UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz is making some noise after current UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones ties his 205-pound record of five title defense records.
At first, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” raised some eyebrows when on Sunday, he tweeted that he was considering coming out of retirement for a potential match up with Jones.
"Well I may have to come out of retirement to beat @JonnyBones I can't let I'm beat my record. @Punishment99 #ufc159 #UFConXboxLIVE," he wrote.
While many fans just concluded that Ortiz was joking around, Ortiz still had some interesting comments to make on Monday’s appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour.
While Ortiz, who retired after a close decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 148 in July, told Helwani he was not seriously considering returning to action in the cage as he still has a number of old injuries that need treatment.
However, Helwani switched gears by asking if Ortiz felt that if in his prime, he could beat the best version of Jon Jones. He’s what the fighter turned manager responded with:
“I do, of course," Ortiz said with a chuckle on The MMA Hour. "I think I'd dominate him, he said. Still, Ortiz was quick to give Jones credit as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
"Takedowns, of course. Clinch, striking. I don't know. Big heart. I think Jon Jones is good though, man. If anybody's going to beat my record, I would like him to beat it. I don't think there's anybody in this sport right now with the technique and skills that he has.”
Ortiz was riding high near the end of 2006, boasting an impressive 15-4 overall record and a five-fight win streak. However, it was all downhill from there.
A combination of age, injuries and top-tier competition led Ortiz down a disappointing 1-6-1 skid in his final eight fights before calling it a career.
After defeating Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 this past weekend, Jones has now won nine straight bouts and has finally expressed interest in a superfight with middleweight champ Anderson Silva.
Would Ortiz’s signature takedowns and ground and pound been any match for Jones’ versatile game or would it be another one-sided beatdown for the “Bones” highlight-reel?