UFC 132 Fight Card: A Look at Tito Ortiz Last Five Fights: Tito vs Lyoto Machida

UFC 132 Fight Card: A Look at Tito Ortiz Last Five Fights: UFC 84 Tito vs. Lyoto MachidaBleacher Report’s Andrew Mahlmann:Tito Ortiz’s career has been in a nose dive…if you look at just his record over the past five years.He has not won a fight in hi…

UFC 132 Fight Card: A Look at Tito Ortiz Last Five Fights: UFC 84 Tito vs. Lyoto Machida

Bleacher Report’s Andrew Mahlmann:

Tito Ortiz‘s career has been in a nose dive…if you look at just his record over the past five years.

He has not won a fight in his past five fights and is riding a three-fight losing skid.

Earlier in his career, Ortiz was carrying the flag for MMA as he was the reigning light-heavyweight champion and defended his title a record five times.

Clearly he has fallen on much harder times.

His detractors are also quick to point out that his last two victories were over a washed-up fighter in Ken Shamrock.

While Ortiz does have a lot to prove if he wants to be relevant, he is not as washed up as people make him out to be.

He may not be winning, but if you look closely at his last five fights, he has only been stopped by one man and the 36-year old former-champion still has quite a bit of fight left in him.

Aside from a nice takedown from Machida late in Round 1, not much happened through the first two rounds.

Ortiz pressed forward aggressively while Machida continually circled away.

The third round was more interesting as Machida dropped Ortiz with a brilliant knee to the body.

Not to be out-done, Ortiz showed his resilience and technique by coming within an inch of submitting Machida with a beautiful triangle/armbar.

Machida received the decision, but Ortiz was understandably frustrated by Machida’s clear unwillingness to engage throughout the majority of the fight.