TITO’S LAST STAND
The rift between UFC president Dana White and former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz appears to have passed the point of no return.
The 33-year-old Ortiz will fulfill the final bout on his current contract with the Las Vegas-based promotion when he faces unbeaten Lyoto Machida at UFC 84: Ill Will on Saturday, May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Afterwards, he plans to walk away from the organization that gave rise to his stardom. The blame for the pending separation, he says, rests at White’s feet.
“I think just about 90 percent of this is me just wanting to get away from Dana White,” Ortiz told Live Audio Wrestling’s Dan Lovranski. “He has a vengeance for me. He’s a person who’s very hateful towards me, and he doesn’t want to see me grow as a superstar. He’s always been like that. He’s always been trying to hold me down and not let me go further, and it’s just really sad to see.”
The feud between Ortiz and White, two of the industry’s strongest personalities, has been well-chronicled. Ortiz believes many of the UFC’s top draws share his sentiments regarding how fighters are treated and points to the recent defections of UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture and two-time heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia as evidence. Andrei Arlovski could soon join that list.
“I think the superstars should be built as a company’s being built, and they don’t want to do that,” Ortiz said. “They’re really keeping the big piece of the pie, and they’re just feeding all the champions and all the superstars crumbs of it.”
Ortiz rips the fact that the UFC receives 100 percent of the revenue from DVD sales and merchandising, and he claims White has cut down on his earning potential by turning away potential sponsors.
“If Dana says, ‘You can’t have them as a sponsor,’ you cannot have them as a sponsor,” Ortiz said. “The only way you’re allowed to have the sponsors you get is if it’s OK with Dana White, and there’s been a lot of situations [where] I’ve had sponsors – big sponsors that wanted to pay me large sums of money – and Dana said no just because he had a personal disagreement with them. When personal stuff starts interfering with business with me, I really take it to heart.”
Ortiz made his UFC debut in May 1997 and has since become the most prolific fighter in the promotion’s history with a record 20 bouts to his credit. He faces a formidable foe in Machida, a fast-rising contender at 205 pounds.
Based out of the same Black House camp as UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Machida (12-0) last fought in December, when he submitted Team Quest juggernaut Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou with a side choke at UFC 79. He also owns victories against former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, current UFC lightweight titleholder B.J. Penn and Stephan Bonnar. His awkward style has presented problems for virtually every opponent he has faced. Ortiz shows no sign of concern.
“He’s never fought anybody like me,” he said. “Has he ever fought anybody with the wrestling ability that I have? He’s never fought a natural 205-pounder. I cut from 210, 215 to make 205. I’m a lot bigger, and I’m probably in the best shape that I’ve been in the last five years.”
Ortiz (15-5-1) has not set foot inside the Octagon since he fought unbeaten Rashad Evans to a draw at UFC 78 in November. A one-point deduction for grabbing the cage cost the charismatic Californian the victory. Ortiz has been beaten by only three men – Couture, Chuck Liddell (twice) and Frank Shamrock – in the past 11 years. Even if he does pin the first defeat on Machida’s record, Ortiz doubts he will be given time to address fans once the fight ends.
“I’m probably about 90 percent sure they’re not going to give me the mic, and I think that’s really bad for the fans, because I know my fans want to hear what I have to say,” Ortiz said. “Hopefully, they do give me the mic and give me the respect to say my piece and move on. I’ll be free at last.”
The rift between UFC president Dana White and former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz appears to have passed the point of no return.
The 33-year-old Ortiz will fulfill the final bout on his current contract with the Las Vegas-based promotion when he faces unbeaten Lyoto Machida at UFC 84: Ill Will on Saturday, May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Afterwards, he plans to walk away from the organization that gave rise to his stardom. The blame for the pending separation, he says, rests at White’s feet.
“I think just about 90 percent of this is me just wanting to get away from Dana White,” Ortiz told Live Audio Wrestling’s Dan Lovranski. “He has a vengeance for me. He’s a person who’s very hateful towards me, and he doesn’t want to see me grow as a superstar. He’s always been like that. He’s always been trying to hold me down and not let me go further, and it’s just really sad to see.”
The feud between Ortiz and White, two of the industry’s strongest personalities, has been well-chronicled. Ortiz believes many of the UFC’s top draws share his sentiments regarding how fighters are treated and points to the recent defections of UFC Hall-of-Famer Randy Couture and two-time heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia as evidence. Andrei Arlovski could soon join that list.
“I think the superstars should be built as a company’s being built, and they don’t want to do that,” Ortiz said. “They’re really keeping the big piece of the pie, and they’re just feeding all the champions and all the superstars crumbs of it.”
Ortiz rips the fact that the UFC receives 100 percent of the revenue from DVD sales and merchandising, and he claims White has cut down on his earning potential by turning away potential sponsors.
“If Dana says, ‘You can’t have them as a sponsor,’ you cannot have them as a sponsor,” Ortiz said. “The only way you’re allowed to have the sponsors you get is if it’s OK with Dana White, and there’s been a lot of situations [where] I’ve had sponsors – big sponsors that wanted to pay me large sums of money – and Dana said no just because he had a personal disagreement with them. When personal stuff starts interfering with business with me, I really take it to heart.”
Ortiz made his UFC debut in May 1997 and has since become the most prolific fighter in the promotion’s history with a record 20 bouts to his credit. He faces a formidable foe in Machida, a fast-rising contender at 205 pounds.
Based out of the same Black House camp as UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Machida (12-0) last fought in December, when he submitted Team Quest juggernaut Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou with a side choke at UFC 79. He also owns victories against former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, current UFC lightweight titleholder B.J. Penn and Stephan Bonnar. His awkward style has presented problems for virtually every opponent he has faced. Ortiz shows no sign of concern.
“He’s never fought anybody like me,” he said. “Has he ever fought anybody with the wrestling ability that I have? He’s never fought a natural 205-pounder. I cut from 210, 215 to make 205. I’m a lot bigger, and I’m probably in the best shape that I’ve been in the last five years.”
Ortiz (15-5-1) has not set foot inside the Octagon since he fought unbeaten Rashad Evans to a draw at UFC 78 in November. A one-point deduction for grabbing the cage cost the charismatic Californian the victory. Ortiz has been beaten by only three men – Couture, Chuck Liddell (twice) and Frank Shamrock – in the past 11 years. Even if he does pin the first defeat on Machida’s record, Ortiz doubts he will be given time to address fans once the fight ends.
“I’m probably about 90 percent sure they’re not going to give me the mic, and I think that’s really bad for the fans, because I know my fans want to hear what I have to say,” Ortiz said. “Hopefully, they do give me the mic and give me the respect to say my piece and move on. I’ll be free at last.”