Renato Moicano Rips Brian Ortega for Chickening Out of UFC 331 Rematch

Renato Moicano isn’t buying Brian Ortega’s excuse for pulling out of their UFC 331 rematch.

“Brian Ortega chickened out of our fight… the easiest fight in the division just slipped right through my fingers,” Moicano said via MMA Fighting.

Ortega withdrew from the fight due to a deep cut above his eye that required stitches, telling fans on Instagram he was “on weight” and had been training hard through one of his best camps. A photo circulating online appeared to show the visible damage just days before the bout.

This marks the second time the Ortega-Moicano rematch has fallen apart, after an earlier attempt to book it at UFC 326 also collapsed due to Ortega’s injuries. The two originally fought back in 2017 at UFC 214. ‘T-City’ won that bout by submission.

Renato Moicano’s New Opponent

With the fight scrapped and no short-notice replacement found, Renato Moicano was pulled from UFC 331 entirely. He’s since been rebooked to headline UFC Vegas 123 on October 31 at the Apex in Las Vegas, this time against surging lightweight Tom Nolan.

Nolan enters the matchup riding a five-fight win streak and is currently ranked in the top 15, having most recently beaten Fares Ziam. Moicano, fresh off a submission win over Chris Duncan, will be looking to extend his own momentum in his fourth UFC main event.

As for Ortega, he hasn’t fought since dropping a decision to Aljamain Sterling in August 2025 and now sits on a two-fight losing skid, with no timetable given for his return.

Also read: Tom Aspinall Steps Away From Everything: UFC Heavyweight Champion Vacates Title, Announces Social Media Break in Same Breath

About The Author

Chynelle Dirksz

A sports enthusiast turned writer, I bring a multi-sport perspective to my coverage. From playing basketball, handball, and throwball to competing as an athlete, sport has always been at the core of who I am, and writing became the natural way to channel that passion.

At To The Lane And Back, I cover Tottenham Hotspur, focusing on transfers, academy developments, and everything in between. I also write about UFC and MMA for UFCDailyNews.com, a site I designed, covering breaking news, fight analysis, and the latest developments in combat sports.

When I’m not writing, I’m probably being outsmarted by my two Labradors.

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