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UFC president Dana White announced a deal Friday to bring back Tito Ortiz, the massively popular mixed martial artist who angrily left the UFC last year in a public dispute over issues of respect and money. The former light heavyweight champion has recovered from major back surgery and plans to fight late this year or on the UFCs Jan. 2, 2010, card in Las Vegas.
They just gave me an offer I couldnt refuse, and made up for the things that were done before, said Ortiz. Youll never hear about money out of my mouth ever again.
White has also said his efforts to sign Emelianenko this week proved useless because the Russian heavyweights management are demanding a hefty co-promotion deal. Emelianenko is widely considered the worlds top fighter in his weight class, but has no high-profile home after the collapse of the Affliction promotion last week.
White has refused to rule out a future deal, however he sounded frustrated with his inability to bring the most exciting fighter outside of the UFC, particularly after the success in MMA attention and revenue created by UFC 100 card three weeks ago.
We tried everything we could possibly do to get Fedor into the UFC, said White, who is eager to match Emelianenko against UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. We came to the table willing to give up just about anything except the co-promotion, White added. We offered him the most amazing deal. We guarantee he will not be offered a deal like this in mixed martial arts.
The 34-year-old Ortiz might have reached a similar conclusion after flirting with Affliction, Strikeforce and others while searching for a way back into MMA. White and Ortiz both had to bury considerable differences to reunite.
Me and Tito hated each other, White said. We sat down in a room like men and worked this thing out. Tito Ortiz will retire in the UFC. White said Ortizs first fight likely would be against Mark Coleman, the 44-year-old veteran who revitalized his career with a win over Stephan Bonner at UFC 100. The best fighters are in the UFC, Ortiz said. Its the best promotion in the world today, and thats why Im here. I know theyre going worldwide into Mexico and China and the U.K., and I want to be the part of it.
Believing the UFC has done all the hard work in raising MMA to its current level of popularity and profitability, White doesnt allow the type of co-promotion, co-branding deal demanded by officials from M-1 Global, which is part-owned by Emelianenko. M-1 Global president Vadim
They just gave me an offer I couldnt refuse, and made up for the things that were done before, said Ortiz. Youll never hear about money out of my mouth ever again.
White has also said his efforts to sign Emelianenko this week proved useless because the Russian heavyweights management are demanding a hefty co-promotion deal. Emelianenko is widely considered the worlds top fighter in his weight class, but has no high-profile home after the collapse of the Affliction promotion last week.
White has refused to rule out a future deal, however he sounded frustrated with his inability to bring the most exciting fighter outside of the UFC, particularly after the success in MMA attention and revenue created by UFC 100 card three weeks ago.
We tried everything we could possibly do to get Fedor into the UFC, said White, who is eager to match Emelianenko against UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. We came to the table willing to give up just about anything except the co-promotion, White added. We offered him the most amazing deal. We guarantee he will not be offered a deal like this in mixed martial arts.
The 34-year-old Ortiz might have reached a similar conclusion after flirting with Affliction, Strikeforce and others while searching for a way back into MMA. White and Ortiz both had to bury considerable differences to reunite.
Me and Tito hated each other, White said. We sat down in a room like men and worked this thing out. Tito Ortiz will retire in the UFC. White said Ortizs first fight likely would be against Mark Coleman, the 44-year-old veteran who revitalized his career with a win over Stephan Bonner at UFC 100. The best fighters are in the UFC, Ortiz said. Its the best promotion in the world today, and thats why Im here. I know theyre going worldwide into Mexico and China and the U.K., and I want to be the part of it.
Believing the UFC has done all the hard work in raising MMA to its current level of popularity and profitability, White doesnt allow the type of co-promotion, co-branding deal demanded by officials from M-1 Global, which is part-owned by Emelianenko. M-1 Global president Vadim
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