Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a retired American mixed martial artist and a former politician.
72 Facts About Tito Ortiz
2.
Tito Ortiz ultimately became the biggest pay-per-view draw of 2006 for his fights with Liddell, Forrest Griffin, and Ken Shamrock.
3.
Tito Ortiz is the CEO of Punishment Athletics MMA equipment and clothing line, which is located in his hometown of Huntington Beach, California.
4.
On July 7,2012, Tito Ortiz became the ninth inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame.
5.
On November 5,2020, Tito Ortiz was announced as one of the winners of the Huntington Beach City Council election, becoming Mayor pro tempore.
6.
Tito Ortiz made his professional boxing debut on September 11,2021, in a round one loss to fellow former UFC champion Anderson Silva.
7.
At the age of nineteen, Tito Ortiz met Paul Herrera, an assistant wrestling coach at Golden West College.
8.
Herrera encouraged Tito Ortiz to attend Golden West, where he was a California junior college state champion and All-American for two consecutive years before transferring to California State University, Bakersfield, where he continued wrestling but was never a full-time starter.
9.
Tito Ortiz trained with UFC fighter and fellow collegiate wrestler, Tank Abbott.
10.
Still in college, Tito Ortiz competed as an amateur for no prize money or contracts.
11.
Tito Ortiz beat Wes Albritton in an alternate bout by referee stoppage at 0:31 of the first round.
12.
Tito Ortiz was selected to face Guy Mezger in the Light Heavyweight final after Enson Inoue could not continue due to injury.
13.
Tito Ortiz dominated the fight and won via TKO due to cut stoppage.
14.
Tito Ortiz then avenged his loss to Mezger at UFC 19 by TKO.
15.
Tito Ortiz's post fight antics towards Mezger and the Lion's Den led to his long-running rivalry with the team's leader Ken Shamrock.
16.
Tito Ortiz has credited UFC Heavyweight Champion Bas Rutten for inspiration during his early days.
17.
In 1999, Tito Ortiz fought Frank Shamrock for what is known as the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 22.
18.
The Middleweight division was then officially renamed the Light Heavyweight division and Tito Ortiz was chosen, along with Wanderlei Silva, as a top contender.
19.
Tito Ortiz defeated Silva for the vacant Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 25 via unanimous decision.
20.
Tito Ortiz went on to defend the Light Heavyweight Championship a then-record five times in the following three years, defeating Yuki Kondo, Evan Tanner, Elvis Sinosic, Vladimir Matyushenko and Lion's Den head Ken Shamrock.
21.
At UFC 44, after a near year-long layoff from the sport, Tito Ortiz fought the new Interim Light Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture, who had defeated Chuck Liddell for the interim title at UFC 43 in September 2003.
22.
In February 2005, Tito Ortiz took time away from the UFC and was offered deals with several promotions, including PRIDE Fighting Championships and the Don King-backed World Fighting Alliance.
23.
Tito Ortiz opted to try his hand at professional wrestling, signing with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a guest referee.
24.
Tito Ortiz's first fight in his return occurred at UFC 59 on April 15,2006, against previous The Ultimate Fighter 1 winner Forrest Griffin.
25.
Tito Ortiz's next fight was against UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock at UFC 61 on July 8,2006, a match which was to conclude a main rivalry on The Ultimate Fighter 3.
26.
Tito Ortiz beat Shamrock for the third time in this fight, which was stopped in the first round due to strikes.
27.
Tito Ortiz then fought against undefeated The Ultimate Fighter 2 winner Rashad Evans on July 7,2007, at UFC 73.
28.
Tito Ortiz took charge of the fight from the outset, taking Evans down and controlling him.
29.
Tito Ortiz's last fight on his contract with the UFC was a unanimous decision loss to the then undefeated Lyoto Machida at UFC 84 on May 24,2008.
30.
Tito Ortiz came close to submitting Machida in the third round with a triangle choke before transitioning to an armbar.
31.
Until his return to the UFC, Tito Ortiz was considered the biggest free agent on the market.
32.
On October 6,2008, Tito Ortiz underwent back surgery in Las Vegas, Nevada.
33.
On Wednesday, December 17,2008, Affliction Entertainment announced that Tito Ortiz would be part of the broadcast team for the Affliction: Day of Reckoning.
34.
Tito Ortiz had said he would fight again in August 2009, but this did not occur.
35.
Tito Ortiz stated he is returning for a six-fight deal he and White have worked out.
36.
Whilst Tito Ortiz was able to secure takedowns in the first and second rounds, Griffin showed considerable improvement since their first fight and kept the fight standing throughout the third, leading to the split decision victory.
37.
Tito Ortiz was scheduled to fight Liddell again for the third time at the end of the season and later pulled out of the bout.
38.
Tito Ortiz fought Matt Hamill on October 23,2010, at UFC 121.
39.
Tito Ortiz was expected to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on March 26,2011, at UFC Fight Night 24.
40.
Tito Ortiz received a cut above his eye and a concussion while training for his fight with Nogueira and was forced to withdraw.
41.
Tito Ortiz took on Ryan Bader on July 2,2011, at UFC 132.
42.
Tito Ortiz faced Antonio Rogerio Nogueira on December 10,2011, at UFC 140.
43.
Tito Ortiz lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
44.
Tito Ortiz then stated he would retire after his next fight, the last of his contract, against Forrest Griffin at UFC 148.
45.
Tito Ortiz faced Forrest Griffin for a third time on July 7,2012, at UFC 148.
46.
Tito Ortiz was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame prior to his final bout.
47.
Tito Ortiz lost in a Fight of the Night winning performance.
48.
Tito Ortiz came out of retirement to fight in Bellator MMA.
49.
On February 14,2014, Tito Ortiz stepped down as manager for Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino.
50.
On July 31,2013, it was announced that Tito Ortiz would come out of retirement to face former training partner and fellow former UFC Light heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson on November 2,2013, at Bellator 106.
51.
Tito Ortiz faced Bellator Middleweight champion Alexander Shlemenko, in a match up at Light Heavyweight, in his Bellator debut on May 17,2014, at Bellator 120.
52.
Tito Ortiz faced fellow UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar on November 15,2014, at Bellator 131.
53.
Tito Ortiz lost the fight via inverted triangle choke in the first round.
54.
Tito Ortiz won the fight by knockout in the first round.
55.
Later, Tito Ortiz revealed that the contract covers three fights and two years.
56.
Tito Ortiz won the fight via rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
57.
In May 2005, Tito Ortiz made an appearance for the professional wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
58.
The conclusion of the match saw Tito Ortiz knock out Jarrett with a right hook after Jarrett shoved him, which allowed Styles to hit his "Spiral Tap" for the pinfall victory and claim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
59.
The matched ended with Tito Ortiz knocking out America's Most Wanted, two of Jarrett's associates who attempted to interfere in the match, and then counted the pinfall for Rhino to crown him the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
60.
Tito Ortiz made his professional boxing debut against former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva on September 11,2021.
61.
Tito Ortiz made a cameo in the 2008 comedy Zombie Strippers as the bouncer of the Rhino.
62.
Tito Ortiz was a playable character in the 2000 video game Razor Freestyle Scooter.
63.
In 2020, Tito Ortiz ran for a city council seat in his hometown of Huntington Beach, with the intention of eventually becoming the mayor.
64.
On December 7,2020, Tito Ortiz was sworn in as Mayor Pro Tempore of Huntington Beach.
65.
On November 30,2020, Tito Ortiz led a "curfew breaker" protest against COVID-19 regulations on the Huntington Beach pier.
66.
In May 2021, it surfaced that Tito Ortiz had filed for unemployment in February 2021, despite not being unemployed or underemployed.
67.
Tito Ortiz resigned from the city council on June 1,2021, after less than six months in office.
68.
In January 2021, Tito Ortiz was refused service at a TK Burgers restaurant for not wearing a mask, and posted his experience on Instagram.
69.
Tito Ortiz was married to his first wife, Kristin, for 5 years, and they divorced in 2005.
70.
Tito Ortiz announced in August 2008 that he and Jameson were expecting twins in April 2009.
71.
Tito Ortiz was arrested on DUI charges in Los Angeles on January 6,2014.
72.
Tito Ortiz was sentenced to three years probation, an undisclosed fine, and an obligation to enroll in an alcohol education program.