Tito Ortiz Settles Beef With Dana White, Wants Fedor Emelianenko
“Yes, Tito and I made up,” Tweeted UFC President Dana White Friday, confirming the announcement former UFC light heavyweight champion “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) made on Tapout Radio Thursday.
“I wanted to be a man and squash things between me and him,” the free agent fighter said.
Ortiz hasn’t fought since losing a unanimous decision to Fighters.com and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion “Dragon” Ryoto Machida (15-0) at UFC 84 in Las Vegas in May 2008, fulfilling his UFC contract.
Ortiz wasn’t invited to the post-fight press conference, but he and his girlfriend, model Jenna Jameson, crashed and refused to leave until White relented and allowed him to participate.
Thursday Ortiz indicated he was close to signing a contract with Strikeforce, but left returning to the UFC on the table.
White was quick to put things in perspective, Tweeting, “Doesn’t mean he’s back it means we aren’t smashing each other anymore and we don’t hate each other.”
Ortiz told Tapout Radio, “I’m hoping by my fourth fight, possibly fight Fedor Emelianenko at a catchweight. That’d be something that I’m looking forward to possibly by the middle of next year.”
Ortiz hasn’t beat a top ten fighter since knocking out Evan Tanner (32-8) by slam at UFC 30 in Atlantic City in 2001, though he does have a draw with now second-ranked “Sugar” Rashad Evans (13-1-1) from 2007 and a split decision victory over now third-ranked Forrest Griffin (16-5) from 2006, before either fighter had cracked the top ten.
However, a challenge to Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion Emelianenko (29-1) seems ambitious for the one-time biggest draw in MMA.
If Ortiz closes the deal with Strikeforce, a challenge to the promotion’s light heavyweight champion “Babalu” Renato Sobral (31-8) seems more likely. Sobral has publicly challenged Ortiz.
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Man tito ortiz needs to come back and be the dominant force he once was despite the fact that fighters now adays, are constantly improving on thier mma skills, like him or not ,tito is still recognized as one of the alete, i say tito needs to make a statement and get back in the mix to compete with the evolving fighters, not saying that he’s not evolving, but DAMN IT SHOW EM WHY TOUR THE HUNNINGTON BEACH BAD BOY!
Tito is Hollywood. He’s taking the Frank Shamrock route, and that’s probably who he’ll end up fighting. I know he had back surgery, but he’s been out of the cage a long time now and he’s not getting any younger. I’m not sure he’s getting any better either. He still competes at a high level in MMA, but that level keeps dropping.
Ok first of all its spelled elite. Second of all tito is nowhere even close to the caliber fighter as fedor!
The only thing BAD about Tito is his wardrobe !!!!!!!!!!