Tito Ortiz Opens Up On His Decision To Retire After Bellator 170

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz is scheduled to fight former UFC middleweight fighter and title contender Chael Sonnen later this month at Bellator 170. While speaking with the media on Tuesday during a conference call (quotes courtesy of MMA Fighting), Ortiz explained why he is retiring from MMA.

He noted that win, lose, or draw, he intends for the bout to be the last of his MMA career. According to Ortiz, the retirement is well due after competing for twenty years but noted that he would still be fighting if he didn’t have to undergo surgeries, which he listed.

“This retirement is well due,” Ortiz said. “Twenty years of competition has pretty much, I’d still be fighting if it wasn’t for my surgeries. My biggest enemy has been my surgeries,” Ortiz said. “I’ve had an ACL replaced in my left knee, ACL replaced in my right knee, 50 percent of my meniscus taken out of my right knee, lower back fusion, C-6, C-7 fused in my neck, C-5, C-4 disk replacement, C-4, C-3 fused. I have 26, 27 concussions, hundreds of stitches, I’ve been through the grinder. My biggest enemy has been my body.”

Ortiz (18-12-1) stated that he doesn’t feel any additional pressure knowing this is going to be his final fight.

“I want to be remembered as a fighter with integrity,” Ortiz said. “A fighter who did it this way, who has respect because he wanted to push the envelope for the fighters.”

Bellator 170 takes place on January 21st at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The main card will air live on Spike while the prelims air on Spike.com.