'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC featherweight Brian Ortega never forgot his roots, and he showed that when he surprised his father with a brand-new Jeep Gladiator. Ortega, who holds both Mexican and American citizenship, was born in Los Angeles to Mexican parents who migrated to the US from the Mexican state of Sonora.
"I gave him this because I crashed his truck when I was young. I told him I was going to pay him back. And I did. I'm a man of my word," said Ortega.
Posting the reaction video on his YouTube channel, Ortega (15-1-1) revealed that he had crashed his father's old truck when he was 17 years old and had a wish to undo his mistake ever since. Brian concocted a detailed plan and took the mission very seriously. He enlisted the help of friends and family members and even a Mariachi band.
"I bought my dad a new truck! 12 years ago, I totaled my dad's truck, and my dream was to buy him a new one. This man deserves this and so much more. I love you, dad! Thank you to the entire team that help make this possible," Ortega wrote about gifting his father a new truck.
It is not the first time that Ortega had a funny moment with a Mariachi group. Following his win over 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung, a Mariachi party received Ortega back at his hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Brian Ortega completed his redemption with his win over 'The Korean Zombie'
Brian Ortega was once a UFC sensation. Taking his time between fights, he rocketed through the UFC featherweight ranks after six consecutive wins. Ortega admits he thought he was unbeatable. But life would chasten his attitude.
First, with a categorical defeat in his title shot to then-champion Max Holloway at UFC 231. Later, with a dire ACL injury before his highly-anticipated fight against Chan Sung Jung in December 2019. In the meantime, Ortega also changed his training team.
"People think, 'Oh, he lost one time and now he found a new team,' but there were issues going on before with the team that I will never speak on because I'm not a snitch, that's not my style. There were relationships that finally had to break and go away in order for me to evolve into the next version of myself, which is ultimately what I was wanting," Ortega told UFC reporter Spencer Kyte. "I paid a heartbreak price because I lost people that I was close to for ten years."
Ortega returned to the octagon this year to face 'The Korean Zombie' after more than a year without a fight - and he delivered. Converging his previous misfortunes into his will to be back at the top, Ortega displayed a convincing performance against a high-ranked opponent.
