A UFC title shot will officially be on the line this Saturday when featherweight contenders Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung meet at UFC Fight Night in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
UFC president Dana White told ESPN on Wednesday that the winner of Saturday’s main event will “absolutely” be next to challenge 145-pound champion Alex Volkanovski.
“It’s absolutely a No. 1 contender fight,” White said. “First of all, this fight should have happened a long time ago. We’re finally here. All the crazy stuff that’s happened. Crazy stuff always happens in this sport. Zombie [Jung] vs. Ortega. Absolutely, the winner of this fight should be the next title shot.”
The UFC tried to book this matchup last December, but Ortega was forced to pull out with a knee injury. The fight likely would have happened earlier this year were it not for logistical issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ortega (14-1) has not fought since he came up short in a title bid against then-champion Max Holloway in December 2018. The 29-year-old has made significant changes to his fight team since, and he recently told ESPN he doesn’t want to look anything like his old self in this long-awaited comeback.
Jung (16-5), nicknamed The Korean Zombie, has been on a tear since rejoining the UFC’s featherweight division in 2017 following his mandatory military service in South Korea. He is 3-1 since returning, with first-round finishes against Dennis Bermudez Renato Moicano and Frankie Edgar.