Daniel Cormier pitches opponent for Brian Ortega’s UFC lightweight debut

Daniel Cormier is pitching an opponent for Brian Ortega’s UFC lightweight debut.

UFC 303 takes place this weekend, Saturday, June 29th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The co-main event will feature Brian Ortega (16-3 MMA) in a featherweight bout with Diego Lopes (24-6 MMA).

Ortega last fought and defeated Yair Rodriguez (19-5 MMA) this past February.

Lopes has won three in a row coming into Saturday’s fight, his most recent victory coming against Sodiq Yusuff (13-4 MMA) at UFC 300 this past April.

‘T-City‘ had previously teased that he would be making his debut at lightweight at the Sphere in Las Vegas at UFC 306 this September.

With the news that Brian Ortega plans to move to lightweight, Daniel Cormier was quick to suggest an opponent for the 33-year-old.

Cormier, speaking with Brett Okamoto on the ‘ESPN MMA’ YouTube channel said:

“That would be so good! Charles, please! Charles, please!” 

That would be Charles Oliveira (34-10 MMA).

Continuing Cormier believes fighting ‘do Bronx’ would put Ortega in line for a Hall of Fame career:

“Well, think about this. Dustin Poirier, went up to ’55, Hall of Fame career. Charles Oliveira, Hall of Fame career. It can work!”

Daniel Cormier

Concluding, the UFC commentator gave some advice to Brian Ortega (h/t MMANews):

“Ortega has to ask himself this. Is his days, or his opportunity to challenge at 145 done? Those guys left when it seemed very clear they couldn’t make the weight or they could not challenge to be the best in the world. If those days are past him, then I feel that’s the right move. But if he thinks that he’s going to go up and down, I hate that.”

Do you think Ortega would be ready and prepared to fight at lightweight at UFC 306? Who do you expect to win this coming weekend at UFC 303 – Ortega or Lopes?

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