Rodriguez wins at UFC Long Island after Ortega hurts shoulder
One of the most anticipated main events of 2022 ended in anticlimactic fashion.
Yair Rodriguez defeated Brian Ortega via TKO at the 4:11 mark of the first round after Ortega suffered an injury at UFC Long Island on Saturday in Elmont, New York.
Ortega appeared to hurt his shoulder while trying to escape an armbar attempt by Rodriguez on the ground. The former title challenger immediately slumped to the canvas in pain and was surrounded by medical staff afterward.
"I was not in submission danger," Ortega said in his postfight interview. "I felt good. I was trying to clear the leg, and then my arm just popped out."
He added: "I wanted to keep going. ... I got two shoulder surgeries already, and I might need a third one. Who knows."
There was no feeling-out process between Rodriguez and Ortega - who were the Nos. 3 and 2 contenders, respectively - in their featherweight showcase in which a title shot against Alexander Volkanovski was potentially on the line.
Though the round had been competitive, Rodriguez appeared to be ahead at the time of the stoppage. The Mexican-born fighter stung "T-City" with sharp punches and neutralized his opponent's grappling attempts in the clinch.
Rodriguez said afterward he's open to an immediate rematch with Ortega but "of course" also wants to challenge Volkanovski for the title.
"I already told (Ortega) we can run it back anytime," Rodriguez said postfight. "We can do this. But I would rather do it for a championship instead of being in this situation like this. But whatever the UFC decides, I'm OK with whatever."
Ortega said he's also interested in a second fight should the UFC decide not to give Rodriguez a title shot.
"Yair, if you don't get the title fight, or whatever happens, I want to get it," Ortega said. "Let's do this right. This is not the right way. I'm so sorry. I want both of us to leave it all in here because that's what we came to do."
With the victory, Rodriguez bounced back from a back-and-forth defeat to former champion Max Holloway last November. He's 3-1 (one no-contest) in his last five Octagon outings.
Ortega, who was trying to get back on track after losing to Volkanovski last September, has now dropped two fights in a row and is 1-3 in his last four appearances.