Tito Ortiz will be making his last walk to the Octagon on July 7 at UFC 148 against Forrest Griffin.
The fight will cap off the trilogy between the two fighters that has spanned six years. The two first fought in 2006 at UFC 59 in which Ortiz won via split decision.
Griffin evened the score three years later at UFC 106 with a split decision win of his own.
Whether Ortiz wins or loses, his MMA fighting career is going to end that night. Or is it?
Will the former Huntington Beach Bad Boy be able to stay away from the spotlight of fighting and ride off into the sunset? Or will he follow the retirement template of Brett Favre and continue to show up whenever an organization shows interest in him?
Let’s face it, Tito Ortiz was great for the UFC. It says a lot about his fan base that he is still able to sell fights considering he has a record of 1-6-1 over the last five-plus years. His marketability, not his performance, has allowed his fighting career to continue.
I firmly believe this is Tito’s last fight. The People’s Champ (I really dislike this nickname for him) made one last hail mary attempt at a title run when he took on Rashad Evans on short notice at UFC 133. Should he had won that fight, he would have been given the chance to fight for the championship.
The outcome wasn’t favorable for Ortiz, and he then lost once again this past December to “Little Nog”. He now finds himself way off the beaten path from earning a belt. He understands that he will never be a UFC champion again, and he knows his time is done.
As Tito wraps up his MMA career, I’ve learned to respect him more than I have at any point of his career. He has evolved from a perceived selfish individual to somebody who appears to be more of a giver.
Through his Twitter account, Tito is consistently communicating with fans and posting encouraging thoughts with the intention of passing along a positive message to his followers.
It would not be surprising to see Tito enter some sort of corporate position with the UFC soon after his fight with Forrest. He is a smart business man who has solidified his Punishment Athletics brand as one of the most recognizable names in MMA.
While his career in the cage is fading, he has immense potential for what he can do outside of it.
Do not expect Tito Ortiz to waiver back and forth on whether or not to fight again. He has too much to accomplish in the MMA world outside of fighting.
His bout on July 7 against Forrest Griffin will be the absolute final chapter of his professional fighting career.
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