Tag: Tito Ortiz

CSAC Executive Director opens up on the commission’s decision to even license the third fight between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. This fight is several days removed from when it took place but people are still talking about it. There was a certain expectation that most fight fans had when coming into it.

Liddell had been removed from the sport as an active pro-MMA fighter for several years. Ortiz on the flip side was more active and still winning fights. In fact, he beat Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170 by submission in his previous fight despite being past his prime.

Still, there were some unknowns coming into it despite the fact that they had fought each other twice. This event that was headlined by this trilogy fight featured the ugly and sometimes uncomfortable performance by Liddell. In the defense of the former UFC light heavyweight champion, most people didn’t know what version of “The Iceman” to expect.

California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) Executive Director, Andy Foster, licensed this fight to take place. Now, everyone is going after him for allowing this fight to take place.

“It’s hard to say it’s a mismatch when you’ve got two wins over the guy already,” Foster told MMA Fighting. “If you tell somebody as the executive officer, ‘Yeah, I don’t think you should be doing this even though you passed all your medicals,’ you’re basically telling that fighter, you can’t make a half a million dollars or however much he was making.”

Foster continued by stating that having the responsibility to tell somebody they can’t make a living is a big one. At the end of the day, he takes that seriously and looks at the fight game as a business.

“That’s a big responsibility to tell somebody they can’t make a living. I take that responsibility seriously. This is a business and profession, the fight game. If you pass all the medicals, the only thing left is, is the fight a mismatch? And I didn’t believe it was.”

The post CSAC Executive Director Defends Licensing Liddell vs. Ortiz 3 appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Tito Ortiz fires back at those haters for criticizing his third and what appears to be the final fight against Chuck Liddell. The battle between the two former UFC light heavyweight champions took place over the weekend inside The Forum in Inglewood, California on pay-per-view. Ortiz beat Liddell by first round knockout. He finally got his revenge on his arch-rival. Although it didn’t take place under the UFC banner, it was promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy MMA.

Following the fight, there have been fighters, media members, and fans criticizing this fight. Thus, this led to Ortiz taking to his official Instagram account where he not only reflected on the fight but defended it.

“I’ve had some time to think about this fight verse Chuck Liddell. How it came to be? This is something that Chuck wanted. I was ok doing my businesses. He called me out. Yes I agree and help make it happen with Golden Boy Boxing. I took this fight very serious that’s why I put in a 18 week camp. 3x a day, 6 days a week. I sacrificed everything. I was willing to put my life on the line.”

Prior to this fight, Liddell had already beaten Ortiz twice while under the UFC banner. However, he took the fight and it didn’t work out for him. Liddell and Ortiz have fought twice throughout their legendary careers, with “The Iceman” knocking out Ortiz at UFC 47 in 2004 and UFC 66 in 2006. Ortiz broke down the circumstances heading into this fight.

“Having everyone saying why are you fighting Chuck again, he beat you twice? 1. He called me out 2. I always wanted redemption. 3. I’m here to prove my fans were right and the haters were wrong. 4. An opportunity to start a new organization that will take care of the fighters as they should be. I showed the world what hard work and dedication can get you.”

At the end of the day for the former UFC light heavyweight champion, he knew he was in a lose-lose situation. However, he pushed through and proved at the end of the day, he was the best fighter.

“I’ve never been so nervous before a fight like this one. But I knew I was ready. The mind games that Chuck was playing made me work harder. So thank you, Chuck. I was in a lose-lose situation but I was willing to gamble with my health. Chuck said he was ready, I knew I was ready, may the best fighter win. In this case it was me.”

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I’ve had some time to think about this fight verse @chuckliddell How it came to be? This is something that chuck wanted I was ok doing my businesses. He called me out. Yes I agree and help make it happen with @goldenboyboxing . I took this fight very serious that’s why I put in a 18 week camp. 3x a day 6 days a week. I sacrificed everything. I was willing to put my life on the line. One year ago I had 3 level disk replacement in my neck. Plus 7 other major surgeries since 2009. But was still willing to take a chance against someone who beat me twice before. There is not quit in me. I have made mistakes and I have learned from them. That’s life! I want to fail so I can learn to better myself. I have lived my life with ups and downs but at the end of the day I keep learning. I wish more people would. Having everyone saying why are you fighting chuck again he beat you twice? 1. He called me out 2. I always wanted redemption. 3. I’m here to prove my fans were right and the haters were wrong. 4. An opportunity to start a new organization that will take care of the fighters as they should be. I showed the world what hard work and dedication can get you. I’ve never been so nervous before a fight like this one but I knew I was ready. The mind games that chuck was playing made me work harder. So thank you chuck. I was in a lose lose situation but I was willing to gamble with my health. Chuck said he was ready I knew I was ready, may the best fighter win. In this case it was me. I need to thank all my fans,friends and family that supported me for this fight. I couldn’t have done it without you! I respect chuck for stepping up and following through with the fight. You’re a champion and hall of fame legend that brought the best out of me! Sorry to all your fans I was on a mission. Thank you @moses___murrietta @parilloboxing @herdemkalash @raphaeldavis205 @scottcarrgbcm @jaysilvamma @ufcgymhuntingtonbeach @rvca you all help build me up so I could knock him down! THANK YOU!!!!

A post shared by titoortiz1999 (@titoortiz1999) on Nov 26, 2018 at 5:56pm PST

The post Tito Ortiz Fires Back At Haters Over Chuck Liddell Trilogy Fight appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.