UFC 133 Fight Card: Tito Ortiz on Short-Notice Fight with Rashad Evans

One month ago, Tito Ortiz was preparing for the final fight of his UFC career, or so his critics believed. However, Ortiz is now readying for his second UFC bout in the month of July, a contest with Rashad Evans that could earn "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" a title shot that seemed impossible not long ago.

After he defeated Ryan Bader at UFC 132, his first win in more than four years, many believed Ortiz would take some time off and carefully choose his next opponent. Even Ortiz himself was in no rush to jump back into the Octagon.

"After I beat Bader, I was on the top of the world, I felt," Ortiz told media during the UFC 133 Conference Call. "I wanted to indulge in the glory."

Then, an injury forced Phil Davis out of his UFC 133 main event fight with Rashad Evans. The opening presented an excellent opportunity for Ortiz, but he didn't jump at the offer to replace Davis right away.

"When [Dana White] asked me, my first instinct was like, 'No, I've got to take care of some stuff at home. I got business, my Punishment nutrition, my clothing company, my gym. There's so much other business stuff that I've got to plant the seeds, water and watch them grow. I had to take care of some of that stuff,'" Ortiz said.

After Ortiz turned down his offer, White was left scrambling to find a main event opponent for Evans. However, Ortiz had a change of heart after talking things over with those close to him.

"The fighter in me kind of doubted it," Ortiz said. "It was like, 'Well, maybe you should fight. You're in great shape.' I never got touched. The sparring has been great. My wrestling is really good. I'm strong. I have no injuries. My back and neck have been awesome."

"I talked to Jenna [Jameson]," Ortiz said. "I talked to my training partners. I talked to my coach. We kind of just sat down and said, 'You know what? Let's do this.' Here's an opportunity that we're never going to have again. Dana asked me to help him out. They needed my help. I wanted to show that I'm a business man for them and I stepped up."

This will not be the first meeting between former UFC light heavyweight champions Ortiz and Evans. The two also met at UFC 73 in July 2007, a fight that ended in a unanimous draw because a point had been deducted from Ortiz for grabbing the fence.

Because the fight happened more than four years ago, Ortiz sees no value in looking back at what happened in his previous bout against Evans. It is safe to say that both fighters have undergone plenty of changes since that fight.

"I think it's a lot different on both sides," Ortiz said. "I think Rashad has matured as a fighter. From that fight to his last fight against Rampage, his shots are a lot better and he's a lot faster. I've got a lot better. My boxing skills, of course, and my wrestling, takedowns and defense, have gotten better. I've gotten stronger. I'm not having my injuries anymore."

Since his upset win over Bader, Ortiz has made no secret that he has his sights set very high at the tail end of his career. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion plans on reclaiming the belt before he calls it quits, but recognizes that he will have to beat Evans before focusing on current champion Jon Jones.

"Before anything, I got to fight Rashad," Ortiz said. "I mean Rashad's the number one contender. This is his time to shine. All the pressure is on him. He's supposed to beat Tito Ortiz. I'm here to show why I'm still here. I've been here since 1997. I ain't going anywhere anytime soon."

Sean Smith is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA. Sean has also had his work featured on UFC.com. For the latest insight and updates on everything MMA, you can follow Sean on Twitter @SeanSmithMMA.