Tito Ortiz Says He's Fighting in August

by Nick Thomas on Mar 9, 2009 11:09 AM EDT

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz was in Columbus, Ohio this weekend during UFC 96. Although he would not give out many details regarding his next fight, Ortiz did confirm, "I'm fighting in August!" One can assume that he may be referring to a possible fight on Affliction's next event, which was also rumored to take place in August...

So the question is... Renato Babalu Sobral or Antônio Rogério Nogueira? One can only hope.

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Still a good fight, but as much as I’ll be pulling for Tito I have a feeling he’ll get Babalu’d by Sobral.

http://dcrage.wordpress.com

by DCRage on Mar 9, 2009 8:56 AM EDT reply actions

what? choke him and not let go?

http://weoweoweo.deviantart.com/

by Anton Tabuena on Mar 9, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

One can only hope...

did I say that?

by Razreshat on Mar 9, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Out loud, even.

"I hit [Evensen], and you could just see it in his head. He went, 'Oh, man. We don't have to do this anymore. I'm good. Thanks for having me. I'm going to go home now." -Pat "The Real Techno Viking" Berry

by Blackout612 on Mar 9, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

The funny thing is

I don’t really mind Tito inside the ring…but Tito outside the ring is beyond annoying.

by Razreshat on Mar 9, 2009 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

so that rules him out for a germany ufc return against crocop..

i was looking forward to his head flying off..
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Vote people Vote!

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by Anton Tabuena on Mar 9, 2009 8:56 AM EDT reply actions

i dont think it does rule it out. i’m trying to figure out why the article hints that he signed w/ affliction when he made the announcement at a UFC event….

by Headkick on Mar 9, 2009 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

i know this is gonna sound mean/inappropriate but,

that pic of tito looks like the ones that people put in funerals.. (im not kidding, it really looks like that)

http://weoweoweo.deviantart.com/

by Anton Tabuena on Mar 9, 2009 9:08 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

it does...

…it’s one of those black and white photos taken at a wedding that becomes the obit pic years later

by RipeTide on Mar 9, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions

well hopefully that doesnt happen anytime soon..

i want to see him get beat up in the octagon, but no one wants anything that bad to happen…

weoweoweo .deviantart .com

by Anton Tabuena on Mar 9, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Good call.

Bolts from the Blue // "Game over." - Jamal Williams
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Mar 9, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Why is this even reported as news?

The guy lies so much its ridiculous. Until a promoter has a press conference and states that they have signed Tito and when he is fighting, I do not believe a word he says. I still think he is going to sign with the UFC at some point this year. He is a non-factor until the ink is dry.

by Nick Travaglini on Mar 9, 2009 9:32 AM EDT reply actions

Good call Nick. Why feed into this guy’s pathetic need to stay relevant? Leave him alone until something’s confirmed. Reporting everything he has to say feels like you’re desperate (like Tito).

by Dooda on Mar 9, 2009 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions

You can wait for the promoter press conference, I’m holding out until the first round starts with him in the ring/cage before I believe him.

"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn

by Day Man on Mar 9, 2009 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't you mean

Serato Babalu, one of the greatest light heavyweights of the night?

by ufc4 on Mar 9, 2009 9:42 AM EDT reply actions

I think Ortiz would beat Babalu soundly. Nog would be the better matchup IMO.

by Bigperm on Mar 9, 2009 10:02 AM EDT reply actions

I say Tito takes out Nog and has a harder time with Babalu.

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."

by xFenixKnightx on Mar 9, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

Babalu takes either of them.

personally, I would much rather see Babalu/Lil Nog.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Mar 9, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Absolutely, I’m a fan of Babalu. Tito is not relevant. Slow news day.

by Heenan on Mar 9, 2009 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions

Look, I’m no MMA expert. But, I still think that when Dana said “I’m out of the Tito business” I really think he meant it. We’ll have to see what happens in the future, though.

"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock

by BadB on Mar 9, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions

Dana will never be out of the “making money business”, so if that means bringing Tito back, I have no doubt he would find a way to make it work.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Mar 9, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Unless Dana really fucking hates Tito. Dana and the UFC can afford to lock him out if they want.

"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock

by BadB on Mar 9, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions

You stole my line! lol (I'm sure it's not mine)

I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.

by The_Gaijin on Mar 9, 2009 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't think Dana is having trouble making money with Tito...the opposite, however its probably not true.

by Razreshat on Mar 9, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Grrr...mean *without Tito

by Razreshat on Mar 9, 2009 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Lorenzo would do it if it came down to it.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Mar 9, 2009 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Tito has got to be so rusty at this time that I doubt he can beat anyone. Maybe he can fight Shamrock again.

I would like to see him fight Kimbo.

by The_Vig on Mar 9, 2009 10:33 AM EDT reply actions

probably the only time I’d ever root for Kimbo….I wonder who Dana would be pulling for?

by soadtrails on Mar 9, 2009 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Tito should retire

after one or two more big fights. He has more UFC fights than enyone and was champion. What else does he have left to prove? Going to Affliction to beat up cans is not a good career move. He should pursue his acting. The more MMA fighters that break out onto the mainstream the better it will be for the sport.

by Bandaka on Mar 9, 2009 10:36 AM EDT reply actions

yea he was great in “Zombie Strippers”

That's great, but how does it affect Lyoto Machida?

by beery_pbr on Mar 9, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

And that Crow movie, lol.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Mar 9, 2009 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Are you referring to Nog and Babalu as “cans”??

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Mar 9, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions

No they are not cans

I take that back

by Bandaka on Mar 9, 2009 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn’t think that was the point you were trying to make, it just kind of came off that way, lol.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Mar 9, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I won’t get too excited until I hear something a little more substantial. Tito is second only to Frank Shamrock in being involved with rumors that never amount to anything.

by Andy R on Mar 9, 2009 11:04 AM EDT reply actions

Assuming this does not end up being just Tito trying to stay relevant, I don’t think he’s going to fight any real opposition. He’s been inactive so long – and wasn’t exactly a world-beater before that – that a top-notch opponent would decimate him. They’ll try to feed him someone with a smidgen of name, someone who’ll lose to him 9 times out of 10.

by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Mar 9, 2009 11:41 AM EDT reply actions

What's the offical "tito will fight/sign" count?

It must be 10 by now.

by RipeTide on Mar 9, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

I think he is still negotiating with Gary Shaw to join EXC and fight Kimbo.

If you're not submitting, you're just rolling around with another guy.

by BJJDenver on Mar 9, 2009 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought the next Affliction show was rumored for June?

by who me on Mar 9, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

A guy hasn’t signed a contract for a card that hasn’t been announced. Breaking news.

by Derek Suboticki on Mar 9, 2009 3:03 PM EDT reply actions

Can we reevaluate Tito for a minute?

He has a draw against Rashad, aka the LHW champion of the world, and a loss against Machida, aka the most difficult matchup in the LHW division.

What about these fights make people think that he is done? That he failed to beat two guys that have never been beaten before?

I think he has another good run left in him as a fighter, let alone as a draw.

"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn

by Day Man on Mar 9, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions

How about getting dominated by Chuck and his last win against someone not called Ken Shamrock (and a controversial one at that) being nearly 3 years ago?

Kuwabara Kuwabara

by J. B. Maddox on Mar 9, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions

That 3 year figure would mean something if he was over-matched by average competition in his most recent fights, but the fact is he has only fought once in 2007 and once in 2008, so the time figure is about as misleading as if were to respond to you with the fact that his previous three fights before that were victories over Forrest Griffin, Vitor Belfort and Patrick Cote.

"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn

by Day Man on Mar 9, 2009 6:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Last time Tito finished a guy not named Ken Shamrock was before 9/11.

by Derek Suboticki on Mar 10, 2009 3:06 AM EDT up reply actions

And the last time Tito was finished by a guy not named Chuck Liddell was almost two years before that.

"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn

by Day Man on Mar 10, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Three out of his last five fights (and four out of his last nine) have been against either Liddell or Shamrock.

by Richard Wade on Mar 10, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with day man. People mostly remember him for his 3 fights with ken shamrock, which was a bad career move on his part.

by JaTinkles on Mar 9, 2009 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

If he is fighting in August, isn’t UFC 101 at that time?
He can fight under the Randy vs Nog Main Event.

Strikeforce is another possibility.

Affliction was rumored for June/July, not August.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Mar 9, 2009 6:39 PM EDT reply actions

Strikeforce on CBS, that is.

by MMASuPreMaCy on Mar 9, 2009 6:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I figure Florian/Penn is the main of this show with Randy/Nog underneath. With Jardine/Forrest rumored, I find it hard to believe Ortiz is on here. Though they could have 2 august shows with all these main events.

by Michael Rome on Mar 9, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Give Tito a break

He beat Evans the UFC champ w/out the point taken away, he looked better against Machida than T. Silva & actually almost submitted him. And he did beat Forrest, the last UFC champ. All this w/a hurt back.

I am not saying he is the best but he is not awful. I still believe he fights in the UFC.

by sideshow27 on Mar 9, 2009 8:45 PM EDT reply actions

Nah...

If he wouldn’t of held the cage Evans would of took him down for some LnP and would have turned the round in his favor…So the point that was deducted would of gone to Evans…

Considering the fact that Silva got KO’d at the end of the first round and Tito lasted all 3 its easy to say he looked better…

and Forrest was robbed by the judges…

and I don’t think people are trying to say he is awful, its just Tito has always been a highly overrated above average fighter….

He does great against middle of the road guys and Ken Shamrock but with the exceptions of Tanner and Belfort (although that fight like Forrest was close) when he comes up against top level guys (Chuck, Randy, Frank Shamrock, & Lyoto) he comes up empty and embarrassed…

by Shackelford on Mar 10, 2009 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions

Tito’s biggest claim to fame (besides banging Jenna) is his string of five succesful title defenses in a row. However, that speaks more of just how scared he was to fight the #1 contender at the time – remember all that talk about how he was best pals with Chuck and they’d agreed not to fight one another… something Chuck didn’t remember ever happening.

Give Tito to War Machine. Of course, that fight will probably happen in 2011, earliest. Before that we will hear these rumors at least twenty times.

by Monday Morning Martial Artist on Mar 10, 2009 8:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Tito Ortiz

I’m a Ortiz fan but shutup already.Sign somewhere and then figth .At the end of the day Tito is trying to sell himself too the hightest bidder.

by TERRENCEFROMSOUTHEAST on Mar 9, 2009 10:26 PM EDT reply actions

maybe to the first bidder he could get.. i doubt there are "high" bidders out there.. ;)

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by Anton Tabuena on Mar 10, 2009 4:12 AM EDT up reply actions

My problem with Tito is two fold

First, I’m sick his attention whore head coming out with nothing new to say.

Second, his record in the last couple of years is suspect at best and the length of time he has been off is probably causing the game to pass him by. I think people give him too much credit, at least as far as his current competitiveness. The MMA game moves too fast for a guy with his mileage to take this much time off/fight so rarely and remain relavent.

by Razreshat on Mar 10, 2009 12:47 PM EDT reply actions