Tito Ortiz: UFC Protecting 'Little Brat' Ronda Rousey from Fighting Cyborg

Bellator light heavyweight Tito Ortiz remains one of the most outspoken competitors in the fight game, whether he's talking about his career or one of his clients. 

The self-proclaimed "People's Champion" tore into UFC women's bantamweight titleholder Ronda Rousey in an interview with Fighters Only, saying the UFC was protecting her from a showdown with his star client, Cristiane "Cyborg" Justino. 

"

They (the UFC) pushed this fight of her and Ronda at 135 so much. The last time I saw Ronda call out Cris Cyborg, Ronda was actually at 145. So she cut down to 135 to stay avoid Cris. ... I think her head is getting to her. I watched a couple episodes (of The Ultimate Fighter) and she seems like a little brat, likes she’s too good for everybody else. That’s the attitude you don’t want, especially as a coach. People see me on The Ultimate Fighter season three, season eleven, I never thought I was better than anybody else. ... She’s being protected by the UFC and if she keeps being protected she will always be known as second-best. I haven’t seen any great stand-up skills. I have seen her closing the gap and taking a girl down and arm-barring her. I don’t think she even knows any moves other than an armbar.

"

Ortiz, who returns from a 16-month layoff from the cage to fight follow ex-UFC champ Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at Bellator 106 on November 2, asked to have Justino released from her UFC contract in February, per MMA Weekly. 

The two sides parted ways after an agreement could not be reached for a Rousey-Cyborg superfight.

Justino has fought her entire career at featherweight, while Rousey cut down to bantamweight for the first time in March 2012, where she won the Strikeforce strap from rival Miesha Tate.

Rousey is currently 7-0 as a professional mixed martial artist, finishing each opponent with a predictable, yet seemingly unstoppable, armbar. 

She next defends her title against Tate at UFC 168, with the women's title bout serving as the co-main event of the December 28 pay-per-view. 

Meanwhile, the equally dominant Cyborg hasn't lost since her pro debut in May 2005, though her record was tarnished when she tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol in December 2011, per MMA Junkie.   

After serving her nine-month suspension, the hard-hitting Brazilian has rallied back with three straight technical knockouts, capturing the Invicta Fighting Championships featherweight title in July and also winning her first Muay Thai fight in nearly seven years late last month. 

Ortiz also told Fighters Only that he expects Justino "to do an Anderson Silva" and put together a very lengthy undefeated streak. 

Prior to losing the UFC middleweight title to Chris Weidman at UFC 162 in July, Silva won 17 fights in a row, including a record-setting 10 title defenses, and went over seven years without tasting defeat. 

Will the intriguing Rousey vs. Cyborg matchup ever come to fruition or will the compelling women's title bout remain just a fantasy fight? 

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.