Here is a clip of Tito arguing with UFC brass for the ability to talk with the press after his fight with Machida. The way Jenna Jameson interjects herself says a lot about her role in their relationship.
The most telling thing in the clip though is how the UFC seems to rule with an iron-hand. I think now, they know they should have handled the incident differently. The UFC needs to start coming across as a big-time sports organization, not a privately owned, micro-managed franchise. Did the NFL bar Ricky Williams from speaking when he left the league to pursue pot smoking activities? No (and Ricky Williams did a lot less for the NFL than Tito Ortiz did for the UFC).
The whole thing just seems petty. Let Tito leave and let him tell whoever he want. Yeah, some fans will watch him fight at whatever organization he goes to. But it's not like the UFC will have trouble seling tickets to their next event. The UFC (if they play their cards right) will remain the biggest organization in MMA for the foreseeable future. At this point no other organization can touch them. They're the big boys in the sport and they should start acting like it.
True, the UFC should start being more like Mike explained, however maybe Dana's looking at how Goodell has been running the NFL lately, and knowing that the NFL will not suffer, Goodell has become almost dictator-like. And Dana figures that the UFC is the only show in the game, he can get away with the same kind of actions. And who is Jenna to get involved. I know she's famous now, but being famous for doing porn doesn't make her like Julia Roberts or someone like that. She has no pull in the MMA community (I know that I don't either by the way). Tito's a big boy, and it's his career and she should have let him handle it.
left by rdowney19 on 05/29/2008
I agree, UFC should not care what tito says about them, because he has already said most of it. No matter what he says, he is already painted as the disgruntled has been who is trying to get in one last word. So let him, and be done with it, no one is going to pay any attention to a guy who cant win fights anymore. So let him be.
left by Frannibal on 05/29/2008
Yeah UFC looks weak when they try to silence Tito. If anything, they should ignore it and let it go away.
left by Reuben on 05/30/2008
