UFC president Dana White was very impressed by Brian Ortega’s performance on Saturday night where he tapped out top five-ranked contender Cub Swanson with a second round guillotine choke.
The win kept Ortega’s undefeated record in tact and moved him that much closer to challenging for the featherweight title in the future.
Unfortunately, White says as great as Ortega’s win was against Swanson, he’s still not ready to leapfrog him over Frankie Edgar, who remains the No. 1 contender to face champion Max Holloway next.
“There’s no way that [Brian] Ortega jumps over Frankie. Defnitely not,” White said.
The only question now remains timing for a title fight between Holloway and Edgar, which is the only thing White can’t guarantee right now.
Holloway is fresh off a third round TKO against Jose Aldo at UFC 218 while Edgar is recovering from a broken orbital bone suffered in training that kept him off the card in the first place.
Edgar has said that he’ll be ready by spring, which would likely fit into Holloway’s schedule for a return to action as well, although the UFC hasn’t confirmed anything just yet.
“Yeah it just, it all depends on timing,” White said. “When do we fight again? Who’s ready? Who’s not? But definitely Frankie seems like the No. 1 contender.”
