TLDR
- Brian Ortega pulled out of UFC 331 on September 19 due to a deep cut above his right eye suffered during training
- The fight against Renato Moicano has been rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 292 on October 31 with Tom Nolan replacing Ortega
- Ortega was on weight and called this one of the best training camps of his career before the injury
- This is the second time in 2026 that the Ortega vs Moicano rematch has been cancelled
- Ortega plans to return in November and has gone 2-4 over his last six fights since 2020
Sources: yardbarker.com | sports.yahoo.com
Brian Ortega has withdrawn from his scheduled fight against Renato Moicano at UFC 331 on September 19 after suffering a cut above his right eye during training. The UFC confirmed the injury and cancelled the main card matchup just days before the event.
Ortega posted images and video on Instagram showing the deep laceration above his right eye and the stitches he received to close the wound. The 35-year-old fighter expressed his disappointment in a statement on social media.
“This one hurts,” Ortega wrote. “I have to pull out of the fight because of the stitches in my eye.”
The former featherweight title challenger said he was already on weight and had completed what he believed was one of his best training camps. He was looking forward to fighting in his hometown of Los Angeles in front of family and friends.
Moicano Gets New Opponent
The UFC has found a replacement opponent for Moicano in Tom Nolan. Their fight has been moved from UFC 331 to UFC Fight Night 292 on October 31.
Rumors about Ortega’s injury started Monday when rapper Lecrae posted a video showing Ortega at a restaurant with a patch above his eye. The UFC made the cancellation official hours later.
Ortega plans to return quickly from the setback. “My next fight is in soon, so I’m getting right back to training,” he said in his statement.
He promised to be back in November and mentioned bringing new people into his training camp. “I’m excited to show you guys a new side of me,” Ortega added.
Second Cancellation This Year
This marks the second time in 2026 that Ortega’s rematch with Moicano has fallen apart. The lightweight bout was originally scheduled for UFC 326 on March 7 but was cancelled when Ortega revealed nagging injuries forced him out.
🚨 Looks like Brian Ortega might have a cut over his right eye
He's scheduled to fight Renato Moicano at UFC 331 this weekend 😬
(via christy_noel/IG) pic.twitter.com/oS4ydWg0gR
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 14, 2026
The withdrawal continues a pattern of fight cancellations that have affected Ortega’s career. In June 2024, he withdrew from a bout against Diego Lopes at UFC 303 on the day of the event after a difficult weight cut caused his body to shut down.
Dan Ige stepped in on just hours’ notice to replace him. The Lopes fight was later rebooked for UFC 306 in September, where Ortega lost by unanimous decision.
Ortega also had to pull out of a December 2019 main event against Chan Sung Jung weeks before fight night due to a torn ACL and other knee injuries. That fight was eventually rescheduled for October 2020, when Ortega won by unanimous decision.
The San Pedro native joined the UFC in 2014 and quickly became a top featherweight contender. He won his first six promotional fights, including a submission victory over Moicano on July 29, 2017.
Ortega challenged Max Holloway for the featherweight title in 2018 but lost by TKO. He earned a second title shot against Alexander Volkanovski in 2021 after defeating Jung but lost by unanimous decision.
Over the last six years, Ortega has compiled a 2-4 record. He did not compete at all in 2023 and has not won a fight since February 2024.
His most recent appearance came on August 23, 2025, when he faced Aljamain Sterling at UFC Shanghai at a 153-pound catchweight after missing the featherweight limit. After that bout, Ortega announced he would move up to lightweight.
Ortega’s current UFC record stands at 16-5. Moicano holds a 21-7 record and will now face Nolan on October 31 instead.
