Brian Ortega has officially withdrawn from his scheduled bout against Renato Moicano at UFC 326 due to a series of injuries that require recovery and physical therapy. The announcement was made through Ortega’s Instagram account, where he expressed that he is generally in good health and does not need surgery, but must take time to heal.
This fight was set to be Ortega’s debut in the lightweight division, a transition he has been planning for over a year. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait to see him in the new weight class until later in 2026. Ortega commented, “Obviously, the news is coming out that no longer am I fighting March 7 in Vegas. I’m OK. Health is good. No surgeries, nothing crazy like that, but I do need to take a little bit, some time off to nurse these injuries that I have right now.”
Despite this setback, Ortega remains optimistic, stating he still intends to fight twice this year once he recovers. He holds a past submission victory over Moicano, dating back to UFC 217 in July 2017, which adds an intriguing layer to their rivalry.
Throughout his career, Ortega has faced significant time off due to injuries, with notable absences from action taking place from December 2018 to October 2020 and again from July 2022 to February 2024. His recent move to lightweight follows a challenging stretch at featherweight, where he had a 2-5 record, including high-profile title fights against champions Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski, both of which earned Fight of the Night honors.
In recent years, Ortega has struggled with weight management at featherweight, leading to a dramatic weight miss for UFC 303 against Diego Lopes the day of the fight, and complications during his previous weight cut for a match against Aljamain Sterling.
UFC 326 is set to take place on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, headlined by a BMF title bout featuring Max Holloway, the current ceremonial titleholder, and challenger Charles Oliveira. Fans will undoubtedly be eager to see Ortega return to the octagon when he is fully healed and ready to compete.