Tito OrtizThe Huntington Beach Bad Boy
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Tito Ortiz was born on January 23rd 1975 and named Jacob. He began his martial arts career in his sophomore year of high school as a wrestler where he placed 4th as a senior in the state high school championships. Ortiz continued wrestling in college for Golden West College, winning a junior college California state title. Tito next wrestled at Cal State Bakersfield, but never started full time. Yet, it was there that he got to train with future NCAA and world champion Stephen Neal and gain invaluable experience. Ortiz has spent most of his MMA career in the UFC where he has held the Light Heavyweight Championship. He was estranged from the company for some time and in turn became one of the sport's most controversial and high profile figures. His unrestrained comments, looks, and agresive fighting style have allowed him to cross over into the main stream where he has graced the cover of Black Belt Magazine, starred in movies, and made appearances in TNA Wrestling just like his rival, Ken Shamrock.
Tito's professional fighting career commenced on May 30, 1997 at UFC 13 where he defeated Wes Albritton with strikes. He lost his second match on the same day to Guy Mezger, but avenged the defeat two years later at UFC 19. He seemed on a collision course with success. The course was delayed when he met Frank Shamrock and lost to the same punches that brought him victories in many of his matches. Tito Ortiz focused himself and pulled off a huge victory over the dominant Wanderlei Silva at UFC 25. He'd rack up an impressive 5 more victories against the likes of Evan Tanner, Elvis Sinosic, and UFC Hall Of Fame inductee Ken Shamrock.
It would take the ground and pound skills of "The Natural" Randy Couture to stop the Bad Boy Express at UFC 44. And he continued to be derailed when he was stopped in the second round by Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell in his next match. Determined not to drop three in a row, Tito got back on track against Patrick Cote and then won a major victory against Vitor Belfort in his only match of 2005. Forrest Griffin, the winner of the UFC's reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, fought a tremendous fight, but was The Huntington Beach's latest victim at UFC 59. Tito Ortiz pulled out a very close decision against the popular rising star. Tito coached accross from his rival Ken Shamrock on a season of The Ultimate Fighter. The two had a rematch at UFC 61 where Ortiz again stopped Shamrock, though under controversy when Ken jumped right up to his feet with his full faculties. A rubber match was set for free TV where Tito proved that the outcome was just by stopping Shamrock in the first round. Tito would have a rematch with Chuck Liddell for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 66. Again he'd come up short, getting KO'd in the third round.
Ray Mardo is a former freestyle wrestler. The Austin Film Festival honored writer now spends his days as the webmaster of several websites about ultimate fighting championship and mixed martial arts, extreme championship wrestling, world championship wrestling, who is the coolest guy on the planet, and DJ training. Tito Ortiz Official Site |