Are combat fans really going to get Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz 3?
Before today, it seemed less likely than a Jon Jones vs. Brock Lesnar heavyweight superfight.
But here we are. Ortiz, who retired over one year ago following his submission victory over Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170, is officially back, announcing that he’s coming out of retirement earlier today (Fri., May 11, 2018) via Instagram (shown below).
Ortiz’s announcement comes just over a week after former boxing world champion Oscar De La Hoya made it known that he plans to start his own mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. De La Hoya had hoped that a Liddell vs. Ortiz trilogy bout would headline the premier event and it looks like that may become a reality for “Golden Boy.”
But is this really what we want?
Liddell, 48, hasn’t fought since getting knocked out by Rich Franklin at UFC 115 nearly eight years ago. He does hold two career wins over Ortiz, but “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” has competed nine times since “Iceman” hung it up.
Ortiz, 43, has only compiled a 4-5 record since Liddell stepped away from MMA, but his activity as a professional fighter makes him the odds-on-favorite to win the trilogy bout should it actually come to fruition. Of course, Liddell has squashed Ortiz twice before, so there is the potential for another shellacking.
If De La Hoya is able to piece this beauty together it will undoubtedly send shock waves through the land of MMA. Because even though Liddell vs. Ortiz 3 isn’t going to produce timeless fireworks inside of the cage, it’s an absolute box office barn burner.
What say you, Maniacs? Should Ortiz have stayed retired? Do we really want this fight?