Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz get nose to nose in Las Vegas before trilogy fight
Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz get nose to nose in Las Vegas before trilogy fight
LAS VEGAS – Ahead of a trilogy fight that most people presumed would never happen, Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz got face to face today in “Sin City.”
The 43-year-old Ortiz (19-12-1 MMA, 15-11-1 UFC) and 48-year-old Liddell (21-8 MMA, 16-6 UFC), both members of the UFC Hall of Fame, will fight for a third time in November in a pay-per-view fight promoted by former boxing star-turned-promoter Oscar De La Hoya.
Today in Las Vegas, the two took part in a pre-fight news conference, then a face-off for the cameras. Ortiz appeared to do most of the jaw-jacking, and even postured like he was going to shove Liddell.
Video: Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz face off at Las Vegas presser
Check out the face-off in the video above. Below, you can watch the news conference in full.
Ortiz first announced the possibility of a third fight with Liddell back in May, saying he would come out of retirement to “give the fans the fight they have been waiting for.”
Ortiz had what he said was his retirement bout at Bellator 170 in January 2017. There, he submitted Chael Sonnen. Bellator President Scott Coker earlier this year confirmed to MMAjunke that Ortiz is no longer under contract with the promotion.
iddell hasn’t fought since June 2010, when he suffered a knockout loss to Rich Franklin that marked his third straight knockout loss. He officially retired later that year and took a job with the UFC as a brand ambassador.
Liddell owns knockout wins over Ortiz, his former training partner and heated rival, in their previous fights under the UFC banner. At UFC 47 in April 2004, he knocked Ortiz out 38 seconds into the second round. At UFC 66, he retained his light heavyweight title with a third-round TKO in December 2006.
The second win over Ortiz gave Liddell seven straight wins, and at the time made him arguably the biggest star in the sport. He lost his title his next time out by TKO to Quinton Jackson, which started a slide of five losses in his final six fights – four by knockout.
