In the world of mixed martial arts, there are great fighters, and then there are legends. Tonight, one of the greatest legends to ever set foot inside the octagon, Tito Ortiz, will fight with Pride FC standout Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, better known as Little Nog.
No matter what happens at UFC 140, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz has already established himself as one of the greatest champions in the history of mixed martial arts. Nobody can ever take that away from him.
So when I say that Ortiz is probably going to lose this fight, it’s not such a terrible thing. Tito has absolutely nothing left to prove. His legacy is about as secure as any fighters legacy can be.
Ever since returning to the UFC in November of 2009, Tito has had his sights set on reclaiming the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. The trouble is, Tito has lost three out of four fights since returning to the UFC. The chances of making a run at the title are pretty slim right now.
Tito certainly isn’t the oldest wrestling-based fighter in MMA today. He’s only 36 years old. Randy Couture was 44 when he beat Tim Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight Title in 2007.
So what happens if Little Nog beats Ortiz tonight?
Ortiz is going to want to retire before the UFC does the retiring for him. Yes, the win against Ryan Bader was huge. But the UFC is currently paying Tito Ortiz enormous sums of money for losing over and over again.
Rogerio Nogueira is currently only a mid-tier opponent. Losing to Lil Nog would spell the end of any glimmers that Tito Ortiz is still relevant in the UFC today.
The UFC could still throw him in against other aging MMA legends like Rich Franklin. But Tito’s best remaining options are outside of the octagon.
He could take a crack at the Bellator Light Heavyweight Title if he’s feeling bored and still wants to fight. That is easily Bellator’s weakest division, so I don’t think anyone would stop him from taking the title belt.
And that’s where the UFC is going to want to be cautious. A name as big as Tito Ortiz could add a lot of legitimacy to the UFC’s biggest (but not particularly big) competitor.
Rather than cutting Ortiz, let him retire with dignity. Then, throw him a bone by giving him a job with the UFC. He’s got decent commentator skills, and there is a variety of ways the UFC could keep Tito Ortiz employed and still build up the brand.
One thing is certain. If Tito loses to Little Nog tonight, he needs to do the sensible thing and retire.
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