UFC Quick Quote: A 'disrespectful' Ryan Bader made a mistake by calling Tito Ortiz his 'stepping stone'

"I’ve got nothing against Ryan Bader. I respect him and his skills ... But Bader made a mistake saying I am a stepping stone back to Jon Jones. I understand why he said it. When I was 28 I felt indestructible too and I was saying a lot of things about what I was going to do too. But I’m not a stepping stone to anyone. No one has ever had an easy fight against me and he made a mistake in saying that I am a stepping stone. Maybe it was a figure of speech, but even if it was it was a little disrespectful to a former world champion. Bader is coming off the first loss of his career. He now knows what it is like to have his takedowns stopped. That tested his will and, on that one night against Jones, he showed me that he panics when he can’t bully people around with his wrestling. He won’t be able to bully me on Saturday and his will is going to be tested again!"

Tito Ortiz "In His Own Words" at ESPN.com as he prepares for Ryan Bader at UFC 132: "Cruz vs. Faber 2" this Saturday night (July 2) in Las Vegas. "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy," who had to beg the UFC to keep his job, will get one last shot at redemption when he tangles with the heavy-handed wrestler who was "a little disrespectful" by referring to the former light heavyweight champ as his "stepping stone." Anyone think Ortiz can upset the 12-1 "Darth" on fight night? Or will the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 winner retire him for good?