A featherweight clash between Brian Ortega and Aljamain Sterling will go ahead this Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Shanghai, but at a different weight class.
The fighters, originally scheduled for a 145-pound matchup, will meet at the lightweight limit of 155 pounds after both weighed in at 153 on Friday. The UFC did not provide an official reason for the change, though Ortega has long struggled with the featherweight cut and has hinted at a potential move to lightweight, News.Az reports, citing ESPN.
The bout is scheduled for five rounds in the co-main event at Mercedes-Benz Arena.
Sterling (24-5), a former 135-pound champion, moved up to featherweight following his 2019 title loss to Sean O'Malley. The 36-year-old is 1-1 since, most recently falling to top contender Movsar Evloev in December.
Ortega (16-4) has dropped three of his last four fights, though two of those defeats came against champions Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez.
