EliteXC not shy about interest in Tito Ortiz
May 16, 2008 by Sam Caplan
During a Thursday conference call to promote the debut of CBS’ “Saturday Night Fights” on May 31, EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw did not shy away from any questions regarding former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.
Ortiz will become a restricted free agent following his May 24 bout at UFC 84 against undefeated Brazilian fighter Lyoto Machida. Due to the animosity that exists between Ortiz and UFC President Dana White, many pundits have speculated that UFC 84 will be Ortiz’s final fight with the UFC and that he will be seeking a new promotion to call home.
Shaw made it clear Thursday that he wouldn’t mind if that home was EliteXC.
“I happen to be a huge fan of his (Ortiz) on a personal level,” Shaw responded when asked about his feelings towards Ortiz.
At another point in the press conference, Shaw expounded further on his desire to work with Ortiz in the future.
“Of all my years in the fight game, I know one thing that I could see, touch, smell and feel, and that is a star and a superstar,” he said. “Every time I see Tito Ortiz, he reeks of stardom. I think I can even better his days in the UFC. I think I can reincarnate Ortiz. He is a talented fighter and has all the mechanisms that you need to make someone a superstar.”
The former boxing regulator-turned-promoter already has one matchup in mind for the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”
“Can you imagine Tito Ortiz and Kimbo (Slice) in the cage together one day?,” Shaw asked. “My door is open. I hope that he’s able to negotiate one day because I would never interfere with a contract. I hope he’s sitting right next to me, not across from my desk, but right with me.”
I don’t want to think about Shaw touching, smelling and feeling Tito Ortiz. And since when does giving a guy a hummer during an interview and saying you’d love to negotiate with him NOT interfering with a contract?
you mean the automotive type of Hummer right?
Tito and Shaw is a match made in heaven
shaw is making Kimbo slice the biggest fight sport star since mike tyson. After the cbs show Kimbo will be the michael jordan of mma among the casual fans
shaw knows how to promote a fighter and he doesnt mind promoting a figher over the company. something dana wouldnt do.
look at kimbo
hes 10x bigger than exc is, thats because of shaws expertise.
if tito ortiz goes to cbs, he will be just as big, if not bigger.
fans will think hes better than anyone in the ufc after he destroys a few cans on prime time tv
I think he ment he wants Tito under his desk not sitting rigght next to him or wait maybe Shaw would be under the desk.Anyways It sounds like Shaw is just saying what he feels need’s to be said to get to Tito in Elite XC and once he does im sure Tito will bitch and complain about that organization and how he dosent get the respect needed.
I am just throwing this out there, but could it be that Gary Shaw has no intention of signing Tito and this is just a ploy to drive up Tito’s asking price with the UFC?
UFC 84 really is a do or die state of affairs for the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz. Tito was, and still is in some respects, one of the sports most entertaining and talented competitors. Who could forget Tito flipping Ken Shamrock the double bird, (although probably not as insulting if Ken knew those fingers would someday explore every nook and cranny of Jenna Jamison) or when Tito gestured as though he was digging Shamrocks grave after his victory against him which ultimately sent Shamrock into retirement. Brutal! I remember Ortiz grabbing the attention of UFC fans when he started static with Rashad Evans in the stands at the MGM and Tito was only there as a spectator. Even when Tito is in his finest suit he wants to fight. That’s entertainment. But lately his bizarre decisions have cost him a tremendous amount of creditability with his fans. Challenging Dana White to a fight only to puss out at the very last minute was not a respectable move. Going on “The Apprentice” and proclaiming himself a “business man” is ridiculous. Tito your fans don’t consider you a business man. As if your success in the UFC was all part of a grand business model strategy. Negative! You are a fighter, you might, or might not, have business sense but you made it to where you are by having Dana White tell you to beat the guy opposite you in the cage to a pulp. Like Clint Eastwood to his chimp Clyde in “Every Which Way But Loose”. Now we have to listen to you whine about how Dana is unfair and you’re are not paid what you are worth. Always a bride’s maid never a bride. Stop being a bitch and get in the f*&@ing cage Tito. I want you to win, hell I’ve got money on you to win. Please, just do what you do best and beat the snot out of Machida. Right turn Clyde.
I have a difficult time believing Shaw would pony up for Tito but not some of the other guys that made it onto the affliction card.
The EliteXC is the most logical destination for Ortiz. I imagine that Ortiz vs. Slice would be a huge draw… the problem is that the Ortiz would dismantle Slice on the ground (right now). This would destroy Slice’s credibility as a MMA fighter. However, if the fight could be built up for a year or so, then it could create huge returns for the promotion.
great so i get see tito beat up on the elvis sinosic’ of the world for a few fights
and then get to see him fight kimbo slice, who will continue to fight the bo cantrell’s of the world for a few more fights
all while listening to greased up gary shaw proclaiming he has the best fighters in the world
from a business perspective i can understand this
from a fan’s perspective i can’t
but business always win…so i guess we’re stuck with this.
“He wreaks of stardom.”
Should be
“He reeks of stardom.”
Shaw and Tito could be a good match. Seriously. Tito’s style is increasingly theatrical, and Shaw would be a good straight man. Reminiscent of some of the feuds in Pro Wrestling. Sure, MMA fans would hate it, but Tito has to develop a schtick to keep working since he isn’t really a contender at this point in his career.
#9, the transcription of quotes comes from EliteXC.
Tito and Elite would really be a big boost to this organization to help solidify them as a major player in the MMA community.
Does anyone else notice that Tito Ortiz looks exactly like Bigfoot Silva in this picutre?
Is really that smart to build someone bigger than your organization?
What will happen when he isn’t that great anymore anymore because someone destroys him on the cage (it could happen even with a supossed can) or some other organization take’em away?
Maybe thats why the UFC don’t do that, fighters come and go, the organization should remain.
Bussiness wise is a good decision to take Tito, but not for so long i guess, how much Tito has yet to give? His back was pretty fucked up not so long ago.
Let’s see, Tito has familiarity to non/casual fans from things like network TV’s “The Apprentice”, EXC has a network TV deal.
Makes sense to me.
This really isn’t about a fight/skill/what he has left, it is about business. Even at a large price, this would be a good business decision by the sweatsuit warrior.
Tito will never get along with Dana because Tito thinks he’s bigger than the UFC and Dana thinks no fighter is bigger than the organization.
I give a lot of respect to Tito for helping to build the UFC and MMA into what it is today. I have little respect for him running his mouth so much. If he fought half has successfully as he runs his mouth he would be champion of the world.
EXC is blowing smoke up Tito’s rear end because they know Tito wants that, and because they know Dana won’t. Dana gets to be the bad guy, the hard ass. They get to play like they only care about the fighters.
Its funny how upset some people across the internet are getting so upset at this. Dana is just doing his job and these quotes probably netted a few thousand extra PPV buys from folks sitting on the fence.
The reason that UFC doesn’t let one fighter become bigger than the organization, is that upsets happen, frequently in MMA. What happens if this big stiff knocks out Slice on Friday night (I know it is very unlikely, but how many people had Serra over GSP, or Alexander over Jardine, or Jardine over Chuck, and so on and so on), then does a guy who has lost 6 of his last 9 fights become the face of Elite XC.
Yesterday Gary Shaw was saying that he would make a fight between Slice and Tyson “in a heartbeat”, now he wants to put him in with Tito. That is a big difference in MMA experience. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, MMA will be better without Gary Shaw, and his great ideas that have ruined boxing.
Sorry, I meant if the stiff knocks him out on the 31st.