In the main duel of UFC: Fight Night on Long Island, a lot was really at stake. Two and three featherweights collided in the cage. The winner of the fight between Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez would thus come significantly closer to the title chance, which of course is not rejected. And since it was the highlight of the entire gala evening, the audience could wait for a five-round battle. In the end, not a single full five-minute film was needed.
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In the very first seconds, both fighters started it up and put uncompromising punches in the faces with quick combinations. This was especially felt by Rodriguez’s face, which after a while was slightly covered in blood. After a wild start, it turned into a roughly four-minute clinch, which first took place in the center of the octagon, after which the two rivals also measured their strength at the mesh.
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At the beginning of the fifth minute, Ortega managed to throw his opponent to the ground with a neck-breaking thrust, which, paradoxically, did him more harm. Rodriguez was able to find a position for the armbar, which, although he did not hold it firmly, still brought the end of the match. Thirty-one-year-old Ortega dislocated his shoulder while trying to pull his hand out of the grip and immediately knew something was wrong.
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A native of California lay down on his back in pain, and doctors rushed to his aid in no time. Rodriguez also checked the health of his opponent, who then went off to celebrate. There were no exuberant celebrations, as the unfortunate end of the match also affected the winner of the duel. The final announcement was not complete without the participation of the injured Ortega, who exchanged a few words with his rival in a friendly mood.
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“I was trying for an armbar and the moment I was getting into a better position, he started pulling his arm out. At that time he looked strange, I knew something happened,” Rodriguez recounted after the fight. “He stopped fighting, turned on his back and grabbed his shoulder. I realized something was happening, so I stopped fighting. He asked I said to him: hey, what’s going on? He said to me: my shoulder, my shoulder,” continued the Mexican wrestler, who is unclear about the next opponent.
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The defeated Ortega did not hide his disappointment. “I’m angry. Before the injury I was doing well, I was winning every minute. I stuck to our plan,” he explains. “When he gripped my hand, I dislocated my shoulder. It was a freak accident, it’s all for the hell of it. I sacrificed absolutely everything for the match,” continued the loser of the match, who is awaiting extensive medical attention in the near future visitation.
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“I’m going for an MRI to see how I’m doing. I pray I don’t have to have surgery. I’ve had two shoulder surgeries, I don’t want to go under the knife again,” believes the number two featherweight. “When I’m healthy, I’ll go back for it,” he added.
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