Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega Rematch Targeted for UFC 331 in Los Angeles
Renato Moicano may finally get the chance to face Brian Ortega at UFC 331 per reports. The pair were set to fight at UFC 326 but Ortega pulled out of the fight.
It looks like the UFC is trying to give us the fight fans missed out on earlier this year. Renato Moicano and Brian Ortega are currently in advanced negotiations to throw down at UFC 331 on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles.
MMA reporter Leo Guimaraes broke the news, and if contracts get signed, fans are finally getting the clash that fell apart back at UFC 326 in March.
That original setup ended in heartbreak when Ortega had to pull out at the last minute because of an injury. It sucked for everyone involved; Moicano was left hanging, fans missed a guaranteed banger, and Ortega was forced to sit on the sidelines while his body healed up. Dropping the rematch into Ortega’s backyard in LA feels like the perfect way to make it up to everyone.
A Second Chance After UFC 326 Heartbreak
There is a ton of history here. These two first shared the Octagon way back in July 2017 at UFC 214.
Both contestants came in as undefeated prospects, but Ortega snatched Moicano’s zero by catching him in a nasty third-round guillotine choke. That wild, back-and-forth war scored Fight of the Night honors, but it also handed Moicano the very first loss of his pro career.
Moicano has wanted that one back ever since. The American Top Team representative has become a massive fan favorite over the last couple of years, thanks to his relentless ground game and some of the most hilarious, unhinged post-fight mic moments in recent memory.
Statistics Behind the Pairing
The numbers tell you everything about how close this fight is on paper. Moicano brings a 21-7-1 record into the Octagon, landing 49 percent of his significant strikes and averaging nearly two takedowns per fight.
Ortega sits at 16-5 with one no-contest, bringing a submission-heavy arsenal that makes him dangerous every single second a fight goes to the mat.
Both fighters are desperate for a statement win at 155 lbs to stay in the title picture. If the UFC wraps up these negotiations smoothly, expect serious trash talk in LA this September.
