Tito Ortiz struck again, adding his dose of has-been show-biz pro-wrestling nonsense to the UFC PPV on Saturday night. He prodded the easily provoked Mark Coleman after the fight, apparently in an attempt to set up his second money grudge fight after Chuck Liddell or just get himself on TV to promote The Ultimate Fighter.
Tito's not going to be a title contender anytime soon, even though he's the about age when Randy Couture was starting his MMA career. So the way for him to cash in on what's left in his tank and remain relevant is finding ways to manufacture feuds. This isn't to say he doesn't feel antagonistic toward some of the targets of his verbal insults, but the way he goes about it comes off as beneath the sport of MMA.
Ortiz is a showman, but UFC is successful enough it shouldn't tolerate someone going into business for himself. It's even worse if they're encouraging or orchestrating this stuff. Sure, Tito's going to be on The Ultimate Fighter as a coach, but the way to get him on the minds of UFC fans is to interview him at ringside about the fights that night. Get his insight and predictions before or some guest analysis afterward.
This pro wrestling nonsense is unbecoming. UFC is way beyond needing that type of thing to make masses of profits.
His third round debacle against Forrest Griffin looked like a gentlemen's agreement not to hit each other too hard so Forrest could get the decision and Tito and Forrest could go 1-1, setting up a rematch in a couple years when everyone forgot how flat of a finish Tito-Forrest 2 was. And we got the obligatory pre-match "I've never felt better, back's just fine, quit asking" routine from Tito and the post-match "My back is actually really bad, I couldn't really train for this fight, I'd have won if I was 100 percent" routine.
It's time for Dana to get this Tito-Chuck match out of the way and then send Tito away. He's not doing anything for a sport that he was instrumental in bringing to this level. It's a shame to see him desperately inserting himself into matches through showbiz nonsense like this.
The sport he helped build has grown up. It's time for him to grow up, too. Or join WWE, where he probably belongs anyway.
MMATorch Supervising Editor Wade Keller has covered UFC dating back to UFC 1 on PPV for the Torch Newsletter. He covered the first UFC PPV event in Las Vegas, Nev. in person in 2001, has interviewed Dana White, Mike Goldberg, and original matchmaker Art Davie (link), among others over the years, and has been quoted in major newspapers as a professional MMA analyst. He has over a dozen years of martial arts training in karate, judo, and jujitsu.
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Wade Keller, you are an idoit. I can write MMA news better than you. Tito
is not in it for himself. Tito has proven that he is a great fighter. He
has been in a slump, yes, but he is still an amaazing fighter and you are
going to see that in his up coming fights. Do you really think, Tito Ortiz,
of all people is going to agree to lose a fight? You should never write
another MMA article if you think that.
A. Mack
08 Feb 2010, 23:24
The best way to surmise my feelings on your latest article concerning Tito
Ortiz is to give a resounding "Amen." I am incredibly fed up with the UFC
brass continuing to allow Tito to even paricipate in anything UFC. They
continue to talk about wanting to make MMA the biggest sport within ten
years but the antics of Tito and several other fighters really are a huge
deterent to that. As a huge MMA fan and follower I feel safe in saying that
MMA fans and UFC watchers/fans are really growing tired of these childish
games and pro wrestling style gimmicks. The sport of MMA does nothing to
further itself by allowing fools such as Tito Ortiz make everything look
scripted. It's a sport not a showcase of acrobatics and acting. Go Home
Tito
Yeah, Tito show go away from UFC...so he can make bank in Strikeforce and
Japan. Dana's not stupid. You're being as dramatic as you're claiming Tito
is. Coleman's camp talked about his babies' mom. If you didn't say anything
if someone said something to your girlfriend/wife, then you're not a man.
mitch
09 Feb 2010, 02:58
Tito...you are a washed-up has-been. Get out while idiots like Taylor still
have a menial amount of respect for you.
Tito Ortiz has an amazing skill set, but he is perhaps the most overrated
MMA competitor in history. His big match with Chuck? Loss. His rematch
with Chuck? Loss. His big match with The Natural? Loss. His decision
win against Griffin could have easily gone to Griffin. When people look
back at MMA legends, it's going to be Liddell, Couture, Fedor, Anderson
Silva, BJ Penn, and GSP. Tito Ortiz is not in any of their leagues, and
never was. The only reason we're still talking about him is his mouth. He
should wrestle John Cena at WrestleMania. That's about where he belongs.
sws33
09 Feb 2010, 10:01
Tito is a jackass. Just go away!!!
Nick C.
09 Feb 2010, 14:34
Tito's cocky, brash persona worked when he was actually winning fights and
defending titles. That ship has sailed and I agree with Keller that he is
just trying to stay relevant and collect some paydays. He's a smart
business man and I can't say I blame him for it. However, I think most MMA
fans who have an idea of what's going on don't pay too much attention to
him...quite frankly, he just doesn't matter in 2010. The most impressive
thing Tito has done in the past few years is ALMOST apply a triangle choke
on Machida after being schooled for three rounds. I'm counting on Tito to
bring that up in an interview to try and secure a rematch. I wouldn't pay
a dime to see it.
