Brian Ortega Injury Update and UFC Return Date

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Brian Ortega has shown the injury that forced him out of UFC 331 and says he already has another fight scheduled for November.

Ortega was expected to face Renato Moicano in a lightweight rematch Saturday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The fight was removed from the card after Ortega suffered a cut above his left eye that required stitches.

“This one hurts,” Ortega wrote in a statement reported by MMA Fighting.

Ortega shared images and video showing the cut and the medical treatment he received. He said he was on weight and had completed one of the best training camps of his career before the injury.

The former UFC featherweight title challenger also said his lightweight debut has been moved to November. An opponent, date and location have not been announced by the UFC.

UFC 331 Will Continue With 12 Fights

Ortega’s withdrawal also removed Moicano from UFC 331. According to a separate MMA Fighting report, Moicano will instead face Tom Nolan in the main event of UFC Vegas 123 on October 31.

The change leaves UFC 331 with 12 fights. Joshua Van’s flyweight championship rematch against Alexandre Pantoja remains the main event, while Arman Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy in the lightweight co-main event.

The UFC 331 event page now lists Gable Steveson’s heavyweight fight against Sean Sharaf on the main card.

Athlon Sports MMA Team has maintained a living calendar of the remaining UFC events in 2026, including UFC 331 and the promotion’s October and November schedule.

The team also examined Ilia Topuria’s unresolved lightweight title picture, which could eventually be affected by the result of Tsarukyan’s fight with Ruffy.

UFC 331 is the second event in eight days to lose a prominent matchup. Athlon Sports MMA Team previously detailed Yair Rodriguez’s withdrawal from Noche UFC and Jose Miguel Delgado’s short-notice move into the main event.

Ortega’s Lightweight Debut Is Delayed Again

Ortega and Moicano were first scheduled to meet again at UFC 326 in March, but Ortega withdrew because of injuries. Their original fight took place at UFC 214 in 2017, when Ortega submitted Moicano in the third round.

The latest cancellation also delays Ortega’s move from featherweight to lightweight. He has not competed since losing a decision to Aljamain Sterling in August 2025.

Ortega told followers that he will return to training with a reorganized team. However, his November fight should be treated as Ortega’s stated plan until the UFC announces the matchup.

TalkSPORT also reported that Ortega intends to return in November but identified no confirmed opponent.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.