Just moments ago, former UFC Featherweight title challenger, Brian Ortega, failed to make weight for his highly-anticipated UFC Shanghai co-main event clash versus former Bantamweight kingpin, Aljamain Sterling.
“T-City” was so far off the 145-pound mark that we earlier (and incorrectly) reported that the bout had been canceled; however, medical treatment, an eight-pound allowance and even more concessions for “Funk Master,” most likely, have allowed the bout to continue at a Catchweight of 153 pounds.
“T-City” has long been one of the bigger Featherweights on the roster, and he’s hinted at a Lightweight move in the past. At 34 years of age, it’s likely that the extreme water cut is growing more and more difficult for Ortega, so there’s a reasonably high chance this is his last attempt at making the Featherweight limit.
Ortega and Sterling are looking to rebound from losses to Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev, respectively. The winner should should to Featherweight contention, but Ortega’s trouble at the scale throws a wrench into those plans …. and not for the first time.
Stay tuned as more details are expected to emerge on this fast-developing story.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Shanghai fight card on fight night, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 3 a.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN+ at 6 a.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Shanghai news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Walker vs. Zhang” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.
