Ortiz: Affliction, EliteXC, UFC In Mix
Sherdog.com Staff Aug 30, 2008
A chipper Tito Ortiz
(Pictures) said he’s still very much a free
agent on Friday’s episode of “Inside MMA” on HDNet.
Ortiz -- who also announced that he and longtime girlfriend Jenna Jameson are expecting their first child together –- recently satisfied a multi-fight contract with the UFC, where he has been one of the promotion’s top-three draws for the last 11 years.
The popular former UFC light heavyweight champion ran down a list
of promotional candidates who could snag his services in the coming
months.
“EliteXC -- possibility. Affliction -- possibility. UFC -- a small chance of that happening,” said Ortiz. “The things between me and Dana White, I’m shoving it off and moving on with my life.
A public feud between UFC president Dana White and the polarizing Ortiz has been well documented, to the point where Ortiz commented that he would not re-sign with the UFC on multiple occasions.
However, the Octagon still remains a viable option for the 33-year-old fighter, whose December 2007 rematch against former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures) remains the highest grossing pay-per-view in the sport’s history, netting a reported one million and eighty thousand buys.
“I’ve been doing this for 11 years now, and I still have five or six years ahead of me to compete,” said Ortiz. “I want to make sure it’s going to be a company that backs me, supports me, and uses me [in] the best [way] that I’ve been working this far to get.”
Ortiz (15-6-1) dropped a unanimous decision to Lyoto Machida (Pictures) (13-0) at UFC 84 “Ill Will” on May 24 in Las Vegas for his second loss in three fights.
Ortiz -- who also announced that he and longtime girlfriend Jenna Jameson are expecting their first child together –- recently satisfied a multi-fight contract with the UFC, where he has been one of the promotion’s top-three draws for the last 11 years.
Advertisement
“EliteXC -- possibility. Affliction -- possibility. UFC -- a small chance of that happening,” said Ortiz. “The things between me and Dana White, I’m shoving it off and moving on with my life.
A public feud between UFC president Dana White and the polarizing Ortiz has been well documented, to the point where Ortiz commented that he would not re-sign with the UFC on multiple occasions.
However, the Octagon still remains a viable option for the 33-year-old fighter, whose December 2007 rematch against former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures) remains the highest grossing pay-per-view in the sport’s history, netting a reported one million and eighty thousand buys.
“I’ve been doing this for 11 years now, and I still have five or six years ahead of me to compete,” said Ortiz. “I want to make sure it’s going to be a company that backs me, supports me, and uses me [in] the best [way] that I’ve been working this far to get.”
Ortiz (15-6-1) dropped a unanimous decision to Lyoto Machida (Pictures) (13-0) at UFC 84 “Ill Will” on May 24 in Las Vegas for his second loss in three fights.
Related Articles
