Back in December, “The People’s Champion” Tito Ortiz suffered a TKO loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
Before the fight, Ortiz revealed that he would finish the final two fights on his current contract with the UFC and would then retire, ending an impressive 15-year career.
Although Ortiz stated that he was finally healthy for the first time in years, he wanted to end his career on his own terms.
After the loss to Nogueira, it was unknown whether or not Ortiz would stick to his promise or if he would end his career early.
Well, according to ESPN.com, Ortiz revealed that he has plans of returning to the Octagon for the what will be the final time this summer.
“Hopefully the July 4 weekend I’ll be fighting my last fight and I’ll be done, that’s it – time to walk away,” Ortiz said.
The next question to be answered is who Ortiz’s opponent will be for his final fight in the UFC. If it was up to the “People’s Champ,” it would be a foe he has faced before.
“Forrest [is possible], I know everybody would love to see me against Chuck – we’ll see what [UFC president] Dana [White] has to offer. Let’s make my last fight a memorable one,” Ortiz said.
Griffin and Ortiz split their first two matchups, while Liddell has had the better of Ortiz in their first two fights.
Ortiz was supposed to meet Liddell after the two coached opposite each other on the Ultimate Fighter. However, as we all know, Ortiz was forced out of the fight because he needed surgery.
Liddell went on to lose to Rich Franklin and has been retired since. It would take a lot for White to allow the “Iceman” to make a comeback.
Another possible fight for Ortiz could be a dream matchup from the past that never came together: a fight with Franklin himself.
Ortiz held the light heavyweight title three years before Franklin captured the middleweight championship. Some have wondered who would win if the two were to meet.
Now that Franklin is in the same division as Ortiz, that question could be answered.
Regardless of who his opponent will be, all three of the above fighters are opponents that Ortiz could end his career on a high note with.
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