Brian Ortega‘s loss at UFC Shanghai has been the talk of the fight world – not just for the lopsided scorecards, but also for the deeper struggles that led up to it; the two-time title challenger entered the cage already exhausted and in poor health, which fans, commentators, and fellow fighters noticed, but few knew the full extent of what he had to go through to get there. Now, breaking his silence following the defeat, ‘T-City’ has revealed everything that happened behind the scenes, including a trip to the ER.

The fight was a one-sided affair. Aljamain Sterling made it seem easy, controlling the action from beginning to end, and all three judges scored it 50-45. The crowd’s disappointment mirrored Ortega’s performance: drained, barely able to defend himself, and eventually left on his back with nothing else to give.

But the actual story didn’t unfold under the bright lights; it started long before the first bell rang. It was during a candid video posted on Instagram that Ortega finally opened up about the horrifying ordeal. “I hit 20 minutes on the bike. Once I got off, I went unconscious. I was unconscious for about 30 minutes. During that time, they were putting ice on me… Woke up in the ER,” he explained.

The reality of his condition hit hard, revealing that his weakness at weigh-ins was not a ruse or an exaggeration – it was a life-threatening situation. Brian Ortega went on to say that his health was at risk, but his priorities were clear. “After that weigh-in, we figured if I didn’t feel good, or if something was seriously off, that we would call the fight. It don’t matter who you are; like, your health comes first. Always stand by that.”

The fighter’s words served as both a confession and a warning to others who want glory at any cost. Still, Ortega chose to fight – not for titles or rankings, but for something much more personal. “First and foremost, I decided to fight for my family… Secondly, I fought for you guys.” According to ‘T-City,’ it would have been highly “unfair” of him not to show up for his fans.

Well, his decision surely revealed much about his character: loyalty, gratitude, and commitment even when his body failed him. However, it also raises a fundamental question in some fans’ minds: Should Brian Ortega still compete at featherweight? Clearly, making the 145-lb limit seems challenging for Ortega.

UFC Shanghai wasn’t the first time Ortega struggled with cutting weight. He was scheduled to face Diego Lopes at UFC 303, but struggles with weight cutting forced him out of the bout, and Dan Ige stepped in to face the Brazilian former title contender. Moreover, when he was rebooked against Lopes at UFC 306, the bout was contested at 155 lbs. So where does that leave ‘T-City’ right now? Well, it seems like the California native has learned some important lessons after his recent weight cut.

Brian Ortega reveals his learnings from the disastrous weight cut

The loss at UFC Shanghai didn’t just take a toll on Ortega’s body; it forced him to look inward and confront the choices that led him there. Further on in the aforementioned Instagram video, he spoke up about his failures and the harsh lessons he’s learned. And we won’t be wrong when we say that his willingness to accept the outcome without making excuses stood out more than his fight performance. “ There’s a lot of things that I learned from this one,” Ortega admitted.

‘T-City’ further added, “There’s a lot of factors in cutting weight when you travel… I take full responsibility for everything. It’s just a lesson we learned, and we’re taking consideration for the future.” His statements showed a real sense of maturity, one that values accountability rather than playing the blame game. Brian Ortega also discussed the psychological impact of the loss, surprising many by saying he did not descend into despair.

He explained that, unlike previous failures, the last two weeks have not been filled with despair or depression but rather have helped him better understand his mental condition and see the setback as another lesson in his journey. Well, with such introspection, his fans surely can be comforted that a banger comeback is inevitable. But is a move up in weight class due at this point? One has to wonder.