook. He has won five in a row and has climbed into the UFC’s lightweight top 15, and he is eleven years younger than the Brazilian. For Moicano (21-7-1), fresh off a submission win over Chris Duncan in April, it is a harder assignment than the one he lost this week, with a main event attached to it.

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.
— Brian Ortega, in his statement to fans

What UFC 331 looks like now, and what is next for Ortega

The card on September 19

UFC 331 keeps its main event, the flyweight title rematch between Joshua Van and Alexandre Pantoja, along with Pitbull against Doo Ho Choi and Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy. Losing a main card bout in fight week reshuffles the running order, but the top of the card is intact.

Ortega’s clock

Ortega arrives at this setback on a two-fight losing run, the last of them a decision against Aljamain Sterling. A cut heals faster than a joint or a hand, which is why a November return is realistic, and the move up to 155 pounds remains the plan that got him through this camp without the featherweight cut that had been wearing him down.

Follow the card changes with real numbers

The full records of Renato Moicano, Brian Ortega and Tom Nolan and the current lightweight picture are in the FightHub app, updated as bookings change. Download it to keep track before September 19 and October 31.