TLDR
- Brian Ortega says UFC deliberately keeps out elite fighters from other promotions who could beat its roster
- Ortega called the UFC a ‘marketing machine’ while training with former Bellator champion A.J. McKee
- The UFC fighter praised McKee’s skills despite him competing outside the promotion
- Ortega returns to action against Renato Moicano at UFC 331 on September 19 in Los Angeles
- McKee fights for the Rizin and PFL featherweight titles on September 5 in Japan
Sources: middleeasy.com | yardbarker.com
UFC featherweight Brian Ortega has made controversial statements about his employer, claiming the promotion intentionally avoids signing certain elite fighters who could defeat its current roster.
Ortega made the comments while training with A.J. McKee, the former Bellator champion who competes outside the UFC. McKee is scheduled to challenge Rajabali Shaidullaev for the Rizin and vacant PFL featherweight titles at Super Rizin 5 on September 5 in Osaka, Japan.
UFC Functions as Marketing Machine
“The UFC is just a marketing machine,” Ortega said on Anatomy of a Fighter, according to Sherdog. “There [are] people outside [the UFC] that would whoop us, and they know it. They are not inviting them.”
The former featherweight title challenger went further in his assessment of fighters competing outside the UFC. He stated that genuine technique and heart cannot be faked, suggesting McKee represents the highest level of competition despite fighting in other promotions.
AJ McKee is training with Brian Ortega ahead of his fight with Razhabali Shaydullaev at Super Rizin 5 👀
🗣️ Ortega: “The UFC is just a marketing machine. There is people outside [the UFC] that would whoop us, and they know it.
There’s no faking technique and skill.”
(via… pic.twitter.com/GMTGhFouVA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 6, 2026
Ortega has been training alongside McKee in preparation for both of their upcoming fights. The UFC veteran expressed admiration for McKee’s skills and abilities inside the cage.
McKee formerly held the Bellator featherweight title and has built a reputation as one of the best fighters outside the UFC. He enters his title bout against Shaidullaev on a three-fight winning streak.
Shaidullaev brings an undefeated record of 19-0 to the matchup, with all 19 victories coming by finish. The September 5 card represents a unification clash between Rizin and PFL at featherweight.
Ortega Returns After Losses
Ortega will return to action against Renato Moicano at UFC 331 on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The fight serves as a rematch between the two featherweights.
The matchup comes at a critical time for Ortega, who has suffered back-to-back losses in his recent UFC appearances. He currently holds a professional record of 16-5 overall.
Moicano enters the rematch with a 21-7 professional record. The Brazilian lightweight has competed in both the featherweight and lightweight divisions during his UFC career.
Ortega previously challenged for the UFC featherweight title on two occasions. He lost to Max Holloway in 2018 and Alexander Volkanovski in 2021 in his title bids.
The California native’s comments about the UFC’s signing strategy have sparked discussion within the MMA community. His statements suggest tension between the promotion’s business interests and pure competitive merit.
Ortega’s willingness to train with fighters outside the UFC demonstrates his commitment to testing himself against top-level competition regardless of promotional affiliation. The September 19 rematch with Moicano will determine whether Ortega can return to winning form after his recent setbacks.
