Tito Ortiz on Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta don't want to help me anymore

[markzabin]

The end of the journey for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” Tito Ortiz, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship seems to be drawing near. The former light heavyweight champion has all but packed his bags to leave the company after his May 24 fight against Lyoto Machida.

“I really think it’s time for me to move on,” said Ortiz during an appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “I’d love to finish my career with the UFC, but the way they treat me, it’s just… it’s really, really bad. It really hurts me. It’s really disrespectful towards me. I’ve given them 11 years of my life, blood, sweat and tears in that Octagon, putting my heart on the line, putting my life on the line, and they give me no respect for it because I’m outspoken.”

The outspoken nature of which Ortiz speaks is his tendency to try and fight for fighters to receive a higher salary from the various promotions, a battle he has been fighting for many years.

“I believe the fighters should get a fair cut of what they (UFC) make. They’ve made their money back time and time over, now it’s time I think for the fighters to start receiving revenue that they get because of us,” Ortiz stated. “I’ve been a person to be outspoken about that, and no one else has.

“I think Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell should be thanking me from three years ago when I spoke out and they started getting paid more money, and I started making more money. That’s what it’s really about, focusing on fighters of the future, not just being paid low sums like some of the undercard guys are getting.”

Obviously, Ortiz has been fighting a very public battle with UFC president Dana White. The California native can’t deny it’s a major reason for his departure.

“To me, it’s just with Dana White, he has such hard feelings against me, he’s been very disrespectful towards me, and I’m willing to move on,” he commented. “To not have to wake up every day and worry about what he’s going to say about me.”

While the former champion doesn’t deny the tough relationship with White, he also says that he’s ready to put all of that behind him and just go somewhere else.

“I really just want to focus on what’s going to happen after this. I’m willing to move on, I’m willing to think about the positive stuff that’s around me and diss all the negative stuff,” Ortiz said about his future. “I’m over all the negative stuff, I’m over talking about Dana… I’m very thankful for Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, for what they’ve done for me. I’m very thankful, and they don’t want to help me anymore, which is fine.”

Ortiz went on to say that he was negotiating for a new contract with the UFC, but ultimately the talks ended and the last fight on his current contract, the fight against Machida, will likely be his last UFC fight ever.

“At this point it’s pretty much stopped,” he said of the contract negotiations. “I gave them my first offer. They came back at me with some totally… I thought was ridiculous (offer). I held out, and I held out, and I held out until they gave me something else, which was a six-fight contract, and I don’t want to be held down for six fights with them.

“I want to go to a company that they’ve got respect, that’s the biggest thing. It’s not about the money, people got to understand, the money’s going to be there no matter what. It’s about a fair cut and being respected as a champ, as the fighter I am.”

After his May 24 fight against Lyoto Machida, Ortiz stated he has a 60-day waiting period before he can negotiate with another company. During that time he plans on attending some shows, checking out the production value and how the various organizations handle promoting their events.

He also talked about working behind the scenes of a promotion to help with marketing, while working to build young fighters and make new stars in the sport.

Specifically, Ortiz mentioned organizations such as EliteXC and Affliction as promotions he intends on checking out. And what kind of animal does Tito Ortiz hope to unleash when he works with a new promoter?

“I think it’s going to be huge for any company that does sign me,” said Ortiz about a positive relationship with a new company. “The marketability I’ll have where I want to put my heart and soul into it, as I did for the UFC.”

- END OF THE ROAD: ORTIZ PLANS FUTURE WITHOUT UFC - MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more

He seams to be burning his bridges. I wonder if this is all just fighter politics and he is just trying to get more money by threatening to leave. I don't think he is in his prime any more and might not have the draw he used too so they might let him go, but I doubt it cause they still make a lot of money off of him. I just found it funny that the Fertittas won't work with him any more. I think the UFC would be wise to sign a long term contract with the 6 fights so they won't have to deal with his UFC bashing for a few years and by that time he would surely be passed his prime. If he beats Machida, or better yet, "finishes" Machida, he could get the cash he is looking for. But when was the last time he finished a top 10?

I could see Titos point if he were fighting for others and not himself, mainly the undercard future stars that are getting paid scraps but it seams he is only fighting for himself.

[Dork8503]

Man Tito can certainly sell a fucking fight.

I still think if he wins he will stay.

He is throwing a huge fit, causing UFC to take more notice, and make them look at all the offers he is getting and the money they would lose if he left.

Tito is one of the smartest people fighting in the UFC. He knows what he wants and how to get it.

If he wins imo he stays. If he finishes Machida in a exciting fashion, UFC will lick his ass clean then give him a big fat fucking check that Tito can't and won't refuse.

In the end, Tito is all about money.

[TNC]

Tito can be a pain, but he deserves better than this. He's the biggest draw in MMA history (do your research if you doubt me), and they can't pay him AT LEAST a top ten level salary?!?

shyt is ridic...

[Noise Chopped]

“I’ve been a person to be outspoken about that, and no one else has."

Um, no?

Anyway, I really...Hate how people cite his leaving as a blow to the UFC. Granted, sure, it doesn't help, but please. It doesn't hurt them talent wise, and I think EliteXC will find out he's not as big a draw as people make him out to be.

That, and hopefully he'll lose to Machida in highlight reel form.

[thumper]

Looks like posturing to me. I think he's just trying to work out new $ on his last offer.

[Dork8503]

Originally Posted by TNC

Tito can be a pain, but he deserves better than this. He's the biggest draw in MMA history (do your research if you doubt me), and they can't pay him AT LEAST a top ten level salary?!?

shyt is ridic...

Tito is top 5 paid in the UFC.

Chuck gets more

But other then that, there are maybe 1 or 2 people who get more but Tito gets good amount of ppv buys so in the end imo he probably makes more.

Tito gets 210-240 just to show up to fight, win or lose thats what he takes home no matter what.

[markzabin]

Originally Posted by TNC

Tito can be a pain, but he deserves better than this. He's the biggest draw in MMA history (do your research if you doubt me), and they can't pay him AT LEAST a top ten level salary?!?

shyt is ridic...

I'm to lazy to do the research but I thought that Liddel, and Couture were bigger draws than Tito. I also thought that he was one of the highest paid fighters in the world due to bonuses from PPV sales, sponsors ect. Maybe he would be the highest paid fighter if he got some fight of the night bonuses but that will never happen.

[Schlinks]

I don't see what is wrong with being offered a six fight contract. I mean if you fight every 4 months as a lot of fighters can do then it is only a two year contract. That isn't really very long. Also Tito should be quite happy with a 6 fight contract because it means he will continue to earn the same amount of money however much he gets beaten and I don't see Tito beating too many of the top fighters anymore as he is too distracted.

[TNC]

Originally Posted by markzabin

I'm to lazy to do the research but I thought that Liddel, and Couture were bigger draws than Tito. I also thought that he was one of the highest paid fighters in the world due to bonuses from PPV sales, sponsors ect. Maybe he would be the highest paid fighter if he got some fight of the night bonuses but that will never happen.

Liddell and Couture are both big draws in their own right, but Tito was drawing in PPV before Liddell and Couture even got biglike that, he was a top 2 star in (him and Frank Shamrock) the UFC back in 2001.

Also if you look at the top 10 grossing MMA events and PPVs Tito is headlining like 6-7 with Liddell/Ortiz 2, Ortiz/Shamrock 2 and Ortiz/Shamrock 3 ranking at the top.

Even wit Tito's relative stagnant ability, you also have to respect the fact he doesn't lose to anyone but the TOP Elite fighters (Liddell, Couture and Frank Shamrock, he avenged the Mezger fight).

[TNC]

Originally Posted by Dork8503

Tito is top 5 paid in the UFC.

Chuck gets more

But other then that, there are maybe 1 or 2 people who get more but Tito gets good amount of ppv buys so in the end imo he probably makes more.

Tito gets 210-240 just to show up to fight, win or lose thats what he takes home no matter what.

Honestly man, you don't KNOW what the fighters get paid. You know what they put out, but the UFC constantly gives out "under the record" checks to their fighters. I know for a fact Karo Parisyan got a PERSONAL bonus check from Dana White after his performance against Josh Burkman, but those figures were never recorded on any paperwork. With Dana and Tito's bad blood, you really think Dana is giving Tito side bonuses or anythin more than what his contract states?


And most fighters have contracts that are "... to show up, ... to win" and Tito hasn't really WON a fight in a while lol. I'm sure his checks are not as BIG as he feels they SHOULD be considering he is still selling on his NAME.


I mean, according to records I saw last Tito made $200,000 to show up, but Big Nog, Couture, Wanderlei, Brock, Liddell, Rampage, Hughes, GSP and a few others all make that, if not more. I mean, I'm not gonna tell Dana White or the UFC how to pay their fighters, but I think Tito, regardless of bad blood should be one of the guys they go out of their way to look after.