Overview
- The UFC confirmed late Monday that Brian Ortega was removed from his Sept. 19 UFC 331 bout with Renato Moicano after he suffered a cut above his eye that required stitches.
- Ortega posted photos on Instagram saying the injury forced him out, apologizing to fans and saying he expects to return to competition in November.
- Renato Moicano was pulled from UFC 331 and rebooked to headline UFC Fight Night (UFC Vegas 123) against rising Australian Tom Nolan on Oct. 31 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
- The removal leaves UFC 331 with 12 fights and prompted the promotion to promote Gable Steveson vs. Sean Sharaf to the main card for the Los Angeles event.
- This is the second time in 2026 the Ortega–Moicano rematch has collapsed, raising questions about Ortega’s short‑term availability and delaying his planned move to lightweight while giving Nolan a first main‑event opportunity.