Despite having won four of his last five bouts, a victorious Ortiz has decided to retire from professional MMA.
“I’m done,” Ortiz said at the post-fight press conference. “There is nobody left I want to fight. I just want to continue to help the sports grow as a promoter. I want to help give back to the fighters.”
If this is truly the end of Ortiz’s career, it would end a run that saw Ortiz defeat such luminaries as Guy Mezger, Wanderlei Silva, Evan Tanner, Vladimir Matyushenko, Ken Shamrock, Patrick Cote, Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin, Ryan Bader, Alexander Shlemenko, Stephan Bonnar, Chael Sonnen and Chuck Liddell.
Ortiz would win the UFC Light Heavyweight Title at UFC 25 in April 2000, defeating the aforementioned Wanderlei Silva by decision. Although Ortiz did get a win over Liddell at the Golden Boy MMA event, it is Liddell who holds the two to one lead overall in their fight series.
The now retired Ortiz does end his career on a two fight winning streak and the fighter hasn’t suffered a defeat in over three years.
