According to Tito Ortiz, he is the last person any fighter should take lightly. However, due to his recent string of bouts, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” is far from the competitor he used to be.
At UFC 132, Ortiz will face Ryan Bader, in what will likely be his last appearance in the Octagon if he does not walk away with a win. It’s a fight he is obviously taking serious, as Ortiz recently admitted to begging for one more match, and luckily, it will be against one the light heavyweight division’s top wrestlers.
Once a dominant champion, Ortiz will be looking for his first win since 2006. And he plans to deliver a vintage performance.
“If Bader thinks he’s in for as easy fight, he’s in for a long trip,” Ortiz said during an interview on ESPN.co.uk.
The 35-year-old Ortiz has gone 0-6-1, loosing to credible opponents along the way in Chuck Liddell, Rashad Evans, Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin and Matt Hamill. The list of opponents might look appealing but it does nothing for Ortiz’s legacy, in regards to scoring a victory.
Bader, who also has tasted defeat, recently stated he intends to beat Ortiz this weekend, believing a victory over the former light heavyweight champion will earn him one step closer to a title shot.
Ortiz, offended by his opponent’s remarks, responded in typical fashion.
“He can go f*** himself if he thinks that’s the way it’s going to be,” he said.
UFC 132 is scheduled for July 2, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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