From MMA Weekly. http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=1958&zoneid=13 Tito Ortiz has had a love hate relationship with the UFC. Right now it seems the word "hate" is how the current relationship stands with Zuffa. Ortiz was set for a showdown with Ken Shamrock but it appears that fight will not happen. UFC President Dana White announced on the radio over the weekend that Tito pulled out of the fight with Shamrock and will now be replaced by Forrest Griffin. White said that Griffin asked for the fight. Ken and Forrest will fight July 8th at the Mandalay Bay with Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia as the main event. Dana said, "It's always something" with Tito. The UFC President also said that he scored Forrest as the winner when Griffin fought Ortiz. Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta scored it a draw with Forrest winning rounds two and three and Tito winning the first round 10-8. White was also critical of the judging saying judge Abe Balardo should never score another MMA fight again as he scored that fight 30-27 for Ortiz. White also made some other interesting comments saying the UFC will do a Northern California show very soon and that the UFC "will be on HBO very soon. It will happen." http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=1957&zoneid=13 Tim Sylvia beat Andrei Arlovski just a few weeks ago in Anaheim at UFC 59 to win the UFC Championship. Sylvia won't have much time to celebrate as he will need to get right back to training as he is scheduled to face Arlovski for a third time in July. UFC President Dana White told a Sacramento radio station that the two will fight for a third time in July as the main event at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on July 8th for the UFC Heavyweight title. White said that Sylvia requested that Andrei get an immediate rematch to put the fluke allegations to rest. Sylvia knocked out Arlovski in the first round a couple of weeks ago and will now fight Andrei for a third time, just three months later. Sylvia has won four fights in a row and sports a 21-2 record, while Arlovski who had won six fights in a row before his loss three weeks ago is now 10-4. My thoughts... I had predicted Griffin would replace Tito as soon as I heard Tito was injured. It seems Dana White is pissed at Ortiz again. In my opinion, Griffin/Shamrock is better for UFC than Ortiz/Shamrock, as Griffin should beat Shamrock, and a win over Shamrock, in spite of him being a shot fighter, will add to Griffin's legitimacy, and since he's one of the UFC's most popular fighters, that's a good thing. It's good to see the rubber match between Andrei and Tim happening right away. Hopefully we find out who is the better man among the two. TFK
Shamrock drained himself to make 205, he looked so weak and lethargic in their first fight. How do you make 205 when you've been in pro wrestling weighing as much as 240+? Sham cut alot of muscle to make that weight. Would be more interesting to see them fight at heavyweight.
