Born as Jacob Christopher Ortiz on January 23, 1975, the Mexican-American mixed-martial arts fighter Tito Ortiz is arguably one of the most controversial MMA competitors in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His showman antics border on pro-wrestler behavior, which also have led to recurring “roles” with pro-wrestling promotions like Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Tito Ortiz made his MMA debut at the UFC 13 in 1997. Two years later, Tito Ortiz lost the middleweight title to Frank Shamrock at the UFC 22, but after that bout, Frank Shamrock retired and Tito Ortiz became the top contender of the newly named light-heavyweight division. This is how Tito Ortiz became the first UFC light-heavyweight champion at the UFC 25 (2000) when he defeated Wanderlei Silva.
Tito Ortiz successfully defended his title for three and a half years before he lost it to Randy Couture. It’s fitting that the name “Tito” takes its origin from the Latin “Titus,” which means “defender.”
– June 28, 2011
November 2003 marked the end of an era for the Ultimate Fighting Championship—and by extension, the mixed martial arts in the United States. Over the course of those 10 years, the sport saw more evolution than Darwin’s notepad. And through it all, despite rumors of banishment, mortality rates, political machinations
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