Tito Ortiz: "I Gotta Prove Myself"

Since the announcement of his upcoming bout with Matt Hamill, Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz hasn’t garnered nearly the media attention fans are used to seeing.

The reasoning goes hand in hand with the magnitude of the UFC 121 card and Ortiz’s recent performances.

Ortiz, who hasn’t won a fight in over four years, opened up at the UFC 121 Press Conference about less pressure and rebuilding his name.

"I like seeing Brock and Cain doing all the work. It takes a lot of pressure off. I still do the extra PR that the UFC lets me do. It’s Dana’s decision at the end, and I’m thankful just to be on the card," Ortiz said. "I just need to work my way back up on top. Coming off a 0-3-1 record, I need to work my way back up, and I understand that."

After his short stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 11, Ortiz underwent major neck surgery. The surgery ended his proposed third bout with UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell at UFC 115. Lately, fans have remained skeptical about his pre and post-fight chatter, but Ortiz insists that he is injury free and fully prepared for Saturday night’s showdown.

"After having my back surgery and neck surgery done, I’ve gone through my first camp in seven years without taking a day off besides Sunday," Ortiz told the media. "Usually we do three or four days and be three or four days off. This is the first camp that I’ve felt 100%. I’m able to do the leg workouts and stuff that I’ve normally been doing when I was the world champion."

For years, Ortiz has been one of the most controversial icons in the sport. Many of those moments will be forever etched in MMA history. Who could ever forget a young Ortiz erupting into laughter at a vein-popping Ken Shamrock? Obviously not amused, Shamrock sent a chair flying that nearly missed UFC President Dana White.

Who else can claim that they’ve maintained a high paying job after wearing a t-shirt that publicly declared the boss as their "bitch?" These may not be hallmark moments, but these are shocking moments that kept fans talking.

"If you talk (expletive) and back it up, you’re allowed to talk (expletive). That’s the way it is. I know a lot of fighters don’t believe in that, but you gotta hype the fight. Look at Ali and Tyson. These guys make the sport hundreds of millions of dollars in the stuff they do. The reason why they do it? People pay attention to it," Ortiz said. "I’ve understood this from day one. Either they’ll hate you or they’ll love you. The worst thing that can ever happen is when they stop talking about you."

Fans may never stop talking about Ortiz. Along with Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, Ortiz will always be remembered for his contributions in the growth of the sport. He still holds the record for being the longest reigning Light Heavyweight Champion in UFC history.

At UFC 121, he’ll meet former pupil Matt "The Hammer" Hamill in his home state of California. This bout represents a crossroads in Ortiz’s illustrious career. Another loss would be devastating to any preconceived notions of a possible comeback.

The bout becomes even more intriguing when noting that Ortiz actually attributed Hamill as being the "better wrestler" in the UFC 121 video preview. Still, none of that matters to Ortiz. He’s also not worried about doubtful fans or being the face of the event. At the end of the day, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" has a job to do.

"Like I said, I gotta prove myself. To prove myself against Matt Hamill on Saturday night will be my deed. I ain’t worried about who’s the face of what. I know what my job is to do, and that’s getting my hand raised."

(Orginally Published at SportsHaze.com...Follow me at Bleacher Report or on Twitter at SportsHaze_MMA)