Tito Ortiz Expects Self To Beat Evans, Face Shogun

In a series of statements made by former UFC Light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz concerning events which both have not occurred and have not been scheduled, Ortiz has predicted a win over Rashad Evans and scheduled himself against PRIDE-crossover Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. And by "predict," I mean build hype using hyperbole which then makes him look like an idiot when he loses the fight. I call it "The Tito Ortiz Method." Other aspects of the Ortiz method include claiming to be "in the best shape of my life" before every fight in addition to claiming that "I'm completely prepared." Weeks before his last fight with Liddell, Ortiz was taking shots left and right at The Iceman, calling him soft and weak (even though Liddell had knocked him out previously at UFC 47). We all know what happened after that -- Ortiz had to eat his words again.

This time, his words exactly: “I am really pumped on caving Rashads face in… more focused than I have ever been I think. He really has no idea what he is in for…I guess until you get your ass kicked really good, you never really do. I am going to make him rethink his career in the UFC. Maybe he should go back to flipping burgers after I put him in a wheel chair.” Well, he's creative, if nothing else.

Ortiz would know something about getting his ass kicked, considering he's made a name getting fucked up by Liddell and Couture paired with the fact that he hasn't held a belt since 2003. He probably knows something about flipping burgers, too. While in college, Ortiz competed at UFC 13 but wasnt eligible to receive prize money or contracts. With no fighting income, he had to make money somehow. In-N-Out, a popular burger chain based in Irvine, California, is known for paying its employees significantly more than minimum wage. Ortiz probably worked there.

While most of the Sherdog forums would predict an Ortiz loss even if he was fighting my 13-year-old brother, it's probably going to be an even fight with the Vegas lines falling on the side of The Huntington Beach Bad Boy. If the fight is mostly stand-up, I would expect to see Rashad Evans take over, considering that he has a significant amount of boxing training. If it goes to a clinch or the ground, I think you'll see Ortiz pull through using his BJJ and Muay Thai-infused wrestling. He's also got the conditioning to work for three solid rounds on the ground without tiring. The longer the fight goes, the more it favors Ortiz.

Ortiz has been called something as a gate-keeper for lesser known fighters to get their start in the UFC. Whether it's Liddell (who won) or Forrest Griffin (who lost), the road to notoriety often leads through Ortiz. And so, for Evans, the 26-year-old who stunned Sean Salmon with a knockout kick to the head at the last Fight Night, this fight will determine whether or not he is worthy of the top 5 praise he has been receiving lately. If Evans loses this fight, it isn't the end of the world. He's still young and talented. For Ortiz, the fight is much more important. With a win, he reasserts himself as a top Light heavyweight and makes a case for a title shot. If Ortiz loses, he'll likely never get title consideration again and begin his slide into obscurity.

As for his comments regarding a fight against Shogun (pictured left), this is a definite possibility. If he is able to beat Evans (let's assume he does), most of the other top fighters will be locked in bouts right around the time of the Henderson-Rampage fight. Liddell and Wandy are linked together and other than Bisping, there's no one else for Ortiz to fight. Bisping is already rumored on the Henderson-Rampage card (UFC 75), and I don't think that the UFC would have Ortiz fight another young gun needing a push to the top. This leaves Shogun. Now the real question: With Ortiz-Shogun (if it happens) and Liddell-Wanderlei both slated to happen around the time of UFC 75, which winner gets the title shot first?

Editor's Note: Originally published less than a week ago, this still-current article has been reposted on account of its timeliness, comprehension, and jokes about Tito.