If only for a brief minute, the legendary rivalry between former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight title holders Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz was renewed this past week on social media.
The duo posed for a photo at a gathering, which was ultimately posted by “The Iceman” with the caption “Why Not,” suggesting — playfully — that a trilogy fight could be realistic. Ortiz seized the opportunity to clown his former friend and training partner, offering to loan him a few bucks if he was broke and in need of a comeback fight to get some cash. He also answered Chuck’s “Why Not” question by posting the now-infamous video the botched interview “Iceman” once gave on live television:
In turn, a fired up Liddell fired back at Ortiz for taking something playful and turning it into something negative toward him.
“We took the pic as requested by the media. You knew I was going to post it, u posed for it. I heard you changed for the better, but with your lack of class and character i knew it was impossible. Some encouraged me to give you a shot saying Amber changed u. Judging from your tweet you’re still the same piece of shit I’ve punked on numerous occasions. Now we know who the real trash was, you can’t blame @jennacantlose any more. Man up! Now let me borrow some money bitch, where should we meet up I need it soon!”
One day later, Ortiz once gain hopped back on to his social media account, this time, however, he issued an apology to Liddell.
.@ChuckLiddell you are correct I was wrong with my reply.I said something that night after the pic was posted on pure emotion. #MyBad
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) June 5, 2017
Liddell defeated Ortiz twice by way of knockout, first at UFC 47 back in 2004, and then two years later at UFC 66. A trilogy fight between the two never made much sense after that because “Iceman” proved emphatically that he has the number of “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”
As for Ortiz’ apology, Liddell has yet to respond. And he probably won’t.