Dustin Ortiz carries energy from 15-second KO into UFC 220

BOSTON – Every fighter says it: There’s nothing like a knockout.

Few of them, however, get to say they got one in 15 seconds. UFC flyweight Dustin Ortiz set a record for his division when he dropped Hector Sandoval in his previous fight.

“It’s something that you see on TV, but you don’t think it’s going to happen to you,” Ortiz (17-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC), who on Saturday meets Alexandre Pantoja (18-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at UFC 220, told MMAjunkie. “When it does, I was speechless. I was speechless until I went back and watched it. It’s like, my name is in history.”

Ortiz still buzzes about his accomplishment – because it came just in time. He was low after being choked out by up-and-comer Brandon Moreno in his previous fight, and the win encouraged him to keep moving forward toward his goal of becoming champion.

“It’s here in my heart, my mind, my body, and I carry it around,” he said. “When I need a little extra (energy), I think about that, and it gets me going.

“It’s been a lot of ups and downs, and I’m waiting for the breakthrough. And that’s what it was. You can do this. Remember this and carry on this belief and know-how that you can do it.”

Ortiz now faces Pantoja, a two-time UFC vet who’s looking for traction in the UFC’s 125-pound division. The two meet on UFC 220’s FS1-televised prelims at TD Garden in Boston.

Ortiz cites his record against newer fighters as one reason he should come out ahead on Saturday. Although he learned never to take an opponent for granted after his loss to Moreno, he expects to show off his superior skills.

If he just so happens to get another quick knockout, he won’t complain.

“(Pantoja) not going to come in here and do what he wants,” Ortiz said.

Watch the interview above to hear Ortiz talk about his record-setting knockout and his fight with Pantoja.

And for more on UFC 220, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.