“It Wasn’t a Submission”- Controversial Yair Rodriguez vs. Brian Ortega Moment Gets Ex-UFC Referee’s Clearance Ahead of UFC Mexico City Rematch

Dec 27, 2023 | 3:10 AM EST

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The last time Yair Rodriguez and Brian Ortega met inside the Octagon, it didn’t go too well. Ortega lost terribly in the very first round of the match. In fact, the injury that made him lose was so gruesome, that the fight had to be called off instantly. However, many considered it a submission.

And so Rodriguez came out the winner of the two. Now, both of them are set for a rematch at UFC Fight Night on the 24th of February 2024. However, the controversial moment is still worth speaking about. The breakdown of the exact situation isn’t something everyone can do. So here’s the take of a referee on the situation.

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John McCarthy speaks about the Yair Rodriguez fight

In the dying moments of the first round of their July 2022 fight, Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez were dueling on the ground. There’s no denying that Rodriguez did his all to keep the advantage. However, it was Ortega who tried to separate himself and suffered an injury.

In the process of separating himself from his opponent, Ortega’s shoulder just popped out. A dislocation very visible on the camera made the fighter collapse in pain. Hence, the fight was stopped by referee Keith Peterson on the spot. Now, on an episode of ‘Weighin In,’ fellow experienced ref John McCarthy has shared his opinion of the fight.

“. . . A lot of people were going to sit there and say oh it was a submission you know,” said McCarthy. “It wasn’t a submission he went to pull his arm out, the shoulders separated. Sh*t happens. That’s part of the human anatomy. I’m not saying that Yair didn’t have something possibly to do with it, kind of maybe, but this is a fight where you really didn’t get to see what was gonna happen.”

Now, Ortega has his chance at redemption at UFC Mexico City in February. He has had some time to heal his shoulder up. Now, will this be enough for Ortega to pick up the win? What are your predictions of the fight? Ortega is sure to make a grand comeback but his surgery scare was very real. Here’s what he announced after the fight.

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Brian Ortega wanted to preserve his mindset after injury

A brutal injury such as Ortega’s could heavily affect a fighter’s mental state. Ortega revealed how he allows such surgeries and operations to take him to a darker place. However, this time around, he wanted to keep himself steady and focused.

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A post shared by Brian Ortega (@briantcity)

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In an Instagram post, Ortega could be seen working out. In the caption, he thanked those who “ride” with him through the difficult times. His shoulder injury may have had an impact on him, but he’s not letting it stop him any time soon. His bout against Rodriguez is reported to be the headliner and last a whole five rounds.

A win for either contender could propel them into title contention. Both Ortega and Rodriguez have fallen to Volkanovski in their title fights before. However, with the Australian aging and suffering a KO loss recently at UFC 294, his days as champion may be numbered. He will defend his title next at UFC 298 against Ilia Topuria.

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Will ‘The Great’s era come to an end in Anaheim? Will the young blood take over the 145 lbs division? Which fighters are you picking for the win in the aforementioned fights?

Also Read: ‘He Was Better Than Me Tonight’- Yair Rodriguez Makes No Excuses; Lauds Max Holloway for His Performance