WATCH: “Getting Tracy Cortez back” – Brian Ortega’s INSANE comeback to choke Yair Rodriguez after almost blowing his ankle during warmup has fans in awe

Brian Ortega pulls off an incredible comeback after being rocked in the first round against Yair Rodriguez at UFC Mexico City.

WATCH: “Getting Tracy Cortez back” – Brian Ortega’s INSANE comeback to choke Yair Rodriguez after almost blowing his ankle during warmup has fans in awe

Brian Ortega submits Yair Rodriguez at UFC Mexico City (via Imago/X)

Comebacks in the UFC are a sight to behold. UFC Mexico City saw one of the best comebacks of this year. Brian Ortega pulled off an incredible comeback win at UFC Mexico City on Saturday. He survived early damage and submitted Yair Rodriguez after nearly blowing out his ankle pre-fight. This became a feel-good moment for Ortega after sitting out the entire 2023.

Ortega appeared to roll his ankle during introductions badly. Fans feared for the worst as their first bout ended via injury. But Ortega pushed through and put on a gutsy performance. Rodriguez battered Ortega with strikes in the opening round. He bloodied up Ortega with punches, knees, and kicks. Yair Rodriguez also scored key takedowns and ground-and-pound.

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Ortega turned the tide in Round 2 with ground control and nasty strikes from the top position. He carried this momentum into the third round to secure a takedown and mount. From there, Ortega put on an arm-triangle choke, and his BJJ skills proved worthy. A fatigued Rodriguez was forced to tap out. 

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Ortega could have easily pulled out pre-fight after the ankle scare. But he overcame the pain and made the most of his second chance with Rodriguez. His ankle bothered him during the fight. Ortega relied on his grappling to neutralize Rodriguez’s striking advantage. The win was huge for Ortega after losing his previous two fights to Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez. He dislocated his shoulder during the last Rodriguez fight. He overcame adversity and dramatically snapped his skid.

Fight fans reacted to Brian Ortega’s comeback victory over Yair Rodriguez

Brian Ortega pulled off an epic comeback against Yair Rodriguez in the UFC Mexico City co-main event. Fans were blown away by Ortega’s gutsy performance after nearly blowing out his ankle. His thrilling finish had MMA supporters buzzing on social media.

Fight fans react to Brian Ortega's intense submission win
Fight fans react to Brian Ortega’s intense submission win (via MMA Fighting)

Many fans wrote off Ortega after his scary ankle roll during introductions. Fight fans praised Ortega’s warrior mentality. Some fans focused on what the victory meant for Ortega’s career. Others felt this victory could lead him closer to a title shot against Ilia Topuria. Here are some of the reactions from fight fans:

Ortega’s heroics won over MMA supporters. His ability to overcome adversity and snatch victory from defeat was inspiring. Fans appreciated his efforts to go through the pain and get the finish. Ortega added another highlight-reel moment to his resume.

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