Its Official, Tito Ortiz Signs with Affliction, to Become MMA's Highest Paid Fighter

[nightridaz2]

Please Move to Main Forum If Its Not a big problem

Arash Markazi from SI.com has all the details. Its expected to be announced today at a press conference for Affliction's Day Reckoning event on October 11th at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. Tito gave some of his thoughts on a supposedly ground-breaking contract.



"I guarantee you that my contract will be like no other," said Ortiz, stopping short of giving away the specifics of a deal that could include responsibilities outside of the ring. "It will be a ground-breaking record contract for sure, without a doubt. There's so much money to be made right now in mixed martial arts and it's all about the fighters trying to make that money. It's going to be a long-term deal where I put my heart and soul into the company and help build them. That's something I'm interested in doing. They're going to bring me on, not just as a fighter but also doing some of the back work also."


Ortiz is expected to compete on October 11th and all indications point to his opponent being Renato "Babalu" Sobral.


"Babalu has been in my crosshairs," Ortiz said. "He's already been talking smack, saying if he sees me he's going to kick my ass, but right on if he keeps thinking that. He'll get his face caved in sooner or later. I know Frank Shamrock is another person who's been opening up his mouth. He beat me the last time we fought and I think that would be a great revenge fight where I kick his ass and finally shut him up. As time goes we'll see who Affliction signs besides me. I don't know. I might even go up to heavyweight if the bigger pay days are there."


The UFC has a chance to match the offer, but Ortiz says that is highly unlikely.


"They have the right to match the offer, so I'll be getting a deal that no other fighter has ever gotten. It's going to be some ground-breaking news for sure," he said. "I'm going to a company that's going to take care of me, a company that's going to respect me, a company that's going to put me in the forefront and make me the ambassador that I've always been. I think Mr. Trump respects me at that value to get it. My heart's not with the UFC anymore because of how bad they treated me. They don't respect me and they don't see me as a businessman. All they think is that I'm a punk fighter that's going to fold, and I've already proven that I'm not going to fold to anything by not resigning with them."


This deal will end an 11-year career in the UFC for the former light-heavyweight champion.

Source: Tito Ortiz signs with Affliction - Arash Markazi - SI.com

[Clint]

Ortiz signs record setting deal with Affliction

[Bullock]

The true test will be whether Tito can draw when he's not on a UFC card.

And I'd like to see what he is actually going to be making.