Alexander Volkanovski leaks planned date for Brian Ortega TUF coaches fight

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has leaked the planned date for his upcoming TUF coaches’ fight against rival Brian Ortega.

Volkanovski and Ortega will be the coaches of The Ultimate Fighter 29, which starts airing next week on June 1. The two featherweights were originally supposed to meet at UFC 260 in March but the fight was scrapped after Volkanovski tested positive for COVID-19. Following the cancelation of the fight, the UFC decided to book them as the TUF coaches and keep the matchup intact, and we now have a potential date for the re-booked bout.

Speaking to Joe Rogan on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Volkanovski leaked out when his fight with Ortega is supposed to happen, admitting that it’s planned to take place this fall.

“From what I’m told, and I don’t know if I’m going to get in trouble saying this, I’m not sure. But I think it’s September, early September. I’m guessing (in the United States),” Volkanovski said of the date and location.

While it’s unfortunate that this fight wasn’t able to take place in March as originally anticipated, September is only three more months away so it’s not that long of a wait now that the TUF 29 season has been filmed. Both men will likely enter their training camps in the next month or so in anticipation of this fall meeting between these two elite 145lbers.

Looking at the UFC’s upcoming pay-per-view calendar, UFC 266 on September 4 seems to make a lot of sense as a potential landing spot for this fight. That card is set to be headlined by UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz against Glover Teixeira, so a co-main event pitting Volkanovski vs. Ortega for the featherweight belt seems ideal.

Who do you think wins The Ultimate Fighter 29 coaches fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega for the UFC featherweight title?