Thank you @titoortiz for everything you've done for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts #Legend #Bellator170 pic.twitter.com/6ArjJVkaqN
— Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) January 22, 2017
Mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Tito Ortiz ended his 20-year career on a high note last night (Sat., Jan. 21, 2017) at Bellator 170 live on Spike TV from inside The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., as he wasted little time in submitting Chael Sonnen in the first round via rear-naked choke (full video highlights here). It was only Ortiz's fifth submission win of his career. After he was pried off of Sonnen by referee John McCarthy, Ortiz spoke with Jimmy Smith inside of the Bellator MMA cage to give his farewell speech. Here is what "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" had to say:
"It felt really really good. Everything that went on through this whole fight, all we did through camp. Raphael Davis, one of my sparring partners, one of my best friends -- we started this together. We wrestled at Cal State Bakersfield together. We had this whole camp together. Scott Carr from Gracie-Barra Jiu-Jitsu, we worked this mount position, we worked this pass position, we worked the defense to the guillotine. We knew he had a guillotine. We worked position from the back. I knew I'd get the choke because I know he doesn't want to be pounded by me. I know he doesn't want to be on the bottom taking elbows from me. Jason Parillo got my hands working super fast, got my feet moving really super fast. I knew if I shot on Chael he was not going to be super strong, so I knew I could fight out of positions. We worked on the guillotine position, getting out of it. He never had me, thumbs up, I'm good. It was never tight. I'm happy that I'm able to do this in a respectful way in front of my home town. Los Angeles, thank you guys very, very, much. ORTIZ RULES! Tonight, Jan. 21, 2017, I’m going to let my son lay my gloves down in the cage, because this is the last time I’ll be fighting."
For complete Bellator 170 results and coverage click here.
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