Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall Of Fame member Tito Ortiz plans to retire after fighting Chael Sonnen at next month’s Bellator 170 event. Ortiz shared the news via Twitter.
I want to thank @DanaWhite and @UFC for not putting an event the same night of my final fight! #Bellator170 @BellatorMMA @TheForum 1/21/17
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) December 2, 2016
Ortiz (18-12-1) has been a professional MMA fighter since 1997, he made his professional MMA debut at UFC 13, defeating Wes Albritton by TKO. Ortiz would capture the UFC Light Heavyweight Title by defeating Wanderlei Silva at UFC 25, he would defend the belt five times before losing it to a fellow UFC Hall Of Fame member Randy Couture at UFC 44. Ortiz had a longtime rivalry with Chuck Liddell, losing twice to the UFC Hall Of Fame member at UFC 47 and UFC 66.
Ortiz’s last fight in the UFC was a unanimous decision defeat to Forrest Griffin at UFC 148, he would sign with Bellator MMA in 2014. Ortiz would challenge for the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight Title, suffering a submission defeat to Liam McGeary at Bellator MMA Dynamite. Ortiz was a dubious part of Bellator MMA history when he pulled out of a fight against Quinton Jackson, the bout was to headline the first ever Bellator MMA pay-per-view, the card would air live on Spike TV and the promotion has only put on one pay-per-view since.
Bellator 170 takes place on Saturday, January 21 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California with Tito Ortiz and Chael Sonnen headlining.
