Tito Ortiz Steps Down As “Cyborg’s” Manager

Invicta FC featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino has long been rumored to face off with dominant UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey, but it’s been nothing more than that.

“Cyborg” and her team, lead by former UFC light heavyweight champ Tito Ortiz, have engaged in a lot of back-and-forth that has never got anywhere, most likely due to Ortiz’ extremely unfavorable relationship with UFC president Dana White.

Now, however, it appears that roadblock has been removed from potentially making the biggest women’s MMA fight ever aired. Ortiz has chosen to step down as “Cyborg’s” manager, citing a desire to stop White from “using him to harm someone else” in an official statement released on AXS.TV:

“I can live with Dana not liking me but what I can’t live with is Dana using me to hurt someone else. I’ve taken abuse and maybe I deserved some of it but Cris is a beautiful person and great athlete and doesn’t deserve to be insulted like this.

I don’t understand how Dana lets his hatred towards me hurt the UFC and the fans by not making this fight.

He accuses her of still using banned substances and say that she isn’t worthy of fighting Ronda yet a year ago he personally called me to make the fight happen.

I never said she would die if she made 135- we just repeated what the doctor said that Cris shouldn’t make a career at 135- we offered a 3 fight deal they said no 7 fights or no deal.

Regardless – I won’t stand in the way from the fans getting a fight they want and I won’t hold Cris Back. So I’m stepping down as Cris’ manager

Now he can’t hold that against her-

I’m also tired of Dana accusing Cris of using banned substances. I challenge you to put up or shut up- Test her or stop lying about her- Cris is a beautiful woman inside and out- don’t insult her on her looks- she may be tough as nails but she still has feelings.

I know people are going to say there goes Tito making this about him again- but it’s not -it’s about Cris Cyborg– the baddest woman on the earth – soon to be multi-sport world champion.”

-Tito Ortiz

“Cyborg” is next slated to fight at Lion Fights 14 on March 28, a Muay Thai event. Ortiz has high praise for his star pupil, and that’s commendable. But the fact remains that “Cyborg” was popped for using PEDs in early 2012 and has been increasingly difficult to come to terms with after Zuffa released her after Strikeforce was absorbed.

While part of that may have been due to “Cyborg’s” team and the other part due to the UFC’s insistence on never being strong-armed in negotiations, it seems that the door is now open for “Cyborg” to make her long-awaited UFC debut sometime soon. There’s certain to be a lot of twists and turns before that happens, however. More on the situation as it arises.