By Mark Vester
The world of Mixed Martial Arts is starting to get very competitive for signing top talent. One of the more popular MMA stars in the world, Tito Ortiz, told the Baltimore Sun that he recently resigned with the UFC for three more fights. The first bout of the new contract is probably the biggest MMA bout of the year, a rematch with UFC champion Chuck Liddell in the main event of UFC's 66th pay-per-view on December 30.
"I'm starting a new contract with my fight against Liddell. That fight is the first fight of the new contract. And then I have two fights after that. I want to stay with the UFC. I started my career with the UFC. I plan on staying with the UFC."
He said that the UFC's big surge of popularity in the last two years has made the sport the big favorite with American fans, especially on pay-per-view, and the UFC fever is catching on all over the world. Ortiz noted that the UFC has taken over both wrestling and boxing on the pay-per-view market, and their consistent big buyrate numbers are the proof.
Although numerous high buyrate numbers have been leaked to several national media outlets in the last few year, they have never been 100% confirmed because the UFC does not officially release their buyrate numbers.
"The UFC is doing just so awesome right now -- we're doing so great on pay-per-view. We've taken over boxing. We've taken over professional wrestling. We've pretty much taken over the United States, almost the world of … sports. We're getting crazy numbers on some of the ratings of the shows that we're doing. And the numbers that we are doing on pay-per-view are awesome, man. We're getting Mike Tyson numbers back when boxing was in its heyday," Ortiz said.
On the subject of Mike Tyson numbers, Ortiz was asked about former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and the rumors of his participation in Pride, the UFC's biggest rival in the MMA market. Ortiz feels that Tyson may do well under kickboxing rules, but will be in serious trouble if he fights under MMA rules.
"If it's just kickboxing, he'll do a decent job. If it's MMA, he's in trouble. People don't understand … it's a totally different sport. If I got in a ring with Tyson with boxing gloves, I wouldn't last a round. If Tyson got in a ring with small gloves and I was able to take him down and do submission moves, he wouldn't last a round with me. That's just the way it is. [In MMA fights,] there are so many different ways of winning a match that it makes it really hard for a boxer to come in and compete at our level," Ortiz said.