Tito Ortiz
I'm very thankful to Bellator.Collection: Thankful
The 'Apprentice' was tough, tough work. It was all for charity, so I was thankful for the money Donald Trump gave me when I was fired.Collection: Thankful
For me, boxing's like checkers, and MMA's like chess - there are so many ways to win the match. It's not barbaric; it's boxing, kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, cardio and it's all reached such an amazing level. As fans learn more about the sport, they just fall in love with it.Collection: Amazing
I cheated on my first wife, Kristin. I thought I was untouchable. How could I be that inconsiderate to someone?
I've tasted the dirt side. I've tasted being broke. I've been in the dumps, I've lived in motels as a kid. I want a different opportunity for my children. I never want them to see those things.
Back when the UFC first started, I wanted to see what MMA was all about; at the time, I was training with Tank Abbott, and so I went to see him fight. While at the fight, I saw this guy fighting that I just crushed in high school wrestling, and I thought, 'Hey, I'm a street fighter, and I have a wrestling background,' so I gave it a shot.
I'm really articulate when I do my thing - when I speak on the mic, when I do interviews. I'm a colorful personality.
Every fight is won in the gym. The hard part of our job is getting in the gym every day, six days a week.
I made the wrong decision myself in my career. I tried to battle against the system. I should have never done that, but I didn't have anybody else who showed me how to do it before. I did everything on instinct.
Michael Bisping is a really tough competitor and a hard worker.
There was a disc and two bone spurs pressing on my spinal cord. If anyone's had spinal cord problems or disc injuries in their neck, they'd understand what I went through.
I had little problems during high school. It seemed like I was always getting into trouble in summer, going in and out of juvenile hall.
I was always a huge WWF wrestling fan, and Hulk Hogan was one of my biggest heroes.
I love doing films, action films, anything I can get into that is produced at a high level, really use my skills.
Fighting is my livelihood, and jeopardizing my body without a full understanding of conditions doesn't make any sense. No professional fighter will go into a risky match without a contract.
I've struggled to get respect and dignity for my profession, and I do it in the way I lead my life as a fighter and as a human being.
I'm a person that's been fueled on emotions. And any fan who's ever been around any of my fights, I'm the only fighter who'd go out on the concourse to sign autographs the day of the fight. Because I'm in love with my fans.
Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell III, the fight that all the fans wanted to see for the longest time and never got a chance to. I never got a fair shake when I was with the UFC against Chuck, any of the times I ever fought against him.
I have a great surgeon that put me together.
The UFC makes about 99 percent of the money, and the rest goes to the fighters. That one percent ain't nothing compared to what they make on merchandising, on pay-per-view, and everything else they make around the world.
I'm not a young kid struggling to get to the top. I've been to the top. I gotta look out for my best interests as a businessman in this fight game. At the end of the day, it is a business. I've got children to take care of; I've got bills to pay.
Scott Coker, I've known him such a long time, he's always been a straight shooter. He's always been very, very respectful towards me. He understands the business. He understands marketing and how to push the fighters to make them superstars in a household environment.
UFC, take me off your list. Take me off your Hall of Fame.
Chuck Liddell's a puppet.
I have all the money I want. I don't need any more money.
Retiring as the champion and being the only athlete to ever do that, I think goals like that are set in the mind. I want to make that happen.
I've been through hell not totally unscathed, but I came out not too bad.
I don't see myself any higher than anyone else.
I love to compete.
I went through UFC with five title defenses. Jonny 'Bones' Jones beat my record, so I'm trying to beat his record. That's my goal. That's what I want to do.
I want to let people to believe in themselves, people believe in me that everything is possible.
I've had two neck surgeries, a back surgery, three knee surgeries, eye surgery, but I keep bouncing back. I won't go away - kind of like a virus. I don't go away. I keep coming back stronger and stronger. I'm contagious.
Once someone watches me compete, I'm part of them forever.
I put my heart, soul, and body into this sport.
My number one goal was to be the best fighter ever in the Octagon. I think I can hold hands with many who can stake that claim.
In the UFC, at first we were like a family, but then it turned corporate. In Bellator, we're family.
People don't understand what fighters at the top have to go through. You know what, even half the fighters don't understand what the guys on top are going through. You're being pulled in so many directions. Contract negotiations, business opportunities, people come out of the woodwork, and it all happens when you're so young.
It gets to the point where, by the time you're underneath the arena lights and you're staring at your opponent, that's the best time. That's the best feeling in the world, because all the other stuff goes away.
Shlemenko wants to make his name off of Tito Ortiz. He's not the first person ever to do this. People have been trying to use my name ever since I was the champ.
Negativity just sucks the life out of somebody.
I've been through every surgery that any athlete has ever been through, and I've prevailed through it.
I fought with integrity and heart and determination like no fighter has ever done.
I was smart enough to save my money. I invest. The biggest thing you can invest is something they don't have a lot of, is land. I own a lot of it.
I don't wanna fight a street fighter.
Scott Coker's been amazing to work with.
Life's too short. Too short to hate.
After having my first surgery in 2003, having an ACL replacement, I never thought I'd be able to compete again.
If I wanted to do a fixed fight, I'd be doing WWE.
I squeeze like an anaconda.
At the end of the day, when I step in that cage, I'm there to fight for my name. It's not about money; it's not about who's gonna win or lose. It's about me winning. That's all that matters.