Top five UFC featherweights Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez will clash this Saturday in Elmont, New York.
Ortega is looking to work his way back into becoming a contender for the UFC featherweight championship. He lost his last fight against the champion Alexander Volkanovski by unanimous decision at UFC 266 on Sep. 25, 2021.
Although he lost his second attempt at winning the featherweight championship, Ortega could find his way back to another opportunity. If he beats Rodriguez, the former title challenger could be one or two fights away from competing for the division title for the third time.
Rodriguez hopes to bounce back from his unanimous decision loss against Max Holloway at UFC Vegas 42 on Nov. 13, 2021. While he didn’t beat Holloway, Rodriguez impressed MMA fans with his performance after not competing in over two years.
Volkanovski needs another challenger to defend his championship against after defeating Holloway for the third time at UFC 276 on Jul. 2. Ranked fourth in the division, Rodriguez could present a fresh matchup for the champion. A win over Ortega puts Rodriguez in immediate conversation to fight for the UFC featherweight championship.
Check back at MMA News this weekend for our coverage of UFC Long Island: Ortega vs. Rodriguez.
UFC Long Island: Ortega vs. Rodriguez Fight Card
(Final card & bout order subject to change)
Main Card:
- #2 Brian Ortega (15-2) vs. #4 Yair Rodriguez (13-3)- Featherweight Main Event
- #10 Michelle Waterson (18-9) vs. #11 Amanda Lemos (11-2-1)- Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event
- #14 Li Jingliang (18-7) vs. Muslim Salikhov (18-2)- Welterweight
- #8 Matt Schnell (15-7) vs. #11 Sumudaerji (16-4)- Flyweight
- #14 Shane Burgos (14-3) vs. Charles Jourdain (13-4-1)- Featherweight
- #3 Lauren Murphy (15-5) vs. #10 Miesha Tate (19-8)- Women’s Flyweight
Prelims:
- #11 Ricky Simon (19-3) vs. #14 Jake Shore (16-0)- Bantamweight
- Punahele Soriano (8-2) vs. Dalcha Lungiambula (11-4)- Middleweight
- Bill Algeo (15-6) vs. Herbert Burns (11-3)- Featherweight
- #15 Dustin Jacoby (17-5-1) vs. Da-Un Jung (15-2-1)- Light Heavyweight
- Dwight Grant (11-5) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (13-4)- Middleweight
- #14 Jessica Penne (14-5) vs. Emily Ducote (11-6)- Women’s Strawweight
and MMA Fighting
When is UFC Long Island: Ortega vs. Rodriguez?
UFC Long Island: Ortega vs. Rodriguez takes place on Jul. 16 at the UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
The main card will begin at 2 PM EST/11 AM PST. The prelims will take place at 11 AM EST/8 AM PST. The UFC has advertised the time on their website. However, it could change.
How to Watch?
UFC Long Island: Ortega vs. Rodriguez main card and prelims will stream live on ESPN+ in the United States. The main card will air live on the ABC, while the prelims will be on ESPN. Tickets for the event are still available on Ticketmaster, with the lowest ticket price being $70.