- EYEING COLEMAN, TITO WANTS TO TRAIN WITH GSP
by Steven Marrocco - MMAWeekly.com
Former UFC light heavyweight
champion Tito Ortiz is in his second week of hard training following a back
surgery that required nearly nine months of rehab. MMAWeekly.com caught
up with "The Hungtington Beach Bad Boy" at Wild Card Boxing Club in Los
Angeles, where he's working with Freddie Roach for the next nine weeks before
moving to his facility in Big Bear, Calif.
Afterwards, he wants to make a
stop in Montreal to train with welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre.
Not completely out of shape,
but not in fight shape, the 34-year-old Ortiz faces the hardest phase of
rebuilding. But for once, he says, his back isn't killing him.
"It feels nice to train with no
soreness," Ortiz said outside the gym. "For the first month now I'll be doing
two-a-days."
Roach is encouraged by what he
saw Wednesday after nine rounds with the mitts.
"He's a hard worker," said the
famed trainer of boxer Manny Pacquiao. "The first time I did that 30-minute
drill with Oscar De La Hoya, he only made it two. Tito finished, so I was happy
about that."
At the bell, Ortiz leaned over
the ropes and heaved. Baby steps.
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Last week, he re-signed with
the UFC, ending a seemingly endless feud with president Dana White. In an
on-again, off-again saga of epic proportions, Ortiz first tried to work out a
deal with the promotion (particularly co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta), then swore
them off completely.
After appearing within arm's
length of a deal with Strikeforce, he did another about face, making nice with
White during a conference call announcing his return last Friday. There, he
told reporters he would end his career in the Octagon.
Ortiz says he should be ready
to fight in November, and expects to face former heavyweight champion Mark
Coleman next.
White said the fight was under
consideration, making UFC 106 a likely choice given Ortiz's cut of pay-per-view
profits. UFC 106 is scheduled for Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center,
one week after UFC 105 touches down in Manchester, England.
Despite the glaring age gap
between the two, Ortiz does not anticipate an easy fight.
"I respect him a lot," Ortiz
said with a knowing grin. "I think this fight will have a lot more personal
vendetta behind it the closer the fight comes, I think."
Check
out the MMAWeekly.com's full interview with Ortiz.
(For more information on Ortiz, visit www.titoortiz.com
and www.punishmentathletics.com.)
