A win is a win is a win.
And the following are the reasons why Tito Ortiz’s win over rising prospect Ryan Bader in UFC 132 is extra special:
First, it’s a glimmer of hope for Ortiz, as the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion had been on a downward roll since December of 2006.
After his TKO loss in his last attempt to regain the belt against Chuck Liddell, Ortiz next fought Rashad Evans to a draw before losing decisions consecutively against Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin and Matt Hamill. (In fairness to Ortiz—and I agree with Andrew Mahlmann—he still managed to fight creditably in his last four matches. And his fight with Bader is further proof that Dana White doesn’t give him patsies.)
Second, this guillotine choke victory, which was impressively preceded by a solid right hand and some ground-and-pound, is only Ortiz’ second win by submission hold in his MMA career. The first was a neck crank versus Yuki Kondo in UFC 29, over a decade ago on December 16, 2000.
Third—to obsequiously hype it some more—Ortiz did a better job than current UFC Champion Jon Jones! He submitted the lately choke-prone Bader in the very first round, whereas last February Jones didn’t submit the former “only” until the last minute of the second round!
However, Ortiz’s win could be as deceptive as cancer in claiming its victim.
There have been cases in which doctors find cancer on remission or even totally healed, only for it to come back with a vengeance.
And the second time proves more virulent and fatal.
So, Ortiz wins big this time around, breaking his three-year, three-fight losing streak, but what’s next?
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