Coach: Tito Ortiz eyes November return to Bellator

Back in the win column, The Huntington Beach Bad Boy wants more.

Tito Ortiz submitted Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko in a light heavyweight bout in May, and he’s targeting a return to the cage in November, according to his muay thai coach Rafael Cordeiro.

“He did an excellent fight against Shlemenko,” Cordeiro told MMAFighting.com. “He will fight again in November. We don’t know the opponent yet, but he’s already training.”

The former UFC light heavyweight champion snapped a three-fight skid with a first-round submission over Shlemenko, his second win in 10 fights. Cordeiro praises Ortiz, and is confident he will have his hand raised again when he returns to action.

“He got an excellent win. This man trains a lot, he deserves all the respect,” he said. “He’s a true legend. He trains every day and deserves everything he has.”

Bellator has yet to choose Ortiz’s next opponent.

“Who knows, maybe Ortiz vs. Rampage,” Cordeiro said.

Quinton Jackson was set to meet the fellow UFC veteran at Bellator 106 in November, but Ortiz was removed from the card with a neck injury. With Ortiz back to the win column and Rampage coming off three straight wins under the Bellator banner, it could finally happen.

“It was planned to happen before, so it might happen in the future,” Cordeiro said. “This fight will probably happen one day.”

Back in the win column, The Huntington Beach Bad Boy wants more.

Tito Ortiz submitted Bellator middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko in a light heavyweight bout in May, and he’s targeting a return to the cage in November, according to his muay thai coach Rafael Cordeiro.

“He did an excellent fight against Shlemenko,” Cordeiro told MMAFighting.com. “He will fight again in November. We don’t know the opponent yet, but he’s already training.”

The former UFC light heavyweight champion snapped a three-fight skid with a first-round submission over Shlemenko, his second win in 10 fights. Cordeiro praises Ortiz, and is confident he will have his hand raised again when he returns to action.

“He got an excellent win. This man trains a lot, he deserves all the respect,” he said. “He’s a true legend. He trains every day and deserves everything he has.”

Bellator has yet to choose Ortiz’s next opponent.

“Who knows, maybe Ortiz vs. Rampage,” Cordeiro said.

Quinton Jackson was set to meet the fellow UFC veteran at Bellator 106 in November, but Ortiz was removed from the card with a neck injury. With Ortiz back to the win column and Rampage coming off three straight wins under the Bellator banner, it could finally happen.

“It was planned to happen before, so it might happen in the future,” Cordeiro said. “This fight will probably happen one day.”