If you thought knocking out bitter rival Chuck Liddell would be the way UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz would end his legendary career, think again.
The 44-year-old Ortiz said back in November, immediately after the Liddell win, that he was once again retiring after more than two decades in the sport.
“I’m done,” Ortiz said. “There is nobody left I want to fight. I just want to continue to help the sports grow as a promoter. I want to help give back to the fighters.”
Now this is hardly the first time Ortiz has retired. This is at least the third time he’s called it a day and decided to hang up the gloves, but you know this had virtually no chance of actually sticking. Raise your hand if you had “less than five months” for when the former light heavyweight superstar would say he’s ready to fight again.
“I’ll probably be fighting in October,” Ortiz told TMZ (via MMAjunkie). “After I fought Chuck last year I thought it would probably be my last one, but my body is intact, everything is fast, everything is great. Sparring’s been good, training’s been great, and so let’s do one more for fun.”
Ortiz KO’d Liddell in the inaugural Golden Boy MMA main event. Liddell had stopped him with strikes twice during their memorable UFC rivalry, and this was Chuck’s first fight since 2010. For Ortiz, he currently rides a two-fight winning streak that also includes a rear-naked choke of Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170.
As for Ortiz’s next opponent? He won’t say who it is, but assures it’s “fun.”
“Just for fun,” Ortiz said. “I have an opponent, and it’s going to be fun when we announce it, so it’s going to be cool.”
Source: bloodyelbow.com
