Last week, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz bared his intentions to take a third fight against fellow UFC Hall-of-Famer Chuck Liddell. Ortiz says he has a “lot of interest” level, and claims to have already spoken to UFC matchmakers about it.
Observing from the sidelines as the whole thing unfolded was Chael Sonnen, who of course had something to say about it. He particularly took a shot at Ortiz for wanting the fight to take place in the UFC.
“That’s where I’m saying it’s a scumbag move,” Sonnen said in a recent video he uploaded. “It’s like ‘Tito, after all Scott Coker did for you – I mean they ran you around, you were the face of the company, you were main eventing, you were making a bunch of money – that’s your response? You’re gonna come out of retirement, and you’re gonna fight Chuck in the UFC? You don’t give that to Coker? You’re gonna do it in the UFC?
“You finished your career at Bellator. You got treated great at Bellator. You come to the Bellator shows. Whether I like Tito or not – and I don’t – but he is a great face of the sport, people recognize him.”
Because of Ortiz’s statements, Sonnen now thinks his former opponent dug himself into a hole with both the UFC and Bellator.
“First off, unloyal, scumbag move, my opinion,” Sonnen said. “Second off, from a PR perspective, how stupid could you be? You’re not gonna get that fight in the UFC. That isn’t gonna happen. So now, you’ve showed your loyalty, you’ve showed your cards, and you’re not gonna get it.”
“So now you’re gonna get rebuted by who you’re apparently trying to impress, and you’re gonna piss off the other side. I just didn’t get any part of it. I don’t understand how or why he would do it, I resent that he did it from a loyalty standpoint.”
Sonnen also admitted that he may be speaking with a bit of bitterness, but insisted that he was making some sense.
“He never ceases to surprise me when he opens his mouth, how dumb that son of a bitch is. He just doesn’t. It just can’t go away. Sour grapes on my part? Yeah, sure, a little bit. Fair point on my part? Yeah, you’re damn right that’s a fair point.”
Sonnen fought Ortiz in January 2017 at Bellator 170 and lost via first-round submission.
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