‘Knockout artist’: Former Gonzaga Prep football star Jaden Ortega looks to continue explosive MMA start

Spokane’s Jaden Ortega will put his undefeated professional record on the line against Ivan Castillo in Combate Global’s MMA main event Thursday in Miami.

From his first amateur fight in 2021, welterweight Ortega (4-0) has lost only once – and kept his professional career spotless.

Now, the knockout phenom will face off against Castillo (25-17), a veteran in Combate Global’s La Jaula.

“It’s a bad matchup for (Castillo),” Ortega said. “To be completely honest.”

Despite the difference in experience, the 22-year old Ortega – a Gonzaga Prep graduate – boasts a 2-inch height advantage over the 34-year-old Castillo, as well as an edge in power.

Ortega’s seven first-round finishes suggest that his ability to push fights and run his opponent down could prove challenging to Castillo.

“When it comes to (the) ability to be explosive, there’s not many athletes in your life that you get to see to have a God-given ability like Jaden Ortega,” strength and conditioning coach Dr. Dylan Lemery said. “He is the most explosive athlete I’ve ever worked with.”

Though both fighters are strikers, Ortega doesn’t think Castillo has fought a striker in his mold. Seven of Ortega’s nine fights – amateur and professional – have finished via knockout, and the welterweight is looking to add another KO to his record.

“(Ortega) has exemplified what it means to be a knockout artist,” Lemery said, adding that his conditioning has helped the welterweight finish fights.

Looking back, MMA was never far from Ortega’s life.

The California native grew up taking Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai classes but followed the crowd in middle school when his friends got into more traditional sports.

“I was decent … (with) the regular sports,” Ortega said. “So I ran with that all through high school.”

After transferring to G-Prep for his sophomore year, it wasn’t long before Ortega became a standout football player.

“I wanted to play football in college,” Ortega said. “I graduated in 2021, which was a COVID year, and so it kind of messed up football for me.”

After graduation, Ortega received an offer from Washington State University to play football as a preferred walk-on, but Ortega hesitated.

“I was like, ‘I don’t think football is my dream anymore,’ ” Ortega said.

That’s when Rick Little of Sikjitsu Fighting Systems stepped in. Little had reached out to Ortega’s mother during Ortega’s junior year of high school with an interest in the football athlete.

“(Little) reached out asking like, ‘Hey, if your son ever wants a change of pace, wants to switch things up, tell him to come check out the MMA gym,’ ” Ortega said.

With nothing to lose after graduation, Ortega and his mother drove up to the Sikjitsu garage to meet Little.

“I hid a couple pads with (Little), and then he had me spar Mike Chiesa,” Ortega said.

Chiesa, the decorated Spokane UFC welterweight, gave the MMA prospect a proper introduction to the sport.

“He let me have it for a good 10 (or) 15 seconds,” Ortega said. “And after that day, I never left.”

Though Ortega’s commitment was spotty when he first started at 18, he is relentlessly chasing after his MMA career goals.

“We’ve now seen a buy-in,” Lemery said. “He’s turning into a real professional athlete.”

Despite the obstacle in front of him on Thursday, Ortega is looking ahead for a potential next fight with Combate Global on their Mexico City card on Sept. 18.

“They have a card on my birthday,” Ortega said. “I’m hoping that with another first-round finish in this fight that I can headline that one, too.”

When asked, Combate Global Senior Vice President of Operations and Communications Mike Afromowitz said the promotion is considering this as a possibility for Ortega, but though the location and date are confirmed, Ortega’s involvement is not confirmed.

Regardless, the Spokane welterweight is ready to put on a show.

“There’s nothing that can stop me,” Ortega said.

Combate Global: Ortega vs. Castillo takes place in the Mediapro Studios in Miami and streams live and free on Combate Global’s YouTube channel starting at 5 p.m. Thursday.