Brian Ortega just won over the internet, and he didn’t have to land a single punch to get the job done. The UFC featherweight contender, known for his wars in the octagon with the likes of Alexander Volkanovski, Clay Guida, and Max Holloway, found himself in the company of some kids battling cancer.
But it wasn’t just a meet and greet. Partnering up with Wigs for Kids, Ortega decided to chop his signature ponytail to help these children. Hair loss is something even adults find jarring and difficult to deal with, especially in social situations. So, one can only imagine the impact that stigma associated with physical appearance can have on children.
This is where Wigs for Kids comes in. The non-profit organization based out of Westlake, Ohio, works with children experiencing hair loss from alopecia, trichotillomania, burns, chemotherapy, or any other medical reasons. They try to connect with the right people and help make the kids’ lives a little better.
And this is where Ortega came in.
The featherweight contender, known for his long ponytail, decided to chop it all up and donate it so that the organization can make wigs.
He posted a video of himself on a barber’s chair going through the process and said, “I cut it all off!!! @wigs.for.kids thanks you for reaching back. This hair has a whole lot of fighting spirit in it. Can’t wait to see what kid gets this and armors them up to keep fighting through their battles.”
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This led to a plethora of remarks, mostly thanking him for the good work, but there were some who also made fun of how ridiculous he looked. Interestingly, they were led by Ortega himself, who compared himself to the bad guy from Shrek and said, “I look like Lord Farquad.”
That opened the floodgates, and the comments came pouring in.
“Bro your hair grows faster than anyone alive,” one fan noted. It is a little weird that he’s been keeping track of a grown man’s hair tough, to be fair.
“Hell yeah, you got the Karen. Very popular haircut,” joked UFC veteran Cub Swanson. The sentiment was wildly popular as others chimed in with “Can I speak to your manager haircut?” and eventually dubbed his new look as “The Karen.”
But amidst all the jokes, the appreciation was loud and clear. “Someone gonna get those T-City superpowers. Awesome bro,” and “Man of the people,” summed up what a lot of fans were feeling.
Hopefully, the hair grows back soon before Ortega gives in to his impulsive thoughts and decides to shave it off completely. Because, unlike The Rock and Vin Diesel, he can’t pull it off.
But speaking of pulling off a bald head, former UFC champion Alex Pereira actually visited an Australian kid last year and, upon his request, shaved off his head.
Emotional Poatan gives kid his hairdo
Now, Pereira is no stranger to a shaved head. He’s made in ritual since winning the middleweight title in 2024 to take off all the hair from his face and his head days before a fight.
But little did he know, someone else might want to emulate him.
Earlier last year, after he knocked out Jamahal Hill cold at UFC 300, Pereira decided to go on a trip to Australia in June. During his time down under, the former light heavyweight champion visited a young cancer patient at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
This teenager knew he was going to lose all his hair courtesy of regular bouts with Chemotherapy. And he was a huge Poatan fan. So this was the opportunity of a lifetime for him.
So he asked Pereira if he could take a pair of clippers to his head, and the Brazilian obliged. Pereira was seen getting emotional and shedding a few tears while he was at it because the boy reminded him of his sons.
But don’t fret, there’s good news yet to come.
It turns out Pereira met the kid again earlier this year in February, and this time, he had defeated the disease! An elated Poatan even shared a video of the two on his Instagram story
“To see this guy’s recovery. He was training Muay Thai. He had to stop because of the cancer. And now, he’s fought against cancer. He beat cancer. A big inspiration. This is what you call fighting.”, Pereira beamed with joy.
So, Kudos to the kid, to Pereira, to Ortega, and to anyone who fights against his monster. There’s no tougher battle in the world, and you are a warrior for having the courage to go through it!
