UFC champ Alexander Volkanovski brands Brian Ortega a “princess” after diva behaviour on TUF

Alex Volkanovski tells Nick Walshaw exactly what went on behind the scenes filming The Ultimate Fighter. FULL VIDEO HERE

UFC featherweight champ Alex Volkanovski has accused Brian Ortega of acting like a diva on The Ultimate Fighter set in Las Vegas, revealing “Princess Ortega” was rude, continually ran late and even demanded producers have a frappuccino waiting for him each day before filming.

Volkanovski also hinted his American rival may have written legal stipulations into his TUF contract which prevented him being the victim of serious pranks, with the Wollongong superstar revealing he was warned at one point to avoid even putting his hands on Ortega’s car.

“So now I can’t wait to put my hands on him,” Volkanovski fired on Saturday. “That little princess deserves a beating”.

UFC featherweight champ Alex Volkanovski & team in Las Vegas for filming of The Ultimate Fighter.

For the first time in his undefeated UFC career, which now stretches nine fights and almost five years, Volkanovski has admitted to feeling real hate for the rival he faces at UFC 266 in Las Vegas on September 26 (AEST).

Back in April, the pair first squared off as rival coaches on TUF, episodes of which are now screening globally on ESPN.

Volkanovski admits that while, initially, he tried to building rivalry with Ortega purely to hype the fight, he quickly became aware the Californian native is not the same guy who poses up with Hollywood’s Halle Berry or plugs Modelo Beer.

“Within a week, there was hate there,” Volkanovski says frankly. “And I’m not usually like this with opponents – ever.

“But this fake nice guy, he thinks he’s a man who is doing things for people all the time.

“It’s all bullshit.”

Nothing but absolute bangers on the show!! #tuf29https://t.co/02vlvVpy5j

— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) July 16, 2021

Of his antics on the TUF set, Volkanovski continued of Ortega: “He was never on time.

“He was always making the boys wait, always making the producers wait, being a little diva the whole time.

“We couldn’t even play pranks on them.

“He’s a selfish dude.

“And some of his team too, some of the coaches, the comments they made … a lot of it isn’t on the film but it was arrogance.

“And it shits me.

“I can’t wait to go out there and shut them up.”

Volkanovski revealed that, despite Ortega and his team playing a prank that involved Volkanovski’s car, he then wasn’t then allowed get payback when he stumbled across the American’s car keys.

He accused his rival of “crying to the producers“ over this and other issues.

“He messed with our car and Aussie humour, pranks, we were all for it,” the champ stressed.

“(But) then he leaves his keys at the gym.

“So we told the producers ‘come on get a camera, we’re going to mess with his car a little bit’.

“But they said ‘oh no you’re not allowed touch his car’.

Volkanovski during his win against Max Holloway at UFC 245 in Las Vegas. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We said ‘what do you mean?’. They messed around with our car … these guys were talking wheels off, bringing horses and donkeys in and what not.

“We thought, all right there’s a budget for pranks. Let’s have some fun with the car. But we couldn’t do it.

“I was pretty vocal about that and while I’m sure the producers weren’t happy, it’s something that needs to be said.

“Just to show everyone what Princess Ortega was like.

“We even did a little video of Zoolander (mimicking him), because every session he would make sure the producers had a frappuccino ready for him.”

Elsewhere, Volkanovski also suggested Team Ortega had “no idea” when it came to discussing fight strategy on TUF, suggested a Max Holloway trilogy fight would follow a win, and promised to do just that over his now arch rival via finish.

“I am going out there to make a statement,” Volkanovski said of his UFC 266 headliner. “I’ve told myself winning, it isn’t enough.

“I’m going out there to put on a show. Going to make sure I get that finish.

“I’ve made that promise to myself.

“So I feel sorry for my training partners this camp.

“I’m not going to try and knock them out, but I am going to have to be a bit more nasty.

“Picture finishes everywhere I can.

“Unfortunately for my training partners, they are going to cop the brunt of that.

“So I’ll make sure they’re wearing headgear.

“Because this belt ain’t going nowhere.”

Originally published as UFC champ Alexander Volkanovski brands Brian Ortega a “princess” after diva behaviour on TUF