Tito Ortiz Was Never Going to Fight Outside of the UFC

by Michael Rome on Sep 19, 2009 1:39 PM EDT in MMA News

Throughout his long break away from the UFC, Tito Ortiz routinely made front-page news by claiming to be close to signing with another rival organization. Some people believed it, but here at Bloody Elbow we knew it was nonsense.

Tito Ortiz confirmed today at a Q&A session that he was never going anywhere:

[Tito] says he was never going to Strikeforce or anywhere else, and everything was a negotiation tactic.

This was pretty obvious all along, even though a number of promotions wasted countless hours participating in bad faith negotiations which Tito participated in only to get himself a better UFC offer. The UFC was always the only place where Tito could make millions and retire on a big stage. His return was inevitable.

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I am shocked!

"Well... You're damned if you do, and You're damned if you don't."- Bart Simpson

by poundnground on Sep 19, 2009 1:22 PM EDT reply actions

He’s put Machida in more trouble than anyone ever has.

Just sayin’…

Keep firing Assholes!

The Leafs are back!

by Ubernoober on Sep 19, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

And Travis Lutter had Anderson Silva in more trouble than anyone else in the UFC has, doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.

by ufc4 on Sep 19, 2009 2:08 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Not really. Aside from that last minute, hail mary armbar attempt, he didn’t really do a whole hell of a lot in that fight to put Machida in trouble.

by Hardcase on Sep 19, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions

he would have very well put Lyoto out with that triangle if he dident try to transition to an arm bar. Im a Lyoto fan but tito could have very well been his first loss if he had kept that triangle choke on

by Riley_96 on Sep 19, 2009 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Tito Ortiz is a weasel. His sole motivation is money and he’d lick Dana’s balls in order to get more of it. The guy is not a top fighter. His “return” is going to be a failure of epic proportions. For past 5 or so years, Tito has been talking the talk but we all saw how he fared against every top fighter that he’s faced. He’s nowhere near good a wrestler to get away with his pitiful stand-up.

by zeke21 on Sep 19, 2009 1:43 PM EDT reply actions

he’s relatively athletic, quick, and strong for a 205 pound human being.

if you shrunk him to 155 pounds he probably wouldn’t have the skills to compete in that division. but at light heavyweight, he’ll always be naturally gifted enough to put on good fights.

that said, i don’t expect we’ll ever see Tito as a UFC champ again.

by GregS123 on Sep 19, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions

“Good… your hate has made you powerful. Now fulfill your destiny and take your father’s place at my side!”

Keep firing Assholes!

The Leafs are back!

by Ubernoober on Sep 19, 2009 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs

yeah that’s a rec.

Kuwabara Kuwabara

by J. B. Maddox on Sep 19, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t like Tito any more than the next Tito hater, but it’s been more for the stupid things he says and does. I mean, you can’t fix stupid. But I am always entertained by his fights. I nearly had a heart attack when he slapped the triangle on Machida. You look at his fights against Chuck, Randy, Machida, etc. They’re all quite exciting. I think he still has enough talent to give any LHW troubles. Will he ever regain the belt? Doubtful, but there are some really nice competative fights for him at LHW.

I love me some Sexyama!

by pud333 on Sep 19, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Need to refill your haterade, sir?

'Ello G'vnor!

by IHateMMA on Sep 19, 2009 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions

I always felt that if such a great deal existed outside of the UFC for Tito, it would have got done. But since it just dragged on and on, it was quite obvious he wanted a better UFC deal. The last thing Tito would want is for any potential legacy to be erased from the UFC history books the way it’s been done to other fighters that left the UFC or fell out of favor.

I love me some Sexyama!

by pud333 on Sep 19, 2009 1:54 PM EDT reply actions

wait… so Josh Gross’s exclusive on Tito Signing a “Ground Breaking” deal with affliction wasn’t true?

by mmalogic on Sep 19, 2009 1:59 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

If Tito says it, it must be true.

I dislike Matt Hughes.

by MonkeyCHops on Sep 19, 2009 2:26 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Tito did the same thing back in 2005-2006, I couldn’t believe anyone fell for it this time around.

by who me on Sep 19, 2009 3:20 PM EDT reply actions

I always refer back to the Wizard’s First Rule.

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

by iiowyn on Sep 19, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Makes me want to read it again.

Alla som inte dansar är våldtäktsmän.

by Eugene Schelfaut on Sep 19, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought he was going to sign with strikeforce to be honest, with his beef with dana, with his absence from the top 100 fights, the lousy trash talk, etc…Not that I really care if he fooled some people to get a better pay check.

You don't look like a Tanaka.

by spectaa on Sep 19, 2009 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

With a few tweaks… strikeforce basically gave the same deal to Fedor that they created for Tito so it wasn’t all for naught.

What is important to see is Tito turned that deal down to take pretty much the same deal that was then offered to Fedor by Zuffa.

So how smart was Fedor’s decision for Fedor? simply ask yourself what the greediest mutherfucker on earth just did and you’ll have your answer.

Now if this “boxing model” that Josh Gross claims to be Fedors reason for signing with strikeforce is such a plausible business idea why wouldn’t this weasel do it?

Josh Gross claims M-1 is to Fedor what Golden Boy is to Oscar.

This is utter stupidity. FIRST Oscar owns and conrtols pretty much all of Golden Boy. Fedor owns 20% of M-1 and controls nothing (he probably doesnt even have signatory rights on the bank accounts). SECOND: Oscar was first a ppv draw then created Golden Boy. Fedor is not a PPV draw. THIRD: the very fact that there is more than one owner in M-1 other than Fedor makes IT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

M-1 wanted 50% of the profits… Zuffa offered OVER 100%!!!

FEDOR WAS OFFERED OVER 100% OF THE PROFITS FROM HIS BEST PPV PERFORMANCE TO DATE. forget about 50%… they could have had more than 100%.

by mmalogic on Sep 19, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions