UFC's Tito Ortiz: Potential Matchups for "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy"

Joshua CareyJun 7, 2018

At UFC 132, Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) proved to the world that he has plenty of fight left in him when he dismantled Ryan Bader.

After dropping Bader with a crushing right hand, Ortiz quickly secured a fight-ending guillotine submission.

Ortiz' first-round submission victory helped him in returning to the win column, and he did so in impressive fashion.

When multiple injuries to main event fighters at UFC 133 left a void, Ortiz accepted UFC President Dana White's offer to headline the event opposite Rashad Evans.

Ortiz took the fight on short notice and appeared well-prepared for the matchup.

However, 35 days between fights proved to be too much when facing a No. 1 contender in Evans.

With Ortiz' record now standing at 1-1 in 2011, speculation has been made as to who the former light heavyweight champion should face in his next trip to the Octagon.

Provided are a few potential matchups for "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy".

Forrest Griffin

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Griffin (18-6) and Ortiz have squared off twice with each fighter owning a victory over the other.

Ortiz defeated Griffin via decision at UFC 59 in 2006.

In a 2009 rematch, Griffin claimed victory by decision to tie their series up.

With that being said, it seems fitting that the two former light heavyweight champions meet for a third time to break the tie.

Griffin's slated to face Mauricio "Shogun" Rua next weekend at UFC 134, so the outcome of this fight will be a determining factor in the possible trilogy with Ortiz.

Antonio Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira

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Nogueira (19-5) was slated to face Rich Franklin at UFC 133, but a shoulder injury suffered in training forced "lil nog" out of the matchup.

So, depending on the severity of the injury and the timetable for Nogueira's return could a matchup with Ortiz could be a likely matchup.

Ortiz and Nogueira were slated to headline UFC - Fight Night 24 this past March, but an Ortiz injury put a halt on the fight.

Nogueira has fallen on tough times as of late by suffering back-to-back losses, but his knockout power and submission skills make him a formidable opponent.

Rich "Ace" Franklin

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Former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (28-6) is healthy and has stated his desire to face a high-profile opponent.

After a June 2010 knockout victory over Chuck Liddell, Franklin was defeated by Forrest Griffin earlier this year at UFC 126.

Franklin appears to be highly motivated to finish his career on a positive note, and with 25 professional victories coming by knockout or submission, he remains a fan favorite.

If UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and UFC President Dana White are listening to the fans, then Franklin appears to be the frontrunner as a potential matchup for Ortiz.

Only time will tell who Ortiz faces next, but Franklin would provide fans with an exciting matchup.