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UFC fighter Brian Ortega says he was ‘unconscious for about 30 minutes’ while trying to make weight for bout

<i>Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Ortega punches Aljamain Sterling during their UFC fight in Shanghai on August 23.

By CNN Newsource

Published September 10, 2025 7:30 am

By George Ramsay, CNN

(CNN) — UFC fighter Brian Ortega says that he went unconscious for 30 minutes while trying to make weight for his fight in Shanghai last month.

Ortega was scheduled to face Aljamain Sterling in a 145-pound featherweight bout at UFC Shanghai, but it was moved to a catchweight of 153 pounds after both fighters missed weight.

Looking gaunt and unwell when he took to the scales, the 34-year-old Ortega has now revealed the extent of his physical struggles while trying to lose weight for the fight.

“(I was) confused on how my body wasn’t really pouring out the water or why it was just holding it in,” Ortega said in a video on his Instagram on Tuesday. “But no matter what, we have to get this weight off … 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. They took all my clothes off. They left me in boxers. Woke up in the ER. I ripped everything off. I tried to speak, I couldn’t really translate to them because, if they don’t take everything off, I’m gonna take it off myself.

“So I started taking everything off myself. We knew that we had a time limit to get to the weigh-ins. Otherwise, I could not fight. If you saw the weigh-ins, you obviously know that I looked delirious and just coming off of being 30 minutes unconscious in the tunnel.”

Through strict diets and sweating to reduce their water weight, professional athletes in combat sports will push their bodies to the limit to lose weight temporarily ahead of fights, sometimes with dangerous consequences.

Ortega contemplated calling off the contest and said that he explained the situation to Sterling, who was understanding and prepared to face the replacement fighter instead. However, Ortega decided to go ahead despite still feeling faint ahead of the fight.

“Everything in my body is telling me not to fight,” he added. “First and foremost, I decided to fight for my family. That’s my job, to show up and do what I do for them. I fought for my family.

“Secondly, I fought for you guys because you’ve always shown me love. You guys have always supported me no matter what. It would be unfair to not show up for you guys, regardless of excuses.”

In the co-main event in Shanghai, former bantamweight title holder Sterling defeated Ortega by unanimous decision over five rounds.

CNN Sports has contacted UFC for comment.

Ortega, who has a 16-5-0 career record, said that there were “a lot of things that I learned” from trying to make weight for the fight.

“There’s a lot of factors in cutting weight when you travel – it retains a lot of water,” he added. “The time zone change was different. I take full responsibility for everything. You know, it’s just a lesson we learned, and to take into consideration for the future.”