Ortiz accepts fight vs. Machida; believes it will be last fight in the UFC

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz announced during Monday's edition of Fight Network Radio that he has begrudgingly accepted a match against Lyoto Machida. The match is expected to take place at a yet to be numbered UFC event on May 24 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

It's a matchup that Ortiz isn't thrilled about.

“I was expecting a bigger fight. I think the fans were expecting a bigger fight,” Ortiz said to host Mauro Ranallo. “I got pressed into it, and all of a sudden, it’s all over the Internet that Tito Ortiz won’t fight Machida. I’m just looking to get my final fight over with the UFC.”

In addition to the match announcement, Ortiz confessed that he believes his May 24 fight vs. Machida will be his last in the UFC.

Ortiz has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract and was engaged in negotiations to re-sign with the promotion this past fall. It appears those negotiations were not fruitful.

“They said I wasn’t worth the money,” Ortiz said during the interview. “I was worth no more than what I’m getting paid now, and I’m not a commodity to them anymore. I’m not as viable to them anymore. That was a sign of disrespect.”

Ortiz revealed during an interview with CBSSports.com over the summer that the UFC holds a right of first refusal, meaning that he will not be an unrestricted free agent following his fight vs. Machida. However, Ortiz's latest comments seem to indicate that the UFC will be unlikely to match an offer extended by a competing promotion if it is highly lucrative.  

The interview also included several new criticisms from Ortiz of long-time nemesis, UFC president Dana White. 

"With Dana in charge, I don't think that fight will ever happen for me," Ortiz stated when discussing how White's ill feelings for him would effect receiving a possible shot at the UFC light heavyweight title. "Dana has bad blood for me and nothing but bad blood. They're going to try and ruin me."

But Ortiz's criticism wasn't solely aimed at White, as he expressed dissatisfaction with the UFC in general.

“They don’t want the fighters to get as big as a 'Tyson' or a 'De La Hoya' or one of those types because all of a sudden, they’ll be expecting to see a lot more payment,” said Ortiz. “The UFC makes about 99 percent of the money, and the rest goes to the fighters. That one percent ain't nothing compared to what they make on merchandising, on pay-per-view, and everything else they make around the world.”

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Sam Caplan

Lead Writer/Editor - ProElite.com

SamCaplan.ProElite.com