Brian Ortega says Ilia Topuria Must Earn Fight Against Him, “Top five is another world!”
Brian Ortega has shared an Octagon with a who’s who at featherweight – which is exactly why he thinks Ilia Topuria should pump the brakes on calling him out.
“He’s got a fight against Emmet,” Ortega stated when asked about Topuria’s callout. “Out of the top ten is different. Top ten is different, top five is another world. I’ve been in the top five for the last eight, six years.”
Topuria called out Ortega after his big win over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 282.
While Topuria is lined up for the biggest test against his career against Josh Emmett, Ortega is itching to get back in action – namely against the guys who have beaten him. Yair Rodriguez (who beat Emmett to become interim champion at UFC 284) or Max Holloway, specifically.
“Anyone that I’ve lost to, Max [Holloway], [Alexander] Volk[anovski], Yair [Rodriguez], I got something personal to prove to myself,” Ortega stated when asked about future opponents. “If you’re in the top five … you’re on the list [of guys I want to fight].”
Holloway is lined up for a fight against Arnold Allen on UFC on ESPN, with Josh Emmett taking on Ilia Topuria in a June Fight Night main event. Meanwhile, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski vs. interim champion Yair Rodriguez is being targeted for UFC 290 in July, though no official announcement has been made.
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