Ortiz to Return in Strikeforce
By Josh Stein on Jul 03, 2009
Six-time UFC lightheavyweight champion Tito Ortiz (16-6-1 MMA, 15-6-1 UFC) has stated that he wants to return to action in Strikeforce, presumably in the lightheavyweight division. The division is currently run by Renato “Babalu” Sobral (32-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC, #9 IWMMAR), and boasts solid talent which include Rafael Cavalcante (7-2 MMA), Mike “MAK” Kyle (12-6-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and two time UFC heavyweight champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-13- MMA, 4-3 UFC).
Ortiz will certainly not be at the top of the division, as he hasn’t won a fight since 2006. His last wins over non-Ken Shamrock opponents were split decisions over Forrest Griffin (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC, #4 IWMMAR) and Vitor Belfort (18-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC, #9 IWMMAR). The last fight all three judges agreed that Tito won was his October 2004 victory over Patrick Cote (14-5 MMA, 4-5 UFC).
The Huntington Beach Bad Boy has said that he’s been medically cleared to train and fight, and is negotiating a contract with Strikeforce. Ortiz has only fought outside of the UFC once, in a very small show, back in 1998, and there will certainly be lots of skepticism about his ability, as the 34 year old Ortiz is no longer in his athletic prime and is, in many ways, considered technically deficient.
The World Independent MMA Ranking supplied for Vitor Belfort is in the middleweight division.
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Ariel Helwani has a post up over at MMA Fanhouse that questions Tito’s claims.
http://mma.fanhouse.com/2009/07/01/not-so-fast-tito/
Here is a quote:
However, when Fanhouse contacted Strikeforce director of communications Mike Afromowitz Tuesday, he made it pretty clear that no agreement is in place with Ortiz.
“I don’t know anything about it,” Afromowitz said.
———
I’m not saying Tito isn’t talking to Strikeforce but it definitely looks like Strikeforce isn’t ready to admit talking to Tito.
Matt, Tito has said he’s still in the negotiation stages of a contract and he wants to put pressure on Strikeforce to pick him up by making people talk about it (and I’m biting, because I want Strikeforce to pick him up).
I would imagine Mike’s not allowed to comment on a contract that doesn’t exist, and his bosses at Strikeforce don’t want to have the pressure of media focusing on their contract negotiations. At least, not in this case.
It’s understandable. Whether Ariel gets that there are insider politics going on here is debatable (and I have my opinion on the issue), but there definitely are people who profit more from a public discussion of the negotiations, even if that’s all that we have at this point.
That makes sense. But…
Is there a chance this could backfire on Tito? He has been making similar claims to this for quite some time. I believe he made these claims about EliteXC then again with Affliction. So apparently this kind of talk from Tito hasn’t worked in the past. Well to be fair the talks had no chance to go anywhere with EliteXC because they went out of business. However he made similar claims about joining Affliction and those never materialized. I’m just not sure this is the best way for Tito to negotiate if that is the deal.
Also was that a shot at Ariel or what? Are you saying you don’t think Ariel is smart enough to get that there is some insider politics going on here?
My understanding is that when he talked about this with Affliction, it was with regards to his commentating gig. And while I don’t remember the timeframe on the EliteXC, I feel I can make a pretty good guess at why those negotiations might have broken down.
I think Ariel gets that insider politics exist, but I’ve never been convinced that people in general (not just him) understand that there is a conscious manipulation of press outlets in an attempt to place pressure on individuals in the back room cutting out contracts. It’s not an issue of being smart enough to get it, it’s an issue of trying to see the implications of a press blitz with regards to the negotiating process, and I don’t think he cares enough to analyze that particular aspect.
I won’t speak with any authority for what Ariel does and doesn’t know (of how smart he is). That’s not really fair. That’s just my draw on it, based on what he’s written. Take it for what it’s worth.
Since Josh is being diplomatic, I for one will say that I don’t think Ariel is the sharpest crayon in the box.