Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz defeated fellow UFC veteran Chael Sonnen in the main event of Bellator 170, it was Ortiz’s retirement fight.
The fight didn’t end without controversy though, as Ortiz submitted Sonnen with a rear naked choke in the first round of the fight. Said controversy came when Ortiz held onto the choke after the tap out from Sonnen, prompting referee John McCarthy to pry the hold off of Sonnen.
Andy Foster, who is the Executive Director Of The California State Athletic Commission, says that Ortiz will not be facing any punishment for his actions.
"We are not looking to,” Foster told MMA Fighting. “Referee John McCarthy fixed that situation quickly. John got him to to release the choke. If a referee wants a fighter punished for conduct, they will come and we will discuss it. That did not happen."
Ortiz even addressed the situation at the Bellator 170 post-fight press conference.
“When he was tapping, I thought he was trying to grab my hands, but I kind of held on to it because I have ill will towards him,” Ortiz explained at the post-fight presser.
Ortiz did win three of four fights in Bellator MMA, defeating Chael Sonnen, Stephan Bonnar and Alexander Shlemenko, with that lone loss coming to Liam McGeary.
