Preview! Can ‘T-City’ Evict ‘Pantera’ From Top 5?

Two-time 145-pound title challenger Brian Ortega will risk his No. 2 spot in the division Top 5 when he collides with No. 3-ranked featherweight striker Yair Rodriguez in the upcoming UFC Long Island main event, locked and loaded for TODAY (Sat., July 16, 2022) on ABC from inside UBS Arena at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.

Check out their official fight video preview embedded above.

Ortega (15-2, 1 NC) is looking to rebound from his unanimous decision loss to reigning featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 266 last September. The one-time Modelo spokesperson has only lost twice during his eight years under the UFC banner but both losses have come in 145-pound title fights.

Rodriguez (13-3, 1 NC) is also coming off a five-round decision loss, thanks to the busier hands of former champ Max Holloway in their UFC Vegas 42 main event. That defeat marked the only appearance for “El Pantera” since late 2019, and like his UFC Long Island opponent, Rodriguez has only fell twice inside the Octagon.

Ortega remains a slight betting favorite for today’s contest.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Long Island fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 11 a.m. ET, followed by the ABC/ESPN+ main card start time at 2 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Long Island news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archives here, here, and here. For the updated and finalized “Ortega vs. Rodriguez” fight card and ABC/ESPN/ESPN+ lineup click here.