Tito Ortiz regrets saying he'd never fight for UFC again, suggests fight against a Brazilian MMA legend as last bout for both veterans

Tito Ortiz walking out to fight Anderson Silva in a boxing match [Image via Getty]

Tito Ortiz is a pioneer of MMA who is entering his 25th year of professional competition. He made his UFC debut in 1997 and held a promotional record of 15-11-1. 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' fought and beat most of the early UFC legends, including Wanderlei Silva, Evan Tanner, Ken Shamrock (three times), Vitor Belfort, and Forrest Griffin.

Since leaving the UFC in 2012, Tito Ortiz went 3-1 in Bellator. He also beat Chuck Liddell in their infamous trilogy fight, and even fought for Combate Global in 2019. Ortiz won five of his last six MMA fights.

'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' also participated in a boxing fight last year, where he lost via a brutal first-round knockout against Anderson Silva.

Watch Tito Ortiz get knocked out by Anderson Silva below:

ANDERSON SILVA GETS THE FIRST ROUND KO OVER TITO ORTIZ‼️💥 https://t.co/XZPMTdaozl

At 47 years old, Ortiz is nearing the end of his combat sports career. With that said, 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' recently had time to reflect on his relationship with the UFC and who he wants to fight next in 2022. During an interview with Helen Yee, the former UFC light heavyweight champion had this to say:

"It's never over. I think I made that mistake with the UFC when I said I would never fight for the UFC again. Now that I think about it, that would be an amazing last fight for myself and for Shogun Rua."

After losing to Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 274, Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua has one more fight left before retiring. Unfortunately, Ortiz's age and sketchy relationship with the UFC will probably prevent him from rejoining the world's premier MMA promotion. Regardless, seeing 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' fight in MMA one last time will be a nostalgic treat for early UFC fans.

Watch the full Tito Ortiz interview with Helen Yee below:

Tito Ortiz says his current favorite fighter to watch is Michael Chandler

Despite not being a part of the organization, Ortiz has continued to watch the UFC. Getting opinions from someone who has seen the evolution of the sport is always intriguing. During the same interview, the 47-year-old California native said this after being asked about his favorite current UFC fighter to watch:

"I'd have to say Michael Chandler. Just the turnaround he's done in his career has been amazing. It shows that hard work really does pay off. And the knockout he did against Tony, I was just like wow."

It is no surprise Ortiz chose Michael Chandler as his favorite fighter to watch. Since joining the UFC last year, 'Iron' has not been in a boring fight and continues to be a part of several unforgettable moments. Meanwhile, Ortiz still wants to create moments for himself by fighting again before the end of 2022.

Watch Michael Chandler knock out Tony Ferguson below:

Michael Chandler just sent Tony Ferguson to the SHADOW REALM https://t.co/8r3b9JMPqC