UFC 306 live blog: Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes
This is the UFC 306 live blog for Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes, the featured fight on the pay-per-view main card this Saturday in Las Vegas.
Ortega and Lopes were originally scheduled to fight in at UFC 303 in June, until a series of unfortunate events led Ortega to withdraw from the bout just a few hours before they were set to compete. While that would normally be a catastrophic end, instead Lopes and the UFC found an unprecedented solution: Dan Ige came to the arena and stepped in as a replacement on just a few hours notice.
Lopes ended up winning a decision over Ige, but perhaps more importantly won the hearts and minds of fans for his willingness to fight anyone, at any time, which also made him a darling of the UFC, who promptly granted his wish to re-book this fight for UFC 306.
Check out the UFC 306 featured fight live blog below.
Prefight:
Before this one they reveal the UFC 307 lineup in full and Jose Aldo on the prelims is a sight. Fourth to last, too.
Very excited for this featherweight fight we missed out on in July.
The Sphere shows the Independence Day bell celebration. Super cool.
Here comes Diego Lopes and the crowd is rightfully hyped. How do you not love the guy?
Ortega enters. I would say the same about him but we know that Jed Meshew exists.
Round 1:
Fighters touch gloves and it’s on.
A massive right-left hook combo smashes Ortega early and hurts him bad. Lopes swarms to pursue the finish. Lopes punches away with ground and pound. Ortega looks for any grip to find a submission. Lopes jumps in and gets half-mount and the back of Ortega as they scramble briefly. Lopes stands while Ortega looks for up kicks. Hammerfists from the bottom by Ortega.
Lopes steps away to let Ortega up. Nice jab from Ortega. Uppercut sneaks through for Ortega as he gets back to jabbing. Lopes looks a bit slower after the flurry but lands a nice shovel hook. Overhand right lands for Lopes. Nice calf kick for Lopes. Ortega fires one back. Body hook followed by the left hook lands for Lopes.
30 seconds. Jab from Ortega. Another two-punch combo for Lopes misses, body kick for Ortega. Horn sounds.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9 for Lopes.
Round 2:
Calf kick starts the action for Lopes. Another fast two-punch combo connects for Lopes before the calf kick. Right hook catches Ortega as he moves in. Right hook is becoming a magnet to Ortega’s face. Singe leg takedown attempt thwarted by Lopes as he lands uppercuts in defense. Calf kick again for Lopes.
Jumping left hook misses for Lopes. Big right comes shortly after and gets through for Lopes. Head kick from Lopes is briefly caught while landing. The speed of Lopes’ hands is evident. Lopes drops Ortega with the calf kick. They’re accumulating.
Another strong calf kick chops away at Ortega. One-two for Ortega. Ortega checks the calf kick this time. Something appears to be going on with Lopes’ throat as he keeps touching it.
Jab from Ortega maybe grazes at best. Horn sounds.
MMA Fightings scores the round 10-9 Lopes.
Round 3:
Ortega opens the round targeting the jab. There’s some big swelling on Ortega’s leg from the kicks as he takes another. Left hook grazes for Lopes. Double jab gets through for Ortega. Lopes keeps chopping away.
Left hand up high gets through for Lopes. Big right hand follows. The jab is starting to find its home for Ortega. Double hook combo for Lopes lands again. Orteg’s jab is working nicely now as they trade straight rights. Another leg kick from Lopes.
Sneaky takedown attempt from Ortega gets stuffed against the cage. They trade right hands. Left hooks connect for Lopes. Big one-two combo might have hurt Ortega again but he plays it off well before Lopes gets ahold of him with standing back control. They break.
Jab from Lopes lands and Ortega fires back. Slapping hook from Lopes. Big slip and rip left hook smacks Ortega to get the knockdown. Lopes takes the back seeking a late rear-naked but loses it. They trade wildly in the final seconds. Horn sounds. Wild ending there.
MMA Fighting scores the round 10-8 Lopes, 30-26 Lopes overall.
Official Decision: 30-26, 30-27, 30-27 - Unanimous Decision for Lopes.
Post-fight:
Lopes has gotten so much better so quickly. Can’t wait to see what’s next for him. Speaking of which, he makes no specific callout, just wants whoever he gets. Well, sir. That could be a title shot.
