Josh Emmett has received — and accepted — a bout offer. Now he’s waiting for his opponent to sign the dotted line.
In an Instagram post Wednesday, Emmett said the UFC “was putting together” a fight between him and fellow UFC featherweight contender Brian Ortega. The Team Alpha Male fighter confirmed to BloodyElbow.com that the promotion officially offered him the Ortega fight, and that he signed his contract, but that “T-City” has yet to take the bout. Emmett did not say where and when the fight would take place if it is eventually finalized.
Ortega did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday night.
The ball, Emmett said, is in Ortega’s court. Emmett is still waiting for Ortega to agree to face him, but the No. 4-ranked featherweight isn’t keeping his hopes up.
“He will not fight me,” Emmett told BloodyElbow.com. “He is scared.”
Emmett said in the Instagram post that he believes the winner of him vs. Ortega would get a title shot against the winner of champion Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar, which headlines UFC 222 in March for the 145-pound strap.
“This is the fight that makes sense to me. This is the fight the fans want to see,” Emmett wrote. “Sign the contract, let’s put on a show and see who gets to fight for the title next!”
Emmett (13-1) is coming off the biggest win of his career, a first-round knockout of longtime contender Ricardo Lamas in the UFC on FOX 26 co-main event in December. A large underdog vs. Lamas, Emmett stepped up on short notice for Jose Aldo, who was pulled from the card to face Holloway earlier that month. Emmett, a former lightweight, is 4-1 in the UFC overall.
Ortega (13-0, 1 NC) also picked up his biggest win to date in his last outing when he met Cub Swanson in the UFC Fight Night 123 main event last month. He tapped “Killer Cub” out in the second round with a guillotine in impressive fashion. He has also beaten the likes of Renato Moicano, Clay Guida, and Diego Brandao.