Brian Ortega Talks Saving UFC 303, 'Makes Me Feel Alive Again'

Brian Ortega stepped into the UFC 303 co-main event on two weeks' notice ... and some have called the decision reckless and potentially costly for the MMA star. So, why'd T-City accept the fight? TMZ Sports asked him.

"At this point it just becomes about having fun with my career. Taking the craziest fights now, and this is one of them, right?" 33-year-old Ortega told us.

"Two weeks notice, save 303, checklist. That's something that gets me excited, gives me nerves. Makes me feel alive again. Makes me feel like a young up-and-comer."

Of course, 303 was flipped on its head after headliner Conor McGregor was forced out with an injury. With a huge hole at the top of the card, Dana White went to work ... inking Ortega and 29-year-old Diego Lopes, the 14th ranked 145 lb. fighter to a co-main event scrap (Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka are now the main).

Aside from Ortega and Lopes being two of the best fighters in the world, Brian says it's a "dope" matchup 'cause both are high-level Jiu-Jitsu players.

"It's very rare where I get to fight someone who I have to be cautious of that can submit me," Ortega said. "Every time you see me fight, you never think, 'Okay, Brian is gonna get submitted.' Now this that fight that you can."

After we spoke to Brian, there was a major development. Instead of being fought at featherweight, it'll now be contested at lightweight ... after Ortega was struggling to make weight (he previously planned to move up to 155 lbs. before accepting this fight).

As for where he goes after the Lopes fight, Ortega admits he's in a bit of a weird spot when it comes to securing another title fight.

"There's so much things going on with [Ilia] Topuria, Max [Holloway], and [Alexander] Volk[anovski] it's a big trio up there right now. I'm just a little bit down, but I'm a little above the contenders. So I'm in my own weird lane."

There's much more with Brian ... including whether he was ever approached to fight Michael Chandler once McGregor dropped out.