If Conor McGregor or Khabib Nurmagomedov throw a steel dolly, miss weight or get hurt before UFC 229 ... Brian Ortega says he's 100% down to step in and kick some ass.
With only a week left until the biggest fight of the year, TMZ Sports asked Ortega -- should disaster strike and Conor or Khabib be unable to fight -- would he be game to scrap and save the card.
"I always stay ready ... These are the kinda fights that I'll step in on last minute to save the card," Ortega told us ... "Not no other fights like the last situation we had, where they wanted me to fight that clown."
"These are the fights that are worth saving."
The "clown" (Brian's words, not ours) is Jeremy Stephens ... who wanted to step in and fight Ortega after Max Holloway was forced out of UFC 226 in July.
Assuming UFC 229 goes off as planned ... T-City updated us on the status of his championship fight with Holloway ... and yes, he also explained why he's chillin' with freakin' farm animals.