Tito Ortiz is a superstar in mixed martial arts. Whether the fans or pundits want to accept it, the 39-year-old, 18-11 professional fighter is still a star in this sport. He moves the needle whenever he is in front of a camera and microphone. As long as he can stay “healthy,” Tito Ortiz will have a place in the world of MMA.
Coming into Bellator 131, Ortiz and Stephan Bonnar had combined for three wins since 2011. Yet, these two former UFC competitors were selected to headline the show. Even through Will Brooks versus Michael Chandler was easily the most important fight on the card and there was a title on the line, they were not given the opportunity to carry the event. Entertainment took precedence over sports value.
The results of the show proved why. According to Tristen Critchfield of Sherdog, the show averaged 1.241 million viewers, which is a record for Bellator MMA since landing its time slot on Spike TV. His report also mentions that the event hit two million viewers during the Ortiz vs. Bonnar main event. Their ratings were more than enough to defeat the UFC 180 preliminaries that were going on the same evening (via 5thRound.com).
Ortiz is playing a part in breaking records when facing off against Bonnar, who was never a major star in this sport. Imagine the possibilities if he’s placed against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson or “King” Muhammed Lawal. In fact, Lawal and Ortiz have already started taking shots at each other, which could result in huge paydays for both men and even bigger ratings for a Bellator show (via MMAjunkie).
There are numerous opportunities for Bellator MMA to take advantage of Ortiz’s star power. As it builds fighters such as Liam McGeary, Ortiz can play a part in doing so because his name, while not valuable in win-loss purposes, has the ability to bolster any competitor’s resume and recognition.
Then there is the potential for the fighters who compete on cards that feature Tito Ortiz. Patricio Freire, Bubba Jenkins and Daniel Straus are three examples of competitors that have very good MMA skill sets, yet they do not have the ability to draw nearly as much as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.” The professional wrestling term of “giving the rub” to these lesser-known fighters would greatly benefit Bellator MMA while momentum is at this point.
Tito Ortiz is a character in the world of mixed martial arts. He’s no longer the fighter that dominated the Octagon a decade ago; however, he’s still using another set of abilities that he learned during that time. Tito Ortiz can draw attention to nearly anything that he does. The results of Bellator 131 show that he can be a lightning rod for the promotion as it looks to re-establish itself in the industry. As long as Ortiz can keep this up, the promotion should get as much from him as it can.
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