Brian Ortega’s time in the featherweight division might be coming to an end! ‘T-City’ is known as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the 145 lbs division and has competed for the title twice against Max Holloway in 2018 and Alexander Volkanovski in 2021. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Ortega revealed that “There’s no title fight for me anytime soon because of what’s going on in the game…”, and highlighted Holloway and Volkanovski’s current positions as his reasoning behind why he decided to pursue the move up to 155 lbs.

His plans, however, were thrown for a loop when Ortega was announced as part of the new UFC 303 lineup after Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from the card. Now, scheduled to take on the rising star, Diego Lopes in a short-notice match-up on June 29, let’s take a look and learn all we know about his gym, coaches, and more ahead of what could be his last fight in the featherweight division.

Brian Ortega’s gym and coaches

Brian Ortega’s journey into combat sports began when he was just 13 years old! His father enrolled him at the ‘Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy’ in Torrance, California, where he caught the eye of head coach, Rener Gracie. Seeing the potential of the young Ortega, Gracie decided to take ‘T-City’ under his wing and when Ortega’s father was unable to continue to pay for his training because of financial difficulties, Gracie decided to take on the tuition fees himself.

In a UFC Journey video, Rener Gracie revealed that he not only gave Ortega his black belt but also his nickname as he confessed that the UFC featherweight’s child-like appearance at 14 years old would give people at the gym false confidence about their ability to roll with him. He confessed, “…they would go roll with him, and then these monsters are getting tapped out. Triangle, triangle choke, triangle choke, triangle choke. You just knew they would underestimate him, and they would get triangle choked. I’m like hey, Triangle City. T-City.”

Rener Gracie isn’t the only reason behind Ortega’s success in the sport as in his UFC 266 countdown video from 2021, ‘T-City’ revealed that along with Gracie, who had been in his corner for 17 years at that point, his team at ‘Black House MMA’ has been the “best thing that’s ever happened in my career.” Ortega then stated that his strength and conditioning coach is Mike Saffaie, Paul Herrera is his wrestling coach and Tiki Ghosn handles the manager’s role for him.

Rounding out the team are Jason Park, his Muay Thai coach, and Jesus Avila, his boxing coach. However, as the saying goes, ‘iron sharpens iron’, and so, let’s explore who are the main teammates and training partners for Ortega at his gym.

Who are Ortega’s teammates at Black House MMA?

The Black House MMA Gym has a long history of producing elite fighters in the sport. Names like Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and the Nogueira Brothers, Antonio Rogerio, and Antonio Rodrigo, all trained at the gym during their illustrious UFC careers. Now, their legacy is being carried forward by fighters like Brian Ortega, Alan Jouban, and Sheymon Moraes.

According to information available on Tapology, other notable names that train out of ‘Black House MMA’ include Mackenzie Dern, Bubba ‘Bad Man’ Jenkins, Maycon Mendonca, and Sabina ‘Colombian Queen’ Mazo. In conclusion, Brian Ortega’s journey, shaped by dedication and teamwork, exemplifies the spirit of MMA.

Whether he continues at 145 lbs or moves up to 155 lbs, Ortega’s legacy in the sport highlights his reputation as one of the most formidable competitors in the featherweight division.