Former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz is expanding his crossover appeal once again by developing a reality show for friends and rivals who want to punch each other in the face.
The show, called "Anytown Beatdown," pits two acquaintances against one another in a grudge match where they get to settle their differences in the cage. Ortiz will serve as trainer for both competitors, providing them with a crash course in mixed martial arts.
The Comcast-owned G4 network will air the pilot episode in an effort to expand its lineup from its usual video-game base. The show was originally planned to be called "Anytown Throwdown" and has already conducted open casting calls.
MMAmania.com first broke news of a potential Tito Ortiz-inspired reality show back in February. Since then, I had the chance to talk to Tito directly about the upcoming venture.
Here’s what he had to say:
"It was kind of just an idea that came about. Couple of Hollywood agents came to me, and they were pitching some stuff. A guy by the name of Randall Emmett, who’s a producer, he came up to me, and we talked about it. It’s pretty much getting two guys who have had hostility toward each other through their whole childhood and growing up and so forth, and they’ve always wanted to beat each other up, and they always wanted to get payback. I remember in high school getting in a fight with somebody, and the next day we were best friends after we fought. This is kind of like the same thing. We’re going to teach them how to fight, we’re going to train them, and they’re going to fight and square their differences in the Octagon.… We’ll go back and hear tales from each one of their families, maybe the whole town knows about the whole situation. We’ll get feedback on it. These guys hate each other so much, but … they’ve always talked; they’ve always wanted to squash this … We’re going to make that happen.... People always wanted to be MMA fighters, so we’re going to get them a chance to do it and see how tough they really are."
If nothing else, "Anytown" is the latest example of Ortiz’s broad crossover appeal. Having appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice" earlier this season and playing the role of a bouncer in the upcoming Zombie Strippers!, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" clearly has some of the biggest crossover potential of any MMA star in the sport today.
Dating the world’s most recognizable porn star doesn’t hurt either.
Ortiz is quite aware of his mainstream potential and wants to cash in while the getting’s good.
Here's another snip from our exclusive conversation:
"Oh, for sure. I’m still young, I’m only 33 years old. I’m still a young guy. I still have a lot to learn — business-wise, of course, I’ll always have a lot to learn. Fighting-wise I’ll always have a lot to learn. These next four years of fighting are an important part of my life right now. After these four years of fighting are over, then I’ll get into the business stuff. I’ll start doing more movie films and other business opportunities that come about."
More movie films indeed.
Producer Randall Emmett was most recently linked to Rambo and Day of the Dead. He is also serving as producer for the 2009 release Rambo V.
"Anytown" is the first television venture by the production company Emmett/Furla Films and was created by Randall Emmett and Brian Newberry. Ortiz will serve as executive producer, along with George Furla, Emmett, Newberry and Mike Malloy.
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