FORMER UFC LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
On his own pre-fight trash talk:
“I really think it was more along the lines, it was a joke. It was a funny joke and it was something to make me laugh and make my fans laugh. It was nothing towards Rashad in any racist thing at all. It was just one thing of me calling him a ‘nappy-headed ho.’ It was a joke, no more than that. Anything I say is in joking terms, nothing against Rashad. Next week when we step in the Octagon against each other it’s going to show and we’ll let the punches do the talking.”
On how he feels about Rashad:
“I feel Rashad is a great opponent. Him being undefeated, he’s a qualified wrestler, he’s a qualified fighter, he won the heavyweight division in ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ I’m really excited about this fight. I’ve been training really hard. The last three months I’ve been in training. It’s just one of those things. Rashad is going to bring the fire. When I fought (Chuck) Liddell and I lost to Liddell, it’s just one of those things. I made a mistake. When I came up to Rashad at UFC 69, I gave my respects. I just said, ‘Watch what you say,’ and he said, ‘I’m not going to listen to you about what I need to say and what I have to say.’ It’s him defending himself, which is fine. I’m a force to be reckoned with no matter what. I’m a fighter that’s been here for the last 10 years and I’m very qualified. I’m here to make it a very, very exciting fight. You know, on 7-7-07 the lucky cards will be in my corner.”
On whether he enjoys creating controversy:
“I guess it’s pretty much part of my personality. I think it comes about because I speak my mind. I don’t hold anything back and I don’t care about what anybody’s feelings. I have a bad boy image that I’m going to play with. I speak my mind no matter what the consequences are. There are things I’ve said about Dana and vice versa and things I’ve said about the UFC. You know, I’ve been a UFC fighter for the last 10 years. I’ve never fought for any other company. I speak my mind on all terms. I’m a fighter. When it comes down for me to get in the Octagon and beat someone down, I’m gonna speak my mind. I’m going to try and get into the head of the fighter I’m fighting. They don’t understand when they fight Tito Ortiz it’s ferocity. I don’t look for the easy way out in any of the fights I ever do. That’s just the way I am ever since the first time I stepped in the Octagon. I train super hard for my fights. I give 100 percent emotion, 100 percent of my heart and 100 percent of my body. That’s just me fighting. It’s intensity when Tito Ortiz fights.”
On the charity work and visits with the troops that he does that most people don’t know about:
“It’s not an image that I’m trying to portray. It’s just more about giving back and knowing that these guys, the United States troops, do so much for our freedom and they are citizens of the United States that are away from their families for the last 5 ½ years that we’ve been at war. They’ve been over in Iraq and in the Middle East and we really don’t look at that. We’re looking at Paris Hilton and the big story about her going to jail. It’s just a really stupid thing that you look at. The biggest thing about all of it is what’s the reason behind all of it when the troops are supporting us and fighting for our country and fighting for us. I’m willing to give back and give them recognition for that.”
On whether his bad boy image is misunderstood or not:
“I have a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. When I step in the Octagon, I’m in one of the most serious combat sports there is in the world today. When I step in the Octagon, it’s my head or his in my eyes. I’m out there to draw first blood. But once I step out of the Octagon I’m a very fan-friendly fighter. I never say no to an autograph. I never say no to a picture. I’m there for the fans and I spend extra time after to be with the fans. I think that’s what it really comes down to. If it weren’t for the fans, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
On Oscar De La Hoya:
“Him making the Golden Boy Promotions, it’s just really great to see a fighter go to the second level of really making that happen. I’ve been a huge fan of him and, of course, Fernando vargas when he was coming up. I think the street side of me made me fall in love with Vargas, but the businessman of De La Hoya is someone that I’ve really looked into and seen what he’s done with his enterprises. It’s very, very impressive. I feel like I want to follow in the same footsteps. It’s a lot of work, of course, and hopefully a lot of Dana helping me do that, of course, and me stepping in the Octagon and fighting and keep winning. I look at the last nine years of my competition and I’ve only lost to two people. One is the heavyweight champion and one is the former light-heavyweight champion. That’s the only two guys I’ve lost to in the last nine years. I really look what the future holds to Tito Ortiz and that’s to continue as a fighter and continue as a businessman. Being aggressive in the Octagon is the most important thing and 7-7-07 is going to be a great day for me.”
On the Tito haters and critics:
“I gotta agree with them completely when it’s fight time, you know. I’m very emotional like I said. I’m very entertaining when it comes to fighting. I want to make sure I give the fans their bang for their buck. I don’t want a boring fight. For me to get dropped or hurt, at least I’m exposing myself and I’m not holding back. That’s how I’ve always been and I always want to be out there and be an entertainer. I heard so many times, ‘Tito, don’t worry about being an entertainer. Just go out there and fight.’ I really don’t see it as that. I see it as I’m going out and doing a performance. But it’s kind of funny because as far as you can do is punch somebody in the face, take them down and hammer their face off.”
On the reports that he had been offered a rematch against Forrest Griffin and that he turned it down:
“Yeah, I did (turn the Griffin fight down). It would be taking a step back for me. The best match, I thought, was with Rashad. He’s undefeated and why would I want to take a fight that I’ve already won. It’s a step back for my career. If I want to go forward with my career, I have to fight someone who is at a better caliber. Rashad is someone that has been beating a lot of people. That’s why he is undefeated and Rashad is a great fighter. I respect him as a fighter, but once we step in the Octagon may the best man win and it won’t be him.”
On how training camp went in Big Bear:
“I been up here the last seven weeks and camp’s been really, really good. I purchased the De La Hoya place and it’s an investment for the next four years of competition that I plan on competing. I’m doing really, really good. I have no injuries. I’m not looking for an excuses, so it’s great. Rashad said that I lost to Forrest (Griffin), but when I fought Forrest I was 60 percent. Rashad is going to get 100 percent. If he thinks I’m a person who is not who I used to be that’s fine. He’s underestimating me, which is great. It’s one of the things he’ll notice in the fight. All the weight is on Rashad’s shoulders now because last time I looked Greg Jackson’s camp was 0-9. I think all of the weight is on Rashad’s shoulders to try and win a match for them.”
On his No. 1 concern about Rashad:
“My No. 1 concern about Rashad is can he make it past the first round. His wrestling skills are OK. He thinks his boxing skills are great, which is awesome. I’m just going to have to defend the shot and strike with him. I’m just going to have to see if he is going to be able to defend my takedowns. It’s going to be a mixture of everything. That’s why the UFC is so exciting because you never know what’s going to happen. Some get kicked in the head and get knocked out. Some get punched in the head and get knocked out. Some get dumped on their head and get knocked out. I’m going for blood. The one that causes the most amount of damage in the shortest amount of time usually walks out with their hand raised.”
On the possibility of fighting his friend, UFC light-heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson:
“You know, I think that really comes down to me and Rampage talking about it. I don’t want to take money out of his family’s mouth and vice versa. I don’t really see a problem with it. I know when Rampage first came to the UFC the first thing he said to Dana was me and Tito aren’t going to be fighting and I took that to heart too. But if we’re getting paid a few million dollars to fight each other, you never know. It would make it that much more of an exciting fight because we’ve known each other for so long. I think it really comes down to me and Rampage sitting down and talking to each other and making sure it makes sense to both of us.”
