Brian Ortega says he’s rediscovered his love for MMA after getting caught up “living life in the fast lane”

UFC featherweight contender Brian Ortega has rediscovered his love for mixed martial arts as he prepares to return this weekend.

Ortega will be stepping back into the Octagon for the first time in almost two years when he fights The Korean Zombie in their Fight Island main event on Saturday night. Ortega will be attempting to return to winning ways after his devastating loss at the hands of Max Holloway when the two battled over the UFC Featherweight Championship back in December 2018.

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, “T-City” has spoken openly about what life has been like for him and how he feels heading into this fight.

“I feel at peace now, so it’s definitely helped,” Ortega said of his break from competition. “All this has definitely helped. Before I felt like I was living life in the fast lane. Especially because my agent he works double-time. It’s not like fighters where you fight and then you’re good. He’s like, ‘No, champ, check this out. After you fight, you’re allowed to have a one-week break. If you’re not broken, I’ve already set you up to fly to Chicago, I’ve set you up to fly to New York.’ I have this, I have that.

“Obviously, when you’re making money, you’re making moves, it feels good. Living in the fast lane has its great things, it’s a bit lonely but you hear it all the time. It’s lonely at the top. So for me I was like, ‘F*ck it, it’s lonely. Hotels are my new home.’ It’s why airplanes and hotels are what I call home. But when it all stops and you have that heartbreak and then you finally see how great it is also on the other side and life is a bit slower, you learn—at least I learned—to appreciate things more.”

One of the biggest stories prior to this bout has been Ortega’s incident with Jay Park at UFC 248, but the man himself doesn’t think there’s all too much to talk about.

“Listen, man, I didn’t hit the guy, I didn’t punch the guy or nothing. I was like, just stop with your little antics. You have all these little antics, I’m like just stop with that bro. The fight’s already happening, you don’t gotta pull all these stunts. It got a little like whatever and I was like alright,” Brian Ortega said.

“The internet is full of people who talk sh*t and never have to pay any consequence for it. I don’t know who those people are, but bro I know who you are, and you are kinda mouthing off a little bit. You got a little too much confidence. So I just said it straight.”

How do you think Brian Ortega will look in his return to the cage this weekend?