Ortega moving to lightweight, gets Moicano rematch at UFC 326
Former featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega is moving up to the lightweight division to face Renato Moicano in a rematch at UFC 326, the promotion announced Saturday.
The event is scheduled to take place March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ortega is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak. The 34-year-old is coming off a unanimous decision defeat to former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC Shanghai in August. Ortega hasn't been victorious since he submitted Yair Rodriguez in February 2024.
His fight against Sterling was moved to a 153-pound catchweight after Ortega experienced a severe weight cut.
Moicano has also dropped back-to-back fights, losing to then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev by first-round submission at UFC 311 in January and Beneil Dariush via unanimous decision at UFC 317 in June. The 36-year-old Brazilian's most recent win came against Benoit Saint Denis in September 2024. Moicano is a former featherweight who moved up to 155 pounds in 2020.
The UFC also added a middleweight bout between Paulo Costa and Brunno Ferreira and a bantamweight matchup between Cody Garbrandt and Xiao Long to the card.
UFC 326 will be headlined by a rematch between BMF champion Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.