ESPN have gotten in too late. The market is already saturated with MMA shows, podcasts etc. There are way too behind the game now. The other shows and podcasts are way too polished. someone dropped the ball at ESPN, a while back..
Matthew Russell if you knew anything about MMA at the highest level you wouod be aware that almost all fighters in the top ten are on roids right now. He got busted in the past and then admitted it.
+Amit Grover Funny he wants to quote "I put everyone's head on the table like Conor"...Yet when Aldo pulled out on Conor under 2 weeks, Conor still fought Mendes, because he realizes it's a business and you need to give back to gain, just like any job...Ortega WAS doing his job, and was rewarded in return by the UFC, highly promoted, bonuses, and a short notice #1 contender shot with everything to gain. Then the guy gets an opportunity to show he is willing to give back to the company, and he doesn't blink not to...The UFC is bigger than Dana, and a lot of people would have benefitted including Ortega from the money he could have brought in fighting on the biggest card of the year....Seriously I don't understand people's work ethics. Since when is being "real" picking fights early into your career, and being popped for roids...I'm sure everyone does it is a good excuse.
ESPN have gotten in too late. The market is already saturated with MMA shows, podcasts etc. There are way too behind the game now. The other shows and podcasts are way too polished. someone dropped the ball at ESPN, a while back..
Well said Andrew let's hope they get it right. To the other Gentleman who's taking over? We know Ariel. BYM podcast is getting better and makes you laugh and not scripted (like a 1 sided phone call). Joe R good ufc podcasts. Also snippets of news from there sources and when they don't have much they use clips from the above podcasts. I don't see any better fighters than in the UFC. Have you some youtube links to better fighters and shows maverick also podcasts. I will stick with the A man in THIS podcast and B man Mr BISPINGS and his BYM PODCAST 💡🔊📲👌 ✌
Michael Edwards I think what Ariel should do is continuously do the MMA hour but just do it on his RUclips channel so he can say whatever he wants and do whatever he wants and have live guest. not do guests over Skype kind of like The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast it would make it more fun and exciting if guests were in person Ariel as we all know is the best damn MMA journalist I believe Ariel. And Luke Thomas are the best to MMA Journal is out there
trever pitts I agree good journalists also about J R . In person is better than on a phone Jason P came on on the BYM podcast good insight from his professional views. It's also funny apart from ufc news it's unscripted. I hope they both have more guest's ✌
Kris Tophon Stephans should fight Artem Lobov they are losers with 14 losses.. good matchup for them both. Only problem nobody wants to see losers fight
Mad respect to Ortega for being transparent, looking out for himself and standing his ground. Dana White doesn't know how to regulate his own emotions, he needs help. Nobody wants a boss like that.
It's just ironic because Ortega got this title shot from someone sacrificing their title shot to fight him from a pull-out....So by his standards if Frankie thought the same way, he wouldn't even be #1 contender yet...
Miguel Chavez, Dana White has a Marine Drill Instructor’s mentality when it comes to doing business with his fighters, specifically when he gets super-pissed over his fighters doing blatantly stupid bullshiggidy. Brian, as I said previously, did what he needed to do when it comes to his MMA career. Dana chewing a fighter’s ass and whatnot is business; it’s not personal. If anyone gets that on a subconscious level, especially with what his mentors instilled in him since the beginning, it’s Ortega.
Ortega should’ve taken that fight. If you want to consider yourself a dominant champ you should be confident that you can beat any contender. Jeremy Stephens wins another fight and he could easily be just as considered for a title fight as Ortega.
Jeff Duarte: I don't disagree with you but ppl are hypocritical when it comes to situations like this. If it's a fan favorite, it's ok. If its someone who's not as beloved n they turn down a fight on short notice they get shitted on
That's what true champion mentality is all about " I can defeat anyone " Ortega is the type of fighter that is a chicken shiit, who's scared of other potential number one contenders.. He's far from ready of being a champ..
Lee McMullan You're a goof kid. The fact still remains that Ortega turned down a short notice fight against Jeremy Stephens. It's a bitch move, plain and simple. McGregor took a fight against Nate DIaz on short notice not even for a belt when his original fight was for the lightweight title. When the contract is signed you should fucking fight. Khabib fought against Al on super short notice because he lives up to his word. Guys like Ortega are clowns, tough guys that talk about stepping up but fold like little girls when the time comes.
He get fighters all pissed off with how they where done wrong ...then he does not have to deal with the after effects and he damn sure not gonna pay anyone's bills ... He is a shit starter
I see what you mean, it seemed like he was prying for Ortega to spill the beans when he didn’t want to, but it’s gotta be done and he’s definitely willing to ask the hard questions. Edit: thinking about it though some of the things he’s asking for are private between the fighters and Dana and probably aren’t for us to know
idk man, Sure it's the "smart"thing to do. But if he's going to do stuff like this now, what's he going to be like if he's a champ? the UFC doesn't owe him anything, & I feel as though the right move was to fight Stephens & help the UFC with that card, plus not let fans down.
Wildfire exactly people don’t get it. This is a business first and it’s the business of entertainment. Now when he loses to max he will not be supported fully by the ufc. It’s simple why would they invest in him anything past the minimum when he so easily doesn’t return the favor.
Tyrone Mcdonald, that on top of the fact that with what just happened with Holloway and how many times he has pulled out in the last 12 months; realistically we won't see him back for at least 4-5 months and then a camp on top of that. I guarantee you there is going to be an interim title shot between Ortega and someone else before Max is even back. IF the Ufc is even going to gift Ortega that. Back to the prelims for him
what if he schedules Frankie vs Holloway That was supposed to be the fight but then Holloway got injured and they needed to save the card so Frankie took on another fighter who was Ortega.
Tbh this makes me respect more Conor more because he been in Brian’s position numerous times and stepped up to save the card like when Aldo pulled out and he had to fight chad which was a dangerous fight for him stylistically and when Rda pulled out he saved the card and fought Nate at 170 because Nate couldn’t make 155 In that amout of time. Stepping up last minute does show that the fans that payed come first bad match up or not. Still respect to Brian and Jeremy is a dangerous last minute fight to take. But Remember Frankie stepped up to save the card and fought Brian after Max pulled out. Stepping up last minute is a sign of love for the fans win or lose you paid so I’ll be there no matter what
This is like the 10th time you have posted your retarded comment about his interview. Ok we get it no need to be redundant. He was just keeping it real. But you probably enjoy the WWF type of interviews like Brock or Hulk Hogan. Ok go play your video game smart guy.
Frankie Edgar gave him the opportunity and yet Brian & team thought there's no reason to give anyone else the opportunity and know it's boo hoo me I didn't get the fight wow I just hope that Max is going to be okay and healthy back to himself
Frankie Edgar is a moron, who made a completely stupid move. Not Ortega's fault. Pretty much anyone would wait, including you. No reason this guy should get shit because Max can't keep his head straight. Frankie isn't getting a shot now.
Robert Diaz And what is this "pay it forward" mentality?! This is fucking prizefighting, nimrods. If anything Ortega is wise to learn from Frankie's mistake. Smh...
Y'all don't understand. Ortega beat Frankie to EARN a title shot. Ortega doesn't have to do anything for anybody because he earned the right to refuse by beating one of the scariest featherweights in Frankie Edgar. Y'all are idiots if y'all think he should've taken a fight that wasn't for the belt just for y'alls barbaric entertainment.
oh yeah right... sounds like hes really gonna get rewarded for that decision.. scared to loose his '0'.. if he`d loss (which was unlikely) hes stock still rises for stepping up.. the UFC are starting to reward loyal fighters.. Ortega took a step backwards this weekend.. Holloway is probably going up to lightweight next so Ortega double fukked himself
Hannibal Apex If you’re not emotionally into a fight because your big fight was taken away from u at the last second, then it would be stupid to fight if ur not into it. I don’t think Jeremy Stephens is normally a threat, but if ur emotionally down then there’s a bigger chance you’re going to lose. He was smart not taking it. He’s always shown up so he’ll eventually get his shot.
I think the difference between Edgar and Ortega's mindset is this: Frankie's been to the top. He's already a legend. He paid his dues, and win, lose or draw, people will still respect him for taking a high-risk fight on short notice. You can tell people still love him now for taking that fight, despite losing. Ortega, on the other hand, is still just slightly above "hot prospect." He's never been to the top. He's not a legend. Whereas Frankie's fought countless championship bouts, Ortega's never even seen a championship round in the UFC. He's relying solely on hype and momentum to gain these life-changing opportunities, and a single high-profile loss can derail all of that. The reward of winning against Stephens would pale in comparison to losing his championship opportunity to Stephens, and it would be incredibly hard to regain the momentum. If he lost, some folks might temporarily laud him for being "down to scrap," but for a prospect, that kind of praise fades quick, whereas the negativity of those who would call him "reckless" would last much, much longer.
Anthony Ha How do you think Edgar got to the top? By cherry picking fights? Nope. Ortega will Never be a legend. He already put himself two fights away from a title fight and in Danas fuck you list. If ortega should happen to take a 2 fight losing streak he will prob be cut.
Everyone keeps bringing up Frankie giving him the shot and blah blah blah it was 3 weeks notice and he doesn't have to pay it forward. This is real life. He made the right decision for him.
Fredrick Miller Thank you 🙏. Too many keyboard warriors thinking he owes them something. He made the right decision for himself. His heart was into a championship fight not an interm belt.
Frankie did Ortega a solid and gave him a shot when he didn't have to. Now shoes on the other foot Ortega won't return the favor.... not so solid Mr.ortega
Uhh, Frankie did it for a paycheck because he had not fought in a while. Plus, it was a three weeks notice fight, so its a completely different circumstance. These so called favors that you and other people are mentioning couldn't be further from reality. They're called business decisions.
kept thinking they were about to burst into tears.. pathetic.. it doesn`t take a rocket sciencetist to work out why his stock went down after this.. have to admit i used to be a huge ortega fan in his early days.. but hes turned out to be a bit of a panzy
Brian Ortega's a smart dude, he did the right thing! Why throw away a shot at the title to fight Jeremy Stephens with 3 days notice? Max will be recovered from this soon especially if it is water toxicity and they could literally fight on the next card if the UFC wanted that to happen... So Brian did the right thing by not letting the UFC pressure him into taking a bad fight with nothing to gain...
In Ortega’s offense Frankie gave a shot to a new up and comer in his division, the torch passing they talk about that happens. If Ortega gave Stephens that shot(and I’m a big Stephens fan) it would of been a young fighter giving a vet a shot and that’s backwards
I am not a big Ortega fan or anything but in all honesty he made the right decision. Why would he risk everything for a short notice fight against a power puncher like Stephens? It's not his fault that Holloway wasn't able to make it, especially since that wasn't his first time doing so.
This is why I lost respect for Dana white greed greed greed give Ortega the belt he showed up and max didn’t fight enough said max is holding up the division
Totally agree. He’s not obligated to take a last minute replacement let alone being at the top of the division which means no matter what the replacement is gonna be a top contender and dangerous fight no matter what. Obviously people love the attitude Conor used to do where he fought anybody anywhere anytime and fighters DO get more respect for that but if Ortega waits for max and wins the title, this will all be forgotten. Now if he takes another fight before max then it will look bad cause he specifically said he wants to wait for max for the title shot.
Tough to be upset with Ortega. If he takes the replacement fight he could loose his chance at the belt. Might never get another. On the other hand, the interim belt is still a belt and he is a fighter after all and fighters fight. Tough call. Think the weight cut is what Max was having issues with, nothing else. Water poisoning; give me a break.
This whole thing about “may never get another” doesn’t wash with me. What’s he going to do if and when he beats Max? He’s gonna fight someone like Stephens. It’s his choice to turn down Stephens. But if he’s claiming saving the card isn’t his problem, then I don’t see why Dana shouldn’t say the same thing about paying for his training camp.
Water poisoning from water loading.. That is actually considered weight cutting issues. An imbalance of magnesium,calcium ect due to excessive water will eventually show stroke like symptoms. The man is 5'11 and walks around at 180+, for damn sure he needs to be careful. Hopefully this fight lines up again.
The only reason Brian is even in title shot picture is because Frankie took a LAST MINUTE drop out of Max. He was all for stepping in last minute to take someone elses title shot but wont offer the same opportunity for someone else.
Ortega seems to forget this is UFC. Being no 1 mean nothing. If Dana want it, he could made Jose VS Stephen as interim belt and made the winner fight Max. There nothing Brian can do about it.
I want Holloway vs Ortega not Ortega vs Stephens so I'm absolutely fine waiting (why wouldn't I be?). Idk why some of these ppl are criticizing Ortega. U ppl love him so much that u had to see him fight at UFC 226 no matter what or something? Is that it? Do u not rather wait to see Holloway vs Ortega? Some MMA fans are nuts
If a fighter does a full training camp and makes weight, then it's the 4 billion dollar UFC that should have to take the hit for at least the regular agreed purse (w/o win bonus) for fighter. Not to pay a fighter anything after 6-8 weeks of training from no fault of their own is ridiculous. Cheap bastards. I don't blame Ortega for not wanting to potentially lose or get injured against another fighter that offers him nothing. The interim belt is shit. It's like a happy meal prize these days.
Ortega is absolutely right! He should have been treated with more respect here. At least pay for this training camp. This kid did everything in a professional way.
Stijn De Coorde your rite,no fighter should lose money if his oponet backs out ,the business man dana should cover the cost and offer a bonus for fighting someone else ,but hes holding the money.greed.
Stop the bs Brian Ortega should have taken the fight period. This is what the greats do and how you get to where you wanna be. Guess what happens if he loses to max. Ufc will no longer be invested in him and he will crash
timtam frankie edgar is a house hold name. Until he loses it just like these legends that are on other promotions. Why risk the title shot fighting someone you didn't train for. I don't blame Ortega.
There's always 2 sides to everything. From this point of view, hes showing how business can be dirty. Ortega was due a title shot and the champ backed out. Why risk that title shot for a non title fight and risk losing? To fight Jeremy, you need a full camp to prepare
If you're a fighter you're there to fight. If you truly believe you earned #1 contender and will be a champ; there is no reason you wouldn't take the fight versus someone else also not prepared for your style whatsoever. The reality is he doesn't believe he is #1 contender because he isn't. Frankie didn't respect Brian's standup and was caught. The fact he is even being asked to be compensated when he clearly could have taken the fight against someone else less talented than Holloway is some pussyshit.
Rewatch the fight, Frankie completely controlled the pace, He was caught with an inside right elbow and couldn't recover. He didn't expect a submission artist to have decent standup. I'm unbiased dude, I could care less about either fighter.
kgs youre the worst type of fan. The amount of hubris is staggering. Dont pretend to understand or know what these fighters go through. Ortega earned his spot and his right to refuse.
If a smart career decision drove away “fans”, then they were never really fans to begin with. I don’t think anyone who enjoys MMA is a fan actually. Y’all hop on and hop off bandwagons so fast it’s insane. Claiming a fighter lost fans don’t mean much given how flip flop these supposed “fans” are😒
Man get out here with that bullshit hating. Big deal he was young and admitted he did it. Most guys are on the juice and just duck and dodge and most the time the ones accusing everyone else.
Big J MMA Exactly. These morons are harder on this guy for admitting it which is fucking ridiculous. Also, it was in the hydroxycut he was taking to help with the weight cut. He said he was unaware, but at least he owned up to it, took responsibility and hasn't popped since
I understand Ortega's desire for the title fight but he even said himself that this is his career. His job is to turn up and fight. He was in shape and ready to fight so he should've taken any fight offered to him in reality
Thirty-Two I understand that but in the context of everything, if you go to work one day and have a job to do and for an unforeseen circumstance that job needs to change and you are required to do another one for your boss, then that's how it works. This should be no different. People pay big money for these shows and it is his job after all
So they fixed the audio issues Huh? I know Ariel thinks he made the right decision to move to espn for the pay but in return his show has become irrelevant and so has mma hour. All this chopping up the segments on RUclips is horrible, no way am I paying to subscribe to espn. Monday's aren't the same anymore.
Just shows us how much of a boss Conor is when he accepted to fight different opponents TWICE ! ......this guy wouldn't even show his face at the press conference !
Oh man, Conor is so cool. So cool in fact, that he couldnt even be bothered to defend a single belt and chose to sit on one for two years. He's such a boss. He does whatever he wants. I wish more fighters could learn from him.
ReadyOK Well he got to wjere he is by fighting anyone at anytime. I'm not sone fake UFC McGregor fan like the newbies from the woodwork. I've been diehard UFC since UFC 1 in 93. McGregor did step up all the time though. He fought Mendes. He went up to 170 to fight FIAZ to save a card. Yeah he hasn't defended and he needs to before ANYONE says he's one of the best to do it but on his rise he fought whoever. Thats a fact. Now I agree with ya cause he does need to gight again if he wants to go down as one of the best to do it,but during his rise he fought whoever. That's just a fact. He trained for Aldo thst whole time and when Aldo dipped out he took on a totally diferent style of opponent with Mendes. Then wjrn Dos Anjos dipped out he jumped up to 170 for Diaz. He deserves respect during his rise. People just hate on him cause of his mouth and success. Period.
I commend Conor for fighting on short notice. But one, dont pretend he wasn't in a unique position. For example, when khabib dropped out, Tony Ferguson's salary was cut in half and he was still expected to save the card. Do you think Conor ever got that kind of treatment? Of course not. If the ufc would compensate fighters fairly in these situations, more fighters would take short notice fights. But the UFC is too cheap and would rather throw their own fighters under the bus. Thats why Conor did the things he did, because he had the full backing of the UFC. He was always in a win win situation. Second, my first comment was suppose to show that even fighters like conor are not "real" fighters when the circumstances are not in their favor. I dont hold it against him. I really dont, but stop pretending conor did what he did without acknowledging he had MASSIVE help from the ufc and was always well treated and well compensated. He always had HUGE incentive to take these short notice fights.
Brian is right on! He's the victim if anyone! He was ready, and got the opportunity of his life ripped away! No fault of his own! People should have more compassion and understanding! Brian Ortega did the absolute right thing! When he does fight again - he'll be champ!
...Wow after hearing Brian Ortega explained the UFC's contract situation I'm realizing these athletes now more then ever need a FIGHTER'S UNION. These type of contracts are soo degrading to the fighter's. I feel like the immediate way I can show my interest on a positive change is by publicizing a comment It's only fair that these humans get paid under a FIGHTER'S UNION
Pouya M what does an interim title give him that he doesn't already have? A shot at the featherweight champ when he can fight next, Ortega earned his shot, he worked hard this camp for one specific fighter. Why take the risk when there is no real reason for him to do so? He's the most legit contender right now in the FW division and any fight fan knows that this will be worth the wait
Alot of fighters would do the same as Ortega. Yeah the fight fans might not like it. I was disappointed but he trained and showed up to fight for a 5 round title fight. Pay the man. Ridiculous
Most agree with T city. However there are still fans who are upset. He said he understands how he let everyone down who paid, but if he doesn't take care of himself then there won't be another opportunity to fight for those same fans for the title without waiting a long time. If he can get booked quick then this will all be done and over with. Once he wins all will be forgiven - even though most agree with him and understand his decision. He sounds so depressed for not fighting for his fans and family. I was never a big fan of his but I'm most certainly am now after watching him stand his ground. It's easy to take a fight on short notice for a quick short term gain, but a loss is a long term failure, and getting booked for another title fight has more security for his legacy, and financial well being.
Ariel makes a video about “protecting” Ortega and then gets his first public interview after UFC 226... shocking. Dana was right, Ortega is going to have to fight all of these contenders now or later.
Ortega just lost me as a fan. It’s amazing how when the shoes is on the other foot these guys act all brand new. Woodley complained about rankings when he thought Wonderboy was going to jump ahead of him after we ko’d Hendrix. Then flat out refused to fight him. Bisping did it once he became champion fighting everyone but high ranked competition. Now this dude with turning down a short notice fight. He’s only in the spot because Frankie accepted to fight him. Yeah he’s on a win streak but he also tested positive his first fight in the UFC. I feel like if you turn down a fight against a guy who probably has been training then you’re scared. I guarantee Stephens wasn’t in 5 round shape not to mention having to cut weight and yet he turned it down on a full camp. Like come on bro... His rationale is whack. Chael said it best, if you’re in the same division you’re going to have to fight the guy anyway you might as well get it over with and catch him while he’s out of shape then have to deal with him in shape.
Prodigal_Son X I don’t think he gives a shit about you, I think he prefers what his coaches and friends think. He’s an athlete, not a brawler. In boxing if the opponent falls off you don’t get a new opponent in three days, you reschedule the fight
Brawler or athlete he’s got to fight Stephens at some point. Strategically his coaches made an error. There is no guarantee that he’ll even get the shot when Max comes back. It would’ve been smarter to take the fight win or lose the UFC owes you one. Look how many times Frankie and Fabre have gotten shots despite coming up short so many times. They’re fan favorites who take on challengers at any given time.
and where did that get Chael? Not only that. That line of logic is for weak minded individuals. No wonder you fell for it. So you're telling me you rather see one fighter destroy a fighter that is complete unprepared and out of shape? Would you rather not see two fighters that prepared for each other fight and are ready to show their best versions of themselves to the world? I would rather prefer the latter. You're thinking like an emotional fanboy. And believe me, Ortega is better off without you.
I’m not a fanboy one bit but the whole premise on which the UFC was founded on is proving that you’re the best fighter. Either you are or you’re not. Turning down short notice fights doesn’t help his career in the long term. It drastically decreases his chances of future title shots if he’s unsuccessful against Holloway. You look at guys like Faber, Florian, and Edgar. They fought any and anybody and look how many opportunities they’ve gotten.
Prodigal_Son X but he earned the spot to be #1 contender, doesn't that designstion mean you are guaranteed a title shot? If not then what is the point of contedership. Might as well get rid of contendership, belts and make it colosseum fighting for fun or to the death .
The UFC could be so much better without Dana White... I’m sorry.... He ruined Ngannu by hyping him up and sending him to Slaughter, then after it lost him Stipe he used Cormier to take him out ... and we all know how Connor got treated I love Connor but Paul Daley get fired and banished from the UFC forever for doing thug shit in the cage... Connor literally does thug shit out he cage and Crickets....
What Ortega doesn’t realize is that Frankie Edgar gave him that opportunity with short notice and took the fight and risked his title shot. He was put in the same situation with Jeremy Stephens and he backed out. No one is writing about this. Lost some respect for this kid.
Edward Marquez Not as much as like Ortega. I have no problem with PED's, I'm just starting a fact. Steroids help just as much in grappling as they do in striking. Having said that; strength had little to do with that RNC. He got that sub because he was a Brown Belt under Rener.
Hearing the latest from the persons themselves is the best thing. Then you have Ariel talking to them is just awesome. This is why i subscribe to this 5 hour show.
what a sob story literally couldnt even finish listening to this crying ... this is the fight game you hav to fight, now look were he at all sad an depressed in the bad books with dana and fans , and no pay...bad desision
timtam. EXACTLY ! Not showing up for work ... and expecting to get his camp paid for....then going on this show to talk about it ? ...WTF ! doesn't he know as soon as he did this interview it was sent to Dana ?
and who the hell are you? you're a fan! He's the actual FIGHTER, and you're calling it a sob story? You're a freaking idiot. He FIGHTS for a living, why in the hell would he take a random fight when he can fight for the belt? This is why we need Ariel. One person who will stand up to the ufc and idiots like you who don't care at all about the fighters.
mike a Ortega is one of my favorite fighters. It’s more max fault, however Ortega is a rising star and is gaining fans but this did not help him by not taking a fight.
Brian spoke from the heart. No bullshit. He made the right decision. Just because Frankie wanted to make Dana happy, he never should have taken the fight w Ortega. He gave the opportunity away to keep others happy. Dana will only look out for the promotion, fighters are replaceable.
Love Ariel but I can't sub to ESPN and have my feed filled with garbage I don't care about. I findyself watching less and less of him now because I don't remember to go search for his vids. Out of site out of mind I guess 😔
Beware of the person who gives advice, telling you that a certain action on your part is “good for you” while it is also good for him, while the harm to you doesn’t directly affect him. Ortega made the right decision.
Why bother accepting a fight for Jermey Stephens? If he lost he was gonna probably be at least 2 fights away from another title shot and if the UFC wants to punish him for not taking the fight then he'll fight the winner of Aldo/Stephens. I like Holloway but if it really was water toxicity(still not sure that it was) then its Holloway and his camps fault this fell through.
MMA math doesn't work, so being confident that you're a champion level fighter means nothing. Frankie Edgar took a fight against Ortega when he had a title shot lined up and now he's got nothing to show for it except that his fans continue to love him for being a badass, which he is. If you're not looking for the shortest path to the title then you're playing yourself and taking more fights then you need. Fact is Max Holloway and his camp had one job and that was to make weight, but he was pulled because he gave himself water toxicity. If you can be upset at Brian Ortega then you better be more pissed at Holloway because Ortega doesn't need to please the casual fans that hold him responsible for the mistakes of another fighter.
Dpplm The only fans he lost are the cacual just bleed fans that couldnt care less about him. If anything, thats a win for Ortega. And ortega is not scared of anyone, only a simple minded keyboard warrior would believe that. He simple chose to hold on to his title shot and that is not a bad thing. If Max doesnt show up again, he is likely getting stripped. You cant fail to defend your title three times and still be called a champion.
AgentGunner wrong lol. Itll be Aldo vs Stephens for interim(maybe upgraded to real belt) then winner of that vs Edgar or Max. Ortega is two fights removed from title shot no matter how you look at it
Taco, that is the biggest load of nonsense I've read all week. No way is the ufc going to give the interim to the winner of aldo vs stephens. And no way is max holloway going to fight aldo a third time. And ortega being two fights removed? man, you're hate is blinding you. Ortega is the #1 contender. He's still go the next shot.
I absolutely agree with Tcity, It was his shot at the title. He did everything right and nothing wrong. No one should give him any shit for doing what he did. He wants his chance at the title and shouldn't have to explain his decision to anyone. Why risk anything? He has every right to wait for Max.
TheHitman5c, No, he lost just the fight fans. Read the comments. He retained all the drama and #poorMe fans. Connor also took the Mendez fight. If Brian stepped up to the plate and beat Stephens that night, he would have been more deserving of that title shot than the KO from Edgar. Should have been grateful for an opportunity to do his job. But he chose this route. Max pulling out was the reason he got this shot in the first place.
No, Im a fight fan, and he didn't lose me. Just ungrateful fucks like yourself who weren't fans of his anyway. Let me explain it, This man does not owe you a fucking thing. More deserving? He already was given the fight, obviously the UFC thought he deserved it plenty or they wouldn't of givin him the co main event fight @ international fight week PPV. He came in on short notice and KOed the #1 contender. No one handed anything to him. I'm glad he did what he did, it pisses off assholes like you and I love that.
You just have to feel for Ortega. He trained for months to fight one man and 2 days before his opponent pulls out. Your whole career is to fight for the title and against the biggest challenge and that fact that he was made the villain, it’s heartbreaking and you could just hear it from him.
sunglasses ron Holloway pussied out by pulling out. If he can’t make 145lbs then that makes him look like even more of a pussy since he’s trying to fight smaller guys.
Brian ortega is the most 100 guy in a long time. You made the best decision. Dana is a promotion. This is your life. Keep your head up. Much respect bro.
Within ten minutes of Brian speaking his peace, I don’t blame him for not fighting Stephens in a interim title fight. He’s clearly emotional about making a decision with his team to wait for Holloway to be healthy and ready to defend the title against him. It’s easy for me - someone who isn’t a fighter - to say, “He should have taken a stand-in opponent, because Old School UFC and blah, blah, blah!” but it comes down to the fighters - especially stand-up guys like Ortega - to do what they need to do to keep their spot, and do nothing that they know to be stupid to jeopardize that. Regarding Ortega, the positive takeaway from his title challenge falling through is that every Gracie CTC instructor and student that went to Vegas to watch him fight took part in a free seminar at the Vegas CTC with Ortega and Ryron and Rener.
I remember the golden era of the UFC where the titos, Chuck liddell ,wanderlei silva,randy couture,vitor belfort, Matt hugest all of them guys didn't care who they fight !!! Cause all they wannit to do was fighting. ...OH MY GOODNESS I MISS THEM GOOD OLD DAYS....
Pretend that you're the fighter...think would you fight against another fighter and think you'll beat him like I ready for another opponent without being prepared? Come on think about it this about professional business. Those guy's are guy's living from their professionalism!
Worst thing he has to get around is the fact Frankie did for him what he didn't do for Stephens. Even though he was so appreciative of the opportunity Edgar gave him he still wouldn't pay it forward. That cost him some respect for sure.
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ESPN. Please have a separate RUclips channel dedicated to MMA. This just doesn't do it. Ariel and the fans deserve better
Working on it!
That's not the actual ESPN channel
BRB BRB Hate it. Got all this Lebron James shit in my Subscriptions
This will get more UFC fans dumby
ESPN have gotten in too late. The market is already saturated with MMA shows, podcasts etc. There are way too behind the game now. The other shows and podcasts are way too polished. someone dropped the ball at ESPN, a while back..
respect ortega for bein so transparent, its easy to act hard , its harder to be real
Amit Grover Props to you for making it through the interview I nearly fell asleep 5 minutes in
Ortega is the man 🙌
"its easy to act hard , its harder to be real" I liked that. I'm gonna steal it!
Matthew Russell if you knew anything about MMA at the highest level you wouod be aware that almost all fighters in the top ten are on roids right now. He got busted in the past and then admitted it.
+Amit Grover
Funny he wants to quote "I put everyone's head on the table like Conor"...Yet when Aldo pulled out on Conor under 2 weeks, Conor still fought Mendes, because he realizes it's a business and you need to give back to gain, just like any job...Ortega WAS doing his job, and was rewarded in return by the UFC, highly promoted, bonuses, and a short notice #1 contender shot with everything to gain. Then the guy gets an opportunity to show he is willing to give back to the company, and he doesn't blink not to...The UFC is bigger than Dana, and a lot of people would have benefitted including Ortega from the money he could have brought in fighting on the biggest card of the year....Seriously I don't understand people's work ethics. Since when is being "real" picking fights early into your career, and being popped for roids...I'm sure everyone does it is a good excuse.
ESPN needs to redo their entire MMA branding package- it looks so old and sparse in the MMA section of their website, really hard to want to consume
ESPN have gotten in too late. The market is already saturated with MMA shows, podcasts etc. There are way too behind the game now. The other shows and podcasts are way too polished. someone dropped the ball at ESPN, a while back..
Well said Andrew let's hope they get it right. To the other Gentleman who's taking over? We know Ariel. BYM podcast is getting better and makes you laugh and not scripted (like a 1 sided phone call). Joe R good ufc podcasts. Also snippets of news from there sources and when they don't have much they use clips from the above podcasts. I don't see any better fighters than in the UFC. Have you some youtube links to better fighters and shows maverick also podcasts. I will stick with the A man in THIS podcast and B man Mr BISPINGS and his BYM PODCAST 💡🔊📲👌 ✌
Michael Edwards I think what Ariel should do is continuously do the MMA hour but just do it on his RUclips channel so he can say whatever he wants and do whatever he wants and have live guest. not do guests over Skype kind of like The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast it would make it more fun and exciting if guests were in person Ariel as we all know is the best damn MMA journalist I believe Ariel. And Luke Thomas are the best to MMA Journal is out there
trever pitts I agree good journalists also about J R . In person is better than on a phone Jason P came on on the BYM podcast good insight from his professional views. It's also funny apart from ufc news it's unscripted. I hope they both have more guest's ✌
send email
This new studio just doesn’t have a good vibe
ForeverCalzone e no that's just Ariel...lol
Souless like ESPN.
Give it time
I know, but Ariel sold out and this is what we have to deal with now.
RIP MMA HOUR
The lighting is horrible.
Max pulls out of his last 4 fights and it’s Ortega’s fault.
Chadwick S for bringing that up you must desperately want to see him in a flick.
MrMalicious5 bingo, Max is the problem. He somehow gets a concussion during that pathetic open workout.
its not about whos fault it is.. its about stepin up to the plate when needed.. we need less pussies in this game and more fighters like Stevens
Kris Tophon pussies, says the guy dressed like a pussy cyclist
Kris Tophon Stephans should fight Artem Lobov they are losers with 14 losses.. good matchup for them both. Only problem nobody wants to see losers fight
Mad respect to Ortega for being transparent, looking out for himself and standing his ground. Dana White doesn't know how to regulate his own emotions, he needs help. Nobody wants a boss like that.
Miguel Chavez very well stated .
I agree. Dana White will be on the wrong side of history someday, he isn’t the best human.
It's just ironic because Ortega got this title shot from someone sacrificing their title shot to fight him from a pull-out....So by his standards if Frankie thought the same way, he wouldn't even be #1 contender yet...
You must be new here and know nothing about Dana. He hasnt changed in 20 years
Miguel Chavez, Dana White has a Marine Drill Instructor’s mentality when it comes to doing business with his fighters, specifically when he gets super-pissed over his fighters doing blatantly stupid bullshiggidy. Brian, as I said previously, did what he needed to do when it comes to his MMA career. Dana chewing a fighter’s ass and whatnot is business; it’s not personal. If anyone gets that on a subconscious level, especially with what his mentors instilled in him since the beginning, it’s Ortega.
I think Ortega made the right move. He trained for Holloway so he’ll wait until he can fight Holloway.
Jeff .holloway is never making 145 again
Ortega should’ve taken that fight. If you want to consider yourself a dominant champ you should be confident that you can beat any contender. Jeremy Stephens wins another fight and he could easily be just as considered for a title fight as Ortega.
He might get skipped over now especially if Stephens beats Aldo. This was a huge PPV Dana doesn't forget.
you only saying that cuz hes mexican.
Jeff Duarte: I don't disagree with you but ppl are hypocritical when it comes to situations like this. If it's a fan favorite, it's ok. If its someone who's not as beloved n they turn down a fight on short notice they get shitted on
We miss the old studio :(
Trap Addict I'm not into this ESPN crap
Trap Addict Who's we? I don't give a shit where this douche broadcasts from.
Don’t care, I support Ariel where ever he goes
i just dont like how its takes so long to get posted
Bro! There's a phot of Gina Carano in there! Its all good!
Nurmagomedov accepted 48 potential fighters within one week.
Rickson Not true. Ortega refused a fight for the interim belt.
Ryan because it was for the REAL BELT. Plus they were all fucking TRASH lmao.
Eduardo Flores Khabib doesn’t give a shit just send him location and he will fight you as well lol
That's what true champion mentality is all about " I can defeat anyone " Ortega is the type of fighter that is a chicken shiit, who's scared of other potential number one contenders.. He's far from ready of being a champ..
Chadwick S who the fuck are you beside a snowflake
um.. depressing.. lol. Ortega did the right thing.
you never want Dana too happy with you. It means he is using you for his advantage.
Lee McMullan it also means you could make millions like mcgregor.
Yeah lol but think how much the UFC made off Conor?! Probably close to a billion. Literally.
Lee McMullan without ufc , McGregor is a plumber for life
True. lol
Lee McMullan You're a goof kid. The fact still remains that Ortega turned down a short notice fight against Jeremy Stephens. It's a bitch move, plain and simple. McGregor took a fight against Nate DIaz on short notice not even for a belt when his original fight was for the lightweight title. When the contract is signed you should fucking fight. Khabib fought against Al on super short notice because he lives up to his word. Guys like Ortega are clowns, tough guys that talk about stepping up but fold like little girls when the time comes.
ariel "the instigator" helwani
Pacs2Pacs he will have this story twisted into Brian was scared to fight. Dana was a furious rampaging monster. And Max will never fight again
Ariel is a shit stirrer but hes also a check and balance to danas bs
He get fighters all pissed off with how they where done wrong ...then he does not have to deal with the after effects and he damn sure not gonna pay anyone's bills ... He is a shit starter
I see what you mean, it seemed like he was prying for Ortega to spill the beans when he didn’t want to, but it’s gotta be done and he’s definitely willing to ask the hard questions. Edit: thinking about it though some of the things he’s asking for are private between the fighters and Dana and probably aren’t for us to know
True but this particular interview was awesome though. He kept softly digging.. till he got those nuggets. Mad interesting hearing the back and forth.
Hes smarter than Frankie Edgar.
idk man, Sure it's the "smart"thing to do.
But if he's going to do stuff like this now, what's he going to be like if he's a champ?
the UFC doesn't owe him anything, & I feel as though the right move was to fight Stephens & help the UFC with that card, plus not let fans down.
Wildfire exactly people don’t get it. This is a business first and it’s the business of entertainment. Now when he loses to max he will not be supported fully by the ufc. It’s simple why would they invest in him anything past the minimum when he so easily doesn’t return the favor.
Wildfire McGregor does this all the time and the fans are still there.
Tyrone Mcdonald, that on top of the fact that with what just happened with Holloway and how many times he has pulled out in the last 12 months; realistically we won't see him back for at least 4-5 months and then a camp on top of that. I guarantee you there is going to be an interim title shot between Ortega and someone else before Max is even back. IF the Ufc is even going to gift Ortega that. Back to the prelims for him
McGregor isn't fighting anymore yes, but not once he's pulled out on short notice so cut that crap.
I'll be honest, I wouldn't be mad if Dana decided to schedule Stephens Vs Holloway for the belt instead as a get back to Brian.
what if he schedules
Frankie vs Holloway That was supposed to be the fight but then Holloway got injured and they needed to save the card so Frankie took on another fighter who was Ortega.
Your a fucking dumb ass you must be a son bro
Jeremy Stephens had nothing to lose by taking the fight his stock would only go up...Ortega had a championship fight on the Line...
Wildfire that's a legitimate title match.. Ortega needs another 5 fights after dodging this event... How can he be so fucking stupid?? Smh in shame
Could easily happen depending on how Stephens looks against Aldo
Frankie took a fight against him risking a title shot but he won't do the same against Stephens...hm
that's on Frankie
Ryan Cameron Frankie had 3 weeks to prepare. Brian 2.5 days. Fuck off
DaNk I hear you but you are I'm the fight business
Eddie Walters he should be able to fight on a days notice being ranked number 1 means nothing until you got that belt
Ryan Cameron Stephens has lost to every top featherweight. If he beats Aldo he'll have a case.
Tbh this makes me respect more Conor more because he been in Brian’s position numerous times and stepped up to save the card like when Aldo pulled out and he had to fight chad which was a dangerous fight for him stylistically and when Rda pulled out he saved the card and fought Nate at 170 because Nate couldn’t make 155 In that amout of time. Stepping up last minute does show that the fans that payed come first bad match up or not. Still respect to Brian and Jeremy is a dangerous last minute fight to take. But Remember Frankie stepped up to save the card and fought Brian after Max pulled out. Stepping up last minute is a sign of love for the fans win or lose you paid so I’ll be there no matter what
The way Ortega talks all slow is how I sound when I have to multitask, playing Video Games and having a convo with my girlfriend
Rick Jackson 😂😂 That's fucking spot on
Rick Jackson he’s talking at a normal speed. You probably talk like a crack addict.
Rick Jackson lmao bro 😂👌👏
This is like the 10th time you have posted your retarded comment about his interview. Ok we get it no need to be redundant. He was just keeping it real. But you probably enjoy the WWF type of interviews like Brock or Hulk Hogan. Ok go play your video game smart guy.
Everything Ortega said could’ve been said in 5 mins but obviously he has a concussion as well.
But still you listened to it. Details bud.
& still u listen, may I recommend brain surgery
Frankie Edgar gave him the opportunity and yet Brian & team thought there's no reason to give anyone else the opportunity and know it's boo hoo me I didn't get the fight wow
I just hope that Max is going to be okay and healthy back to himself
Frankie Edgar is a moron, who made a completely stupid move. Not Ortega's fault.
Pretty much anyone would wait, including you. No reason this guy should get shit because Max can't keep his head straight.
Frankie isn't getting a shot now.
Robert Diaz And what is this "pay it forward" mentality?! This is fucking prizefighting, nimrods. If anything Ortega is wise to learn from Frankie's mistake. Smh...
Two wrongs don't make a right
Y'all don't understand. Ortega beat Frankie to EARN a title shot. Ortega doesn't have to do anything for anybody because he earned the right to refuse by beating one of the scariest featherweights in Frankie Edgar. Y'all are idiots if y'all think he should've taken a fight that wasn't for the belt just for y'alls barbaric entertainment.
mike a I guess you didn't hear that Jeremy Stevens wanted to fight but Brian back out from it and said would wait for Max is what I was talking about
High risk low reward. Smart business move Brian
oh yeah right... sounds like hes really gonna get rewarded for that decision.. scared to loose his '0'.. if he`d loss (which was unlikely) hes stock still rises for stepping up.. the UFC are starting to reward loyal fighters.. Ortega took a step backwards this weekend.. Holloway is probably going up to lightweight next so Ortega double fukked himself
Kris Tophon you don't speak for the UFC stupid. You have no idea how the ufc thinks and don't know what will happen with Max.
Kris Tophon He did his job. So many fighters miss weight and get injured over training stupidly. He’s always shown up. He’s not a bitch to Dana.
High reward low risk if he’s that good but obviously he’s afraid to lose now he lost a lot of fans and respect and he might not get a title shot
Hannibal Apex If you’re not emotionally into a fight because your big fight was taken away from u at the last second, then it would be stupid to fight if ur not into it. I don’t think Jeremy Stephens is normally a threat, but if ur emotionally down then there’s a bigger chance you’re going to lose. He was smart not taking it. He’s always shown up so he’ll eventually get his shot.
I think the difference between Edgar and Ortega's mindset is this: Frankie's been to the top. He's already a legend. He paid his dues, and win, lose or draw, people will still respect him for taking a high-risk fight on short notice. You can tell people still love him now for taking that fight, despite losing.
Ortega, on the other hand, is still just slightly above "hot prospect." He's never been to the top. He's not a legend. Whereas Frankie's fought countless championship bouts, Ortega's never even seen a championship round in the UFC. He's relying solely on hype and momentum to gain these life-changing opportunities, and a single high-profile loss can derail all of that.
The reward of winning against Stephens would pale in comparison to losing his championship opportunity to Stephens, and it would be incredibly hard to regain the momentum. If he lost, some folks might temporarily laud him for being "down to scrap," but for a prospect, that kind of praise fades quick, whereas the negativity of those who would call him "reckless" would last much, much longer.
Anthony Ha How do you think Edgar got to the top? By cherry picking fights? Nope. Ortega will Never be a legend. He already put himself two fights away from a title fight and in Danas fuck you list. If ortega should happen to take a 2 fight losing streak he will prob be cut.
MMA hour is soooooo much better
Dylan M its literally the same thing.
what he means is MMA hour is much better with LUUKKE T!... Luke T can be a bit of a twat in his own way but at least hes not a pussy
Studio designer should be re-assigned to custodial duties.
Everyone keeps bringing up Frankie giving him the shot and blah blah blah it was 3 weeks notice and he doesn't have to pay it forward. This is real life. He made the right decision for him.
Fredrick Miller Thank you 🙏. Too many keyboard warriors thinking he owes them something. He made the right decision for himself. His heart was into a championship fight not an interm belt.
Get this mf Ariel a proper desk
sick951side agreed. That looks like clearance from ikea.
I guess mma fans really do have to subscribe to ESPN now.
We got you covered!
ESPN MMA you have 0 subscribers and just rip videos from ESPN, get to fuck you melt hahhahahaha
How so?
I continue to watch all the content on youtube, and all the fights for free on MMAStreams Reddit.
im not doin it
i still won't sub to ESPN or CNN 🐑
Ortega is super genuine, nice and has his heart open. That leaves him vulnerable though.
Frankie did Ortega a solid and gave him a shot when he didn't have to. Now shoes on the other foot Ortega won't return the favor.... not so solid Mr.ortega
Uhh, Frankie did it for a paycheck because he had not fought in a while. Plus, it was a three weeks notice fight, so its a completely different circumstance. These so called favors that you and other people are mentioning couldn't be further from reality. They're called business decisions.
did the right thing. know his value, act as a contractor not employee, look for his best interest, and not roll over for the boss.
This guy talking is like watching paint dry
Yea certainly wasn’t his best interview
Chadwick S lolllllll
I mean he isnt talking about something interesting so why would he sound enthusiastic? Use your fucking head
kept thinking they were about to burst into tears.. pathetic.. it doesn`t take a rocket sciencetist to work out why his stock went down after this.. have to admit i used to be a huge ortega fan in his early days.. but hes turned out to be a bit of a panzy
Chadwick s u aint shit. Your mom aint shit. Your new dad this week aint shit. You're whole style is chump kid
Brian Ortega's a smart dude, he did the right thing! Why throw away a shot at the title to fight Jeremy Stephens with 3 days notice? Max will be recovered from this soon especially if it is water toxicity and they could literally fight on the next card if the UFC wanted that to happen... So Brian did the right thing by not letting the UFC pressure him into taking a bad fight with nothing to gain...
Frankie gave Brian a chance he should've gave Jeremy one
Why? Jeremy sucks ass.
Shut your lazy fat ass up snowflake
GEMJ M Casual fan
Who the fuck is that guy
In Ortega’s offense Frankie gave a shot to a new up and comer in his division, the torch passing they talk about that happens. If Ortega gave Stephens that shot(and I’m a big Stephens fan) it would of been a young fighter giving a vet a shot and that’s backwards
I am not a big Ortega fan or anything but in all honesty he made the right decision. Why would he risk everything for a short notice fight against a power puncher like Stephens? It's not his fault that Holloway wasn't able to make it, especially since that wasn't his first time doing so.
Luke Thomas is the man now, Ariel is so lame and fake. He couldn’t have made a better decision he said
Pouya M Ariel is a bitch, Chael would of asked the real questions, that matter.
Chadwick S yea Ariel just can’t stop himself from going after Dana over anything such as this issue here
This is why I lost respect for Dana white greed greed greed give Ortega the belt he showed up and max didn’t fight enough said max is holding up the division
Stephens trying to get out of his fight against Aldo.
R R bruh I wouldn't even be scared to fight that old fart!!
R R People aren’t afraid of Aldo like they used too. He throws a leg kick every 45 seconds now rather then multiple in a ten seconds like he used too
His only losses came against McGregor and Holloway. Still a tough out.
R R Stevens would destroy aldo
A leg kick every 45 sec is being generous. He throws like 4-5 kicks a fight now.
Totally agree. He’s not obligated to take a last minute replacement let alone being at the top of the division which means no matter what the replacement is gonna be a top contender and dangerous fight no matter what. Obviously people love the attitude Conor used to do where he fought anybody anywhere anytime and fighters DO get more respect for that but if Ortega waits for max and wins the title, this will all be forgotten. Now if he takes another fight before max then it will look bad cause he specifically said he wants to wait for max for the title shot.
Tough to be upset with Ortega. If he takes the replacement fight he could loose his chance at the belt. Might never get another. On the other hand, the interim belt is still a belt and he is a fighter after all and fighters fight. Tough call. Think the weight cut is what Max was having issues with, nothing else. Water poisoning; give me a break.
Mr Bjj 101 n
This whole thing about “may never get another” doesn’t wash with me. What’s he going to do if and when he beats Max? He’s gonna fight someone like Stephens. It’s his choice to turn down Stephens. But if he’s claiming saving the card isn’t his problem, then I don’t see why Dana shouldn’t say the same thing about paying for his training camp.
Water poisoning from water loading.. That is actually considered weight cutting issues. An imbalance of magnesium,calcium ect due to excessive water will eventually show stroke like symptoms. The man is 5'11 and walks around at 180+, for damn sure he needs to be careful. Hopefully this fight lines up again.
Mike t 1000000000% agree
Yah straight up... Ortega should lose the shot... Frankie took the fight... And now Ortega bitches out no one wants to see or hear that
The only reason Brian is even in title shot picture is because Frankie took a LAST MINUTE drop out of Max. He was all for stepping in last minute to take someone elses title shot but wont offer the same opportunity for someone else.
Ortega seems to forget this is UFC. Being no 1 mean nothing. If Dana want it, he could made Jose VS Stephen as interim belt and made the winner fight Max. There nothing Brian can do about it.
That's exactly what is gonna happen I bet lol
I want Holloway vs Ortega not Ortega vs Stephens so I'm absolutely fine waiting (why wouldn't I be?). Idk why some of these ppl are criticizing Ortega. U ppl love him so much that u had to see him fight at UFC 226 no matter what or something? Is that it? Do u not rather wait to see Holloway vs Ortega? Some MMA fans are nuts
If a fighter does a full training camp and makes weight, then it's the 4 billion dollar UFC that should have to take the hit for at least the regular agreed purse (w/o win bonus) for fighter. Not to pay a fighter anything after 6-8 weeks of training from no fault of their own is ridiculous. Cheap bastards. I don't blame Ortega for not wanting to potentially lose or get injured against another fighter that offers him nothing. The interim belt is shit. It's like a happy meal prize these days.
Frankie gave him a shot when he didn't have too.. couldn't Ortega pay it forward? Kinda unfair in my opinion.
ur a moron dude Frankie was on 3 weeks notice don't compare that to 2 days u clown
Ortega is absolutely right! He should have been treated with more respect here. At least pay for this training camp. This kid did everything in a professional way.
Stijn De Coorde your rite,no fighter should lose money if his oponet backs out ,the business man dana should cover the cost and offer a bonus for fighting someone else ,but hes holding the money.greed.
Man I feel bad for Brian, Max pulls out and he's the one looking bad in front of the media. Brian seems like a genuine guy.
Stop the bs Brian Ortega should have taken the fight period. This is what the greats do and how you get to where you wanna be. Guess what happens if he loses to max. Ufc will no longer be invested in him and he will crash
Tyrone McDonald its easy to say that if you dont fight for a living. All fighters have a chance at their careers ending with every fight.
your 100 % right even tho frankie lost to brian , frankie in the good books he will get looked after in the future .
timtam frankie edgar is a house hold name. Until he loses it just like these legends that are on other promotions. Why risk the title shot fighting someone you didn't train for. I don't blame Ortega.
Tyrone McDonald Is that why Jon Jones didn't fight Chael on short notice? What was it, 2 or 3 days just like this situation
Master Montano and Jon jones was hated for that ever since
Helwani is a weasel.
He literally makes me feel sick to my stomach, I watch the bare minimum of his stuff as possible just to find out whats going on.
Me too. He is more into stirring up drama and the politics behind the fighting rather than the actual fights. TMZ kinda feel about him!
There's always 2 sides to everything. From this point of view, hes showing how business can be dirty. Ortega was due a title shot and the champ backed out. Why risk that title shot for a non title fight and risk losing? To fight Jeremy, you need a full camp to prepare
Javfan TV - My statement still stands...
Saxa. He is....always upholding the pussy side of things and then wondering why he gets Shit for it !
If you're a fighter you're there to fight. If you truly believe you earned #1 contender and will be a champ; there is no reason you wouldn't take the fight versus someone else also not prepared for your style whatsoever. The reality is he doesn't believe he is #1 contender because he isn't. Frankie didn't respect Brian's standup and was caught. The fact he is even being asked to be compensated when he clearly could have taken the fight against someone else less talented than Holloway is some pussyshit.
Rewatch the fight, Frankie completely controlled the pace, He was caught with an inside right elbow and couldn't recover. He didn't expect a submission artist to have decent standup. I'm unbiased dude, I could care less about either fighter.
kgs youre the worst type of fan. The amount of hubris is staggering. Dont pretend to understand or know what these fighters go through. Ortega earned his spot and his right to refuse.
Dana is a snake. Only cares about his interest. Bryan should relax, he made the right choice.
It’s really not that big a deal
the notion that ortega needs to be "protected" is absurd. what he NEEDS is better judgment. he lost a bunch of fans over this...
Don Chappell They'll be back when he wins the belt
Don Chappell I guess he weeded out all the shit "just-bleed" fans which is fine by me
If a smart career decision drove away “fans”, then they were never really fans to begin with. I don’t think anyone who enjoys MMA is a fan actually. Y’all hop on and hop off bandwagons so fast it’s insane. Claiming a fighter lost fans don’t mean much given how flip flop these supposed “fans” are😒
He lost a bunch of band wagoners the real fans are proud of him
I'm still a fan why fight a 4th rank fighter when ur number 1
My boy T- City
Big J MMA PED-City
Man get out here with that bullshit hating. Big deal he was young and admitted he did it. Most guys are on the juice and just duck and dodge and most the time the ones accusing everyone else.
Big J MMA Exactly. These morons are harder on this guy for admitting it which is fucking ridiculous. Also, it was in the hydroxycut he was taking to help with the weight cut. He said he was unaware, but at least he owned up to it, took responsibility and hasn't popped since
Big J MMA TIT-City*
I understand Ortega's desire for the title fight but he even said himself that this is his career. His job is to turn up and fight. He was in shape and ready to fight so he should've taken any fight offered to him in reality
Reznor440 I bet that Weisal managed of his ed soares told him don’t risk it
Thirty-Two I understand that but in the context of everything, if you go to work one day and have a job to do and for an unforeseen circumstance that job needs to change and you are required to do another one for your boss, then that's how it works. This should be no different. People pay big money for these shows and it is his job after all
3 days notice against a nobody...Please slap yourself.
So they fixed the audio issues Huh? I know Ariel thinks he made the right decision to move to espn for the pay but in return his show has become irrelevant and so has mma hour. All this chopping up the segments on RUclips is horrible, no way am I paying to subscribe to espn. Monday's aren't the same anymore.
Stop crying
Love the fighters that take fights on short notice. Guys that do that are truly champions and not afraid of anyone.
I'm happy to here his side of this. Still don't know if I agree. Just good to see where his head was at. Great Interview
Ortega sounds like he has a concussion himself. Spit it out.
Rick Jackson or he sounds like a humble kid who just faced the sad reality that your boss is not looking for your best interest.
Rick Jackson nah man he sounds like a kid disappointed his father ...you better crush at your friends place!!
Rick Jackson sit down you rat.
thumbs down because of ariel.
Snowflake
Just shows us how much of a boss Conor is when he accepted to fight different opponents TWICE ! ......this guy wouldn't even show his face at the press conference !
Y Hideit Real Champs will fight anyone no matter what. Exactly my man.
Oh man, Conor is so cool. So cool in fact, that he couldnt even be bothered to defend a single belt and chose to sit on one for two years. He's such a boss. He does whatever he wants. I wish more fighters could learn from him.
ReadyOK Well he got to wjere he is by fighting anyone at anytime. I'm not sone fake UFC McGregor fan like the newbies from the woodwork. I've been diehard UFC since UFC 1 in 93. McGregor did step up all the time though. He fought Mendes. He went up to 170 to fight FIAZ to save a card. Yeah he hasn't defended and he needs to before ANYONE says he's one of the best to do it but on his rise he fought whoever. Thats a fact. Now I agree with ya cause he does need to gight again if he wants to go down as one of the best to do it,but during his rise he fought whoever. That's just a fact. He trained for Aldo thst whole time and when Aldo dipped out he took on a totally diferent style of opponent with Mendes. Then wjrn Dos Anjos dipped out he jumped up to 170 for Diaz. He deserves respect during his rise. People just hate on him cause of his mouth and success. Period.
I commend Conor for fighting on short notice. But one, dont pretend he wasn't in a unique position. For example, when khabib dropped out, Tony Ferguson's salary was cut in half and he was still expected to save the card. Do you think Conor ever got that kind of treatment? Of course not. If the ufc would compensate fighters fairly in these situations, more fighters would take short notice fights. But the UFC is too cheap and would rather throw their own fighters under the bus. Thats why Conor did the things he did, because he had the full backing of the UFC. He was always in a win win situation. Second, my first comment was suppose to show that even fighters like conor are not "real" fighters when the circumstances are not in their favor. I dont hold it against him. I really dont, but stop pretending conor did what he did without acknowledging he had MASSIVE help from the ufc and was always well treated and well compensated. He always had HUGE incentive to take these short notice fights.
ReadyOK Conor ALWAYS made weight so that alone makes me respect him more than idiots like Kevin Lee and Darren Till.
I'm on your side Ortega!
I nearly fell asleep listening to ortega zzzzzz
PlantsAsMedicine I’m ready to knock now. Thanks Ortega! I’ll suggest this interview to anyone suffering from Insomnia
His interviews should have a highlight reel. Watching the whole thing is boring.
Then go to sleep, simple as that.
It was still more exciting than Ngannous fight.
Brian is right on! He's the victim if anyone! He was ready, and got the opportunity of his life ripped away! No fault of his own! People should have more compassion and understanding! Brian Ortega did the absolute right thing! When he does fight again - he'll be champ!
...Wow after hearing Brian Ortega explained the UFC's contract situation I'm realizing these athletes now more then ever need a FIGHTER'S UNION.
These type of contracts are soo degrading to the fighter's.
I feel like the immediate way I can show my interest on a positive change is by publicizing a comment
It's only fair that these humans get paid under a
FIGHTER'S UNION
You can help by voicing your opinions.
96.9% chances your favorite UFC fighter would much rather fight under Fighter's UNION
...............
.......
Awesome comment man!
ReadyOK much appreciated
so many cancerous fans in these comments. Ortega is 100% in the right in this situation
Lost respect for Ortega. He could have fought for interm title. I think he scared of Jeremy Stevens .
Pouya M shut your lazy fat ass up snowflake
Pouya M what does an interim title give him that he doesn't already have? A shot at the featherweight champ when he can fight next, Ortega earned his shot, he worked hard this camp for one specific fighter. Why take the risk when there is no real reason for him to do so? He's the most legit contender right now in the FW division and any fight fan knows that this will be worth the wait
Or he really don't care about the Fan's we got cheated on the most interesting fight Stephens stepped up Ortega stepped down
Pouya M He’s definitely scared of Jeremy. He completely ignored his call out at UFC St Louis when he was in the crowd
You are an idiot my friend
Alot of fighters would do the same as Ortega. Yeah the fight fans might not like it. I was disappointed but he trained and showed up to fight for a 5 round title fight. Pay the man. Ridiculous
Most agree with T city. However there are still fans who are upset. He said he understands how he let everyone down who paid, but if he doesn't take care of himself then there won't be another opportunity to fight for those same fans for the title without waiting a long time. If he can get booked quick then this will all be done and over with. Once he wins all will be forgiven - even though most agree with him and understand his decision.
He sounds so depressed for not fighting for his fans and family. I was never a big fan of his but I'm most certainly am now after watching him stand his ground. It's easy to take a fight on short notice for a quick short term gain, but a loss is a long term failure, and getting booked for another title fight has more security for his legacy, and financial well being.
Very good interview. Beatifully done. Love the emotion on Ortega's part. Handled like a champ
Ariel is a weasel
Greg E. That's a bit harsh. Lollll
You're getting confused. Its your daddy who is a weasel.
Greg E Ariel cares more about Drama then the actual fights. Like the man never left high school
i think ariel has a man-crush on some of these fighters. hence, the absurd talk of "protecting" them...
Ariel makes a video about “protecting” Ortega and then gets his first public interview after UFC 226... shocking. Dana was right, Ortega is going to have to fight all of these contenders now or later.
“You’ve got your promoter hat on... to you this is just UFC 226. To me this is my life’s work.”
Dope shit. Fully back Ortega
Ortega just lost me as a fan. It’s amazing how when the shoes is on the other foot these guys act all brand new. Woodley complained about rankings when he thought Wonderboy was going to jump ahead of him after we ko’d Hendrix. Then flat out refused to fight him. Bisping did it once he became champion fighting everyone but high ranked competition. Now this dude with turning down a short notice fight. He’s only in the spot because Frankie accepted to fight him. Yeah he’s on a win streak but he also tested positive his first fight in the UFC. I feel like if you turn down a fight against a guy who probably has been training then you’re scared. I guarantee Stephens wasn’t in 5 round shape not to mention having to cut weight and yet he turned it down on a full camp. Like come on bro... His rationale is whack. Chael said it best, if you’re in the same division you’re going to have to fight the guy anyway you might as well get it over with and catch him while he’s out of shape then have to deal with him in shape.
Prodigal_Son X I don’t think he gives a shit about you, I think he prefers what his coaches and friends think. He’s an athlete, not a brawler. In boxing if the opponent falls off you don’t get a new opponent in three days, you reschedule the fight
Brawler or athlete he’s got to fight Stephens at some point. Strategically his coaches made an error. There is no guarantee that he’ll even get the shot when Max comes back. It would’ve been smarter to take the fight win or lose the UFC owes you one. Look how many times Frankie and Fabre have gotten shots despite coming up short so many times. They’re fan favorites who take on challengers at any given time.
and where did that get Chael? Not only that. That line of logic is for weak minded individuals. No wonder you fell for it. So you're telling me you rather see one fighter destroy a fighter that is complete unprepared and out of shape? Would you rather not see two fighters that prepared for each other fight and are ready to show their best versions of themselves to the world? I would rather prefer the latter. You're thinking like an emotional fanboy. And believe me, Ortega is better off without you.
I’m not a fanboy one bit but the whole premise on which the UFC was founded on is proving that you’re the best fighter. Either you are or you’re not. Turning down short notice fights doesn’t help his career in the long term. It drastically decreases his chances of future title shots if he’s unsuccessful against Holloway. You look at guys like Faber, Florian, and Edgar. They fought any and anybody and look how many opportunities they’ve gotten.
Prodigal_Son X but he earned the spot to be #1 contender, doesn't that designstion mean you are guaranteed a title shot? If not then what is the point of contedership. Might as well get rid of contendership, belts and make it colosseum fighting for fun or to the death .
The UFC could be so much better without Dana White... I’m sorry.... He ruined Ngannu by hyping him up and sending him to Slaughter, then after it lost him Stipe he used Cormier to take him out ... and we all know how Connor got treated I love Connor but Paul Daley get fired and banished from the UFC forever for doing thug shit in the cage... Connor literally does thug shit out he cage and Crickets....
Max really needed a Tasty and Delicious burger on fight week.
Ranch California Chicken chop house cheddar burger from whataburger is where its at SON!
What Ortega doesn’t realize is that Frankie Edgar gave him that opportunity with short notice and took the fight and risked his title shot. He was put in the same situation with Jeremy Stephens and he backed out. No one is writing about this. Lost some respect for this kid.
Already been caught juicing. Just more cheater trash
M Oakk Who are you talking about lol
Schlitz Ortega has been popped before. Anabolics
He choked the guy out not a ko. Has been clean since. I bet you love Jon Jones tho
Edward Marquez Not as much as like Ortega. I have no problem with PED's, I'm just starting a fact. Steroids help just as much in grappling as they do in striking. Having said that; strength had little to do with that RNC. He got that sub because he was a Brown Belt under Rener.
shut the fuck up
Hearing the latest from the persons themselves is the best thing. Then you have Ariel talking to them is just awesome. This is why i subscribe to this 5 hour show.
what a sob story literally couldnt even finish listening to this crying ... this is the fight game you hav to fight, now look were he at all sad an depressed in the bad books with dana and fans , and no pay...bad desision
timtam. EXACTLY ! Not showing up for work ... and expecting to get his camp paid for....then going on this show to talk about it ? ...WTF ! doesn't he know as soon as he did this interview it was sent to Dana ?
totally... he needs to stop listening to dickheads like this helwani snowflake.. fookin pathetic
and who the hell are you? you're a fan! He's the actual FIGHTER, and you're calling it a sob story? You're a freaking idiot. He FIGHTS for a living, why in the hell would he take a random fight when he can fight for the belt? This is why we need Ariel. One person who will stand up to the ufc and idiots like you who don't care at all about the fighters.
mike a Ortega is one of my favorite fighters. It’s more max fault, however Ortega is a rising star and is gaining fans but this did not help him by not taking a fight.
its not about whos fault it is.. this is a show & these fighters need to step up and the UFC needs to start rewarding those that do
Brian spoke from the heart. No bullshit. He made the right decision. Just because Frankie wanted to make Dana happy, he never should have taken the fight w Ortega. He gave the opportunity away to keep others happy. Dana will only look out for the promotion, fighters are replaceable.
Love Ariel but I can't sub to ESPN and have my feed filled with garbage I don't care about. I findyself watching less and less of him now because I don't remember to go search for his vids. Out of site out of mind I guess 😔
Beware of the person who gives advice, telling you that a certain action on your part is “good for you” while it is also good for him, while the harm to you doesn’t directly affect him. Ortega made the right decision.
Jeremy Stephens is looking for a fight
Who the fuck is that guy?
Gotta feel for Ortega ... amazing how his positivity and perspective has been changed by uncle Dana ..
Why bother accepting a fight for Jermey Stephens? If he lost he was gonna probably be at least 2 fights away from another title shot and if the UFC wants to punish him for not taking the fight then he'll fight the winner of Aldo/Stephens. I like Holloway but if it really was water toxicity(still not sure that it was) then its Holloway and his camps fault this fell through.
MMA math doesn't work, so being confident that you're a champion level fighter means nothing. Frankie Edgar took a fight against Ortega when he had a title shot lined up and now he's got nothing to show for it except that his fans continue to love him for being a badass, which he is. If you're not looking for the shortest path to the title then you're playing yourself and taking more fights then you need.
Fact is Max Holloway and his camp had one job and that was to make weight, but he was pulled because he gave himself water toxicity. If you can be upset at Brian Ortega then you better be more pissed at Holloway because Ortega doesn't need to please the casual fans that hold him responsible for the mistakes of another fighter.
Dpplm The only fans he lost are the cacual just bleed fans that couldnt care less about him. If anything, thats a win for Ortega. And ortega is not scared of anyone, only a simple minded keyboard warrior would believe that. He simple chose to hold on to his title shot and that is not a bad thing. If Max doesnt show up again, he is likely getting stripped. You cant fail to defend your title three times and still be called a champion.
AgentGunner wrong lol. Itll be Aldo vs Stephens for interim(maybe upgraded to real belt) then winner of that vs Edgar or Max. Ortega is two fights removed from title shot no matter how you look at it
Taco, that is the biggest load of nonsense I've read all week. No way is the ufc going to give the interim to the winner of aldo vs stephens. And no way is max holloway going to fight aldo a third time. And ortega being two fights removed? man, you're hate is blinding you. Ortega is the #1 contender. He's still go the next shot.
"I would rather get punched and knocked out by a champ than a competitor as this is my only time to shine " (summary) - Brian Ortega
I absolutely agree with Tcity, It was his shot at the title. He did everything right and nothing wrong. No one should give him any shit for doing what he did. He wants his chance at the title and shouldn't have to explain his decision to anyone. Why risk anything? He has every right to wait for Max.
TheHitman5c, Edgar took that risk and offered it to Brian. Brian just lost some fans.
Yeah, and how did that work out for Edgar? He's smarter than Frankie. The only fans Brian lost weren't his real fans at all.
TheHitman5c, No, he lost just the fight fans. Read the comments.
He retained all the drama and #poorMe fans. Connor also took the Mendez fight. If Brian stepped up to the plate and beat Stephens that night, he would have been more deserving of that title shot than the KO from Edgar. Should have been grateful for an opportunity to do his job. But he chose this route. Max pulling out was the reason he got this shot in the first place.
No, Im a fight fan, and he didn't lose me. Just ungrateful fucks like yourself who weren't fans of his anyway. Let me explain it, This man does not owe you a fucking thing. More deserving? He already was given the fight, obviously the UFC thought he deserved it plenty or they wouldn't of givin him the co main event fight @ international fight week PPV. He came in on short notice and KOed the #1 contender. No one handed anything to him. I'm glad he did what he did, it pisses off assholes like you and I love that.
Only the dumbass haters are complaining. They will always have something to moan about.
You just have to feel for Ortega. He trained for months to fight one man and 2 days before his opponent pulls out. Your whole career is to fight for the title and against the biggest challenge and that fact that he was made the villain, it’s heartbreaking and you could just hear it from him.
#firehelwani
Brian Ortega is being genuine, thats why many fans like him!
compensated for what? you didnt fight.
training camp, would have been on weight
sunglasses ron Holloway pussied out by pulling out. If he can’t make 145lbs then that makes him look like even more of a pussy since he’s trying to fight smaller guys.
cost to live as a fighter...
He doesn't deserve it. Didn't step up.
ryan romero your right, he didn’t fight but why would he risk fighting a dangerous guy for no title when he rightfully earned a title shot?
Ortega the true featherweight champ!! Max cant even fighr anymore lets make ORTEGA VS STEPHENS FOR REAL FW TITLE
T City
Brian ortega is the most 100 guy in a long time. You made the best decision. Dana is a promotion. This is your life. Keep your head up. Much respect bro.
lol he didnt get paid a dime. Not that he deserved it, I hope he loses a few and gets cut.
howiwatchvideos the pussy Holloway needs to get striped an cut. He pulls out every fight
wtf
Dang...you sound salty as fk and he hasn't even beaten your idol Max.
Within ten minutes of Brian speaking his peace, I don’t blame him for not fighting Stephens in a interim title fight. He’s clearly emotional about making a decision with his team to wait for Holloway to be healthy and ready to defend the title against him.
It’s easy for me - someone who isn’t a fighter - to say, “He should have taken a stand-in opponent, because Old School UFC and blah, blah, blah!” but it comes down to the fighters - especially stand-up guys like Ortega - to do what they need to do to keep their spot, and do nothing that they know to be stupid to jeopardize that.
Regarding Ortega, the positive takeaway from his title challenge falling through is that every Gracie CTC instructor and student that went to Vegas to watch him fight took part in a free seminar at the Vegas CTC with Ortega and Ryron and Rener.
YOU'RE IN THE SPORT TO FIGHT!!!! SO FIGHT DUDE!!!!
David Limardo money over everything , yes, he needs to fight but also needs to be smart about it
I remember the golden era of the UFC where the titos, Chuck liddell ,wanderlei silva,randy couture,vitor belfort, Matt hugest all of them guys didn't care who they fight !!! Cause all they wannit to do was fighting. ...OH MY GOODNESS I MISS THEM GOOD OLD DAYS....
and don't forget the shamrocks...frank and ken. OH MY!!! LEGENDS. ...
He's opponent fell out. I very much doubt you would do the same and risk losing an opportunity of a lifetime on a whim.
David Limardo correction.... To fight, make money and to take care of your family, you stupid idiot.
Ortega is a real down to earth civil guy. . RESPECT TO HIM👍👍👍👍 done the right thing..
So disappointed in both these Guys
Rich Broke if your mad at Brian just fuck off
Eddie Walters lol
Shhh
Why in the hell would you be mad at Max?
Kevin he’s talking about Ariel and Ortega
Tyrone McDonald Oh, alright.
So much respect for Brian Ortega. Great show as always Ariel. Thanks.
Ortega is weak.
Steroid abusers are weak mentally
Listedez 100%
Listedez not your choice to make earn a title shot then you can decide
Fight him then .
Pretend that you're the fighter...think would you fight against another fighter and think you'll beat him like I ready for another opponent without being prepared? Come on think about it this about professional business. Those guy's are guy's living from their professionalism!
720p? Where's the love Ariel? Feel like we're in the 70's here!
Worst thing he has to get around is the fact Frankie did for him what he didn't do for Stephens. Even though he was so appreciative of the opportunity Edgar gave him he still wouldn't pay it forward. That cost him some respect for sure.