Power Ranking Tito Ortiz's Top 10 Performances

At the UFC pre-fight press conference, the current light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, was asked who was the greatest champion of all-time. Who did he say? Well, if it was not evident from the title of the slideshow, or the photo, he said Tito Ortiz.

Ortiz is one of the most important figures in UFC history and still holds the record for most title defenses in the light heavyweight division at five.

Through this slideshow I will take you through Ortiz's ten greatest performances inside the Octagon. Let's get started, shall we?

UFC 30 vs. Evan Tanner

UFC 30: Battle on the Boardwalk

Tito Ortiz defended his championship for the second time by making quick work out of Evan Tanner. UFC 30 also marked the first event under the Zuffa banner.

The main event of the evening lasted only 30 seconds. Ortiz slammed Tanner to the mat, and the force knocked him out cold, but the fight was not stopped until Ortiz got at least one punch in on the ground to the unconscious challenger.

The knockout still ranks among the most memorable in UFC history and showed Ortiz's raw strength. The slam is still Ortiz's lone KO.

UFC 84 vs. Lyoto Machida

UFC 84: Ill Will

The fight was part of a triple header for the MGM crowd on hand and was the introduction of Lyoto Machida to much of the casual audience.

Did Ortiz win a round? No. It was a 30-27 decision across the board.

However, Ortiz was never truly outclassed and nearly became the first man to put a blemish on Machida's record with a slick transition to a triangle.

Lyoto found a way to slip out and take the decision, but Ortiz's performance showed that he was yet to relent to the new regime in the division.

UFC 32 vs. Elvis Sinosic

UFC 32: Showdown in the Meadowlands

The third defense of his light heavyweight championship was another dominant performance.

Ortiz battered the overwhelmed Sinosic on the ground and got the stoppage at 3:32 of the first round.

Sinosic was not seen as a legitimate contender to challenge Ortiz, and that's what prevents the performance from ranking higher. But the dominance and mastery of ground-and-pound showcases Ortiz at his best.

UFC 29 vs. Yuki Kondo

UFC 29: Defense of the Belts

Yuki Kondo was on a roll coming in to UFC 29. Kondo was 8-1 in his previous nine fights and getting Ortiz on his home turf. So when the bell sounded, he had everything in his favor.

Except for the fact that Ortiz was on the opposite side of the cage.

Ortiz smashed Kondo and finished with a neck crank just 1:51 into the first round. After tough fights against Frank Shamrock and Wanderlei Silva, this would start Ortiz on a path of destruction in his title defenses.

UFC 25 vs. Wanderlei Silva

UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3

The UFC Middleweight Championship was on the line in Tokyo after Frank Shamrock vacated the title.

The grueling fight went the distance, and "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" claimed the UFC championship. The 25 minutes of action saw both men have their moments, but it was Ortiz's top game that got the better of Silva throughout the bout.

While the fight does not make the top half of the list, beating one of the best 205-pounders in the world definitely earned Ortiz a lot of respect around the globe and elevated him to the top spot in the rankings. 

UFC 19 vs. Guy Mezger

UFC 19: Ultimate Young Guns

Ortiz got the fight he wanted with the rematch against Mezger. More than two years after their first encounter, Ortiz's first professional defeat, he would have the chance to extract revenge.

Mezger was coming in with a significant experience advantage, along with being the Lion's Den's next superstar. Ortiz put an end to any thoughts of that. A dominant performance by Ortiz saw its end at the 9:56 mark.

Most remember his double-bird antics post-fight and forget how he mauled Mezger from the opening bell until "Big" John McCarthy stepped in to save Mezger. Avenging his only loss and setting himself up for a title shot, it was a spectacular performance for the young prospect at the time.

UFC 22 vs. Frank Shamrock

UFC 22: Only One Can Be Champion

Yes, Tito lost this fight, but that does not mean he had a poor performance. This fight may be the most important fight in the career of Tito Ortiz.

Shamrock finished the fight by making Ortiz tap to strikes at 4:42 of the fourth frame, but in the early rounds, Tito looked strong and was on his way to capturing gold. Frank Shamrock dragged the rookie to the deep waters and made him gas out.

It opened Ortiz' eyes for the future. Following this fight, he made conditioning his focal point.

While Tito did fade and ultimately lost, the early performance against arguably the pound-for-pound best fighter at the time makes this one of Tito's best performances in his career.

UFC 59 vs. Forrest Griffin

UFC 59: Reality Check

Forrest Griffin was on a four-fight win streak, three inside the Octagon, and being promoted as the organization's new face. The next logical step was for a changing of the guard to take place, with Griffin replacing Tito Ortiz. But the veteran had other plans.

Ortiz brutalized Forrest early with his patented ground-and-pound. From the second round on, it was a back-and-forth battle between two warriors inside the cage. The fight delivered what the fans were expecting. With the aid of a late takedown, Ortiz took a split-decision victory to let everyone know that the old dogs still ruled the yard.

UFC 132 vs. Ryan Bader

UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber

With his back against the wall, Ortiz entered UFC 132 knowing that if he lost he would be cut from the UFC roster. And once again, he was matched up with a young prospect looking to make a name for himself through Ortiz and usher in a new era of fighter.

In just under two minutes, Ortiz shocked most of the UFC fans around the globe by upsetting Ryan Bader. Ortiz rocked Bader with a short shot and followed up with a guillotine choke that forced that tap.

Despite having lost four straight fights, Ortiz' submission-of-the-night performance put him back into the talks of potential contenders.

UFC 40 vs. Ken Shamrock

UFC 40: Vendetta

The war of words between Ortiz and Shamrock would finally be settled in the cage. Shamrock was returning from his stint in the WWE and challenging for the championship. Ortiz would be defending the title for a record fifth straight time. UFC 40 is one of the seminal moments in the company's history.

Even with his long layoff, Shamrock was still seen a legitimate threat to dethrone Ortiz. The building was electric for the fight. When the bell rang  the two started exchanging immediately and saw both men rock each other. After Ortiz felt Shamrock's power in those opening seconds, it quickly turned into a ground-and-pound affair.

The fight was called in between rounds three and four as the damage to Shamrock added up. Ortiz brutalized his nemesis from pillar to post in impressive fashion.

Regardless of how the opinion of Shamrock has changed since that date, it is without question Tito Ortiz's most impressive performance.