Tito Ortiz is claiming that referee Mario Yamasaki stopped his bout with Chuck Liddell at UFC 66 too early, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Here’s a snip:
“This was the biggest fight in history, and I think it was stopped a little prematurely. I’m not a guy who cries or makes excuses. But John McCarthy is the best referee we have and this was the biggest fight and I don’t understand why he didn’t do this fight. He would have let the fight go a little longer, I believe. If I knew (Yamasaki) was going to stop it, I would have fought a little harder to get out at that point.”
Fought harder? Boo-hoo.
I don’t understand the reason Ortiz needs a reason to fight harder, considering that it was the “biggest fight in history.” I’m not taking anything away from Tito, because he’s a great fighter and can beat my ass six ways to Sunday.
But, these comments are ridiculous.
He also mentions, more or less, that Liddell has got his number.
Here’s another snip:
“Honestly, I think the situation with me (losing to Liddell) is a confidence issue. It’s something I can fix, which is the most important thing. I can make changes and improvements.”
Interesting admission from “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” which makes me think that this fight was over before the bell rang.
Ortiz, who was in Las Vegas attending a “surprise” party to mark his 32nd birthday, goes on to say:
“The only thing I promise is that I’m going to get better as a fighter and get my title back. That’s what is motivating me, to get that title back for my fans.”
Maybe it’ll also motivate him to fighter harder all the time.
20 Comments »
I had a feeling that that would come out eventually, and honestly I think it was stopped too soon as well. Don’t get the wrong idea here… I have no delusions that Tito somehow could have one, but I think he had just gotten himself out of trouble when Yamasaki stopped it. I thought that the fight could have gone a couple more minutes, but the fact remains that Liddell was beating the crap out of Tito. I just felt that Tito was meeting the definition of “intelligently defending himself” he had his hands up, and he was rolling away from the barage.
I’m not saying Tito would have won but I do think the fight should have gone on longer. Tito got out of a worse situation in the first round and came back to win the second round, who knows what could have happened. So without the premature stoppage Chuck is winning 2 rounds to 1. Tito can still win a decision or get lucky, we’ve seen weirder things happen!
And as far as the “he should have been fighting as hard as he could” thing…contrary to popular belief, fighters get tired, especially when being attacked like that. It’s okay for a fighter to shell up for a second to try and get enough energy built up to escape from the bad position. It’s called a strategy, let Liddell gas trying to finish since no one knows how long Chuck can even go!
What a crock. Titos all talk. First it was an eye poke against liddell, then a knee against griffin, and now this. Hes a talker its the only way hes gonna make money. Tito is a joke and hasnt beaten anyone convincingly in years besides a washed-up has been. He needs to stop talking about wining fights and getting his title back for his fans. What a friggin joke. Put Up or Shut Up is what i say!
I think it was Joe Rogan who said it best: “Covering up in the fetal position is not intelligently defending yourself”
I think it was stopped prematurely, I would of liked to see a few more punches hit there target, none of this deflecting of the gloves crap. We pay big money to see these fights, and they get paid really big money to fight these fights, so next time let them go a little longer!!! Chuck still would of won anyways!!
Tito only has himself to blame. Like some others have said, once he rolled over his left leg and went into the fetal position for 10 seconds he cannot complain. And does it really matter. Chuck was in control the entire fight. Even when Tito took his back and swept his legs. Chuck hopped right up and delivered a vicious elbow to break the clinch. Chuck has Tito’s number. Plain and simple!!!
The Hunington Beach Bad-Boy has become Tito “The Fetus” Ortiz.
Wow im amazed you guys can type with liddel’s penis in your hand. You chuck liddel cock holsters are getting to be really annoying. Gonna be hilarious when rampage beats liddel silly….again.
And yes the fight was stopped a little early. Big john should do every major fight.
Does Tito really want back in the ring with Liddell? He lost his belt ducking him before they ever fought. Lost horrible their first fight taking years after a close fight with Vitor to even get back in the ring again. Hell he looked like he was crying on the way to the ring for the rematch. The fight could have been stopped in the first round but wasn’t. Also it wasn’t official that Tito won the second round which for your information on the judges score cards Liddell did win the second round. Remember Eddie’s scorecard is unofficial simular to Larry Merchants in boxing. Sure as a paying customer I would have loved to see the fight continue but really, did Tito have a chance? In fact in the last exchange Tito actually landed several well placed punches only causing Liddell to grit down and strick back. Under fire Tito went to the ground and balled up. You pick the champion.
Can any of you remember the Jardin/Forrrest Fight? Can you not tell me that Forrest took like 7-8 big shot to the face before they stop it. Tito was being pounded in his arms and biceps, dont get me wrong he was in a bad postion and liddell was hammering…but come on? This is a title match, this TITO this LIDDELL…Let them fight it out…….BIG John would have let it go more…..you figured they learned their lesson from the Tito Shamrock fight….
What about the Tito/Forrest fight. fight would have ended in the first round.don’t think it would have made a diffrence Liddell would have eventually have tagged him.
Doesnt matter tito was not protecting himself for his own good,and if the reff sees the guy not protecting him self hes gonna stop it. Doesnt matter chuck runs titos shit
i think that the fight was stopped early, he was in a bad situation in round number 1 and got up, and he was really protecting him self if you see the fight, you can even heard that couture says that ortiz had to move and that liddell its not hurting him that its just hitting ortiz’s arm, im not saying that liddell should lost or something like that, he is a great fighter, but the fight really needed to be much longer
hey NDOGG420! you must be a taco ortiz fan. hell i bet you even thought taco would beat liddell! rampage beat liddell, you need to get your hand out of rampages pants, he was real impressive to watch against eastman! they say rampage wont fight taco because they are friends, RIGHT! rampage wont fight taco because he knows taco will stomp his ass, and i dont even like taco! i think chuck lost there first bfight because he felt bad for the retarded wolf, looked to me like chuck just gave up!
All of you are a bunch of Tito haters! If you all would get out of Chuck’s boxers/briefs and breathe for a little bit, you idiots would have something better to do than sit here and hate on Tito all day! You all get off of Chuck’s nutz! RAMPAGE IS IN THE UFC NOW FELLAS!! We all can’t wait to see Rampage smash on Chuck! If only Wand Silva would come thru to sqaure off w/Chuck. All you Trailer Park Trash Iceman fans would shed a tear or few after that one!
how bout Quentin Jackson? yeah, punished Liddell in what 55 seconds?
Liddel was my favorite fighter, but who loves a loser
man, if he would have fought Royce Gracie in the 90’s, ice man and ortiz would have had theyre arm broke. but for fists, i wanna see em go against Tank Abbott
Jacob Garcia, the only reason you like tito is becuase you get to see him wrestling other men on the ground. What cant he stand up and fight. Chuck beat him and your going to have to get over it.