The ongoing saga between UFC President Dana White and Light Heavyweight Fighter Tito Ortiz is approaching a boiling point that may spill over at UFC 84. With heavy media coverage and fine tooth scrutiny being applied to all sides of the story, neither White or Ortiz seem to be holding back their various pot shots, something that is overriding the real bout, between Ortiz and undefeated Brazilian Lyoto ‘The Dragon’ Machida.
This past Thursday on The Fan 590, Ortiz told me the only he would return to the UFC is if Dana White either quit or publicly apologized for what he has said about him and girlfriend Jenna Jameson. Dana’s response during a recent UFC conference call this past week was nothing new or surprising to anyone who has been following this story for years:
“Tito is a f—ing idiot. He’s one of the dumbest human beings I’ve ever met. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes no sense.” It also appears White has enough of Tito’s act as well. “I put up with his s— when he was a good fighter,” White said. “He’s not anymore. He’s not in anybody’s Top 10.”
While most promoters would never publically display who they favour in a fight, White overlooks this image and could care less about being impartial. He stated “I have no interest whatsoever in being in the Tito Ortiz business. … I’ve never wanted to see anyone get their ass kicked worse than I want to see Tito get his kicked next Saturday night.”
Everyone knows that next Saturday night at the MGM Grand, Tito Ortiz will be making his final appearance in the UFC Octagon. With many MMA organziations vieing to become the next ‘big show’, Tito Ortiz’s name and marketability could be the next step for some of the up and coming promotions. Widely regarded as the #2 organization in North America, Elite XC and their frontman Gary Shaw, make no bones about the fact they would love to have Tito Ortiz on their roster.
“Of all my years in the fight game, I know one thing that I could see, touch, smell and feel, and that is a star and a superstar,” he said. “Every time I see Tito Ortiz, he reeks of stardom. I think I can even better his days in the UFC. I think I can reincarnate Ortiz. He is a talented fighter and has all the mechanisms that you need to make someone a superstar.”
“Can you imagine Tito Ortiz and Kimbo (Slice) in the cage together one day?,” Shaw asked. “My door is open. I hope that he’s able to negotiate one day because I would never interfere with a contract. I hope he’s sitting right next to me, not across from my desk, but right with me.”
I firmly believe that Elite XC is where Tito Ortiz will end up, but will Dana White and the UFC try to convince Ortiz otherwise in hopes to work things out with their former Light Heavyweight Champion. “There’s not going to be any bidding war,” White said. “Gary Shaw should offer him $30 a fight, because we’re not going to match it.
Not surpising when you think about it, but business is business and if there is any way the UFC can prevent their competition from increasing their market share, they will do whatever it takes to do so. If that means signing Tito Ortiz, they will. Then again, White also believes that there is no promotion out there that can (or ever will) compete with the UFC.
Bottom line, this scenario will continue to heat up and will definetly reach an all time high at UFC 84: ill will. Win or Lose, Ortiz will be a headlining story for weeks to come and it will be interesting to see what the UFC does to sign or impede the next chapter in Tito Ortiz’s career.
