Konan
05-29-2010, 06:15 AM
The following is an excerpt from an interview with Tito Ortiz from MMAWeekly.com. Ortiz speaks on pulling out of the fight with Chuck Liddell and being booted off The Ultimate Fighter...
Tito Ortiz has finally broken his silence about the injury and the surgery to get him back on track in a video that also documents the surgery to repair his neck.
"Four months ago, actually three months ago I said my neck was jacked and I was still fighting, I was still putting my ass on the line," said Ortiz. "I can't fight hurt anymore. I can't fight injured and look for excuses. I never want to look for excuses. I always want to win every one of my fights.
"Here's another surgery. I'll get fusion on C-5, C-6 in my neck."
The surgery obviously put Ortiz on the shelf temporarily, and out of his fight with Liddell in June. Speculation ran wild a few months ago when news hit that Liddell was set to face Franklin instead of Ortiz, and just about everyone involved had to go into radio silence due to the reality show still yet to air at the time.
Ortiz talks about the decision to have the surgery, and then also confirms that he was indeed removed from the reality show before filming finished.
"That's why they pretty much fired me the last five days before the fight, or before 'The Ultimate Fighter' was over," Ortiz said about the surgery. "What can I do? I've got to get the surgery done, that way so I can get back and fight again."
Now all indications are that the "fired" statement eludes to the filming of the reality show, and not Ortiz's actual involvement with the UFC.
NODQ
Tito Ortiz has finally broken his silence about the injury and the surgery to get him back on track in a video that also documents the surgery to repair his neck.
"Four months ago, actually three months ago I said my neck was jacked and I was still fighting, I was still putting my ass on the line," said Ortiz. "I can't fight hurt anymore. I can't fight injured and look for excuses. I never want to look for excuses. I always want to win every one of my fights.
"Here's another surgery. I'll get fusion on C-5, C-6 in my neck."
The surgery obviously put Ortiz on the shelf temporarily, and out of his fight with Liddell in June. Speculation ran wild a few months ago when news hit that Liddell was set to face Franklin instead of Ortiz, and just about everyone involved had to go into radio silence due to the reality show still yet to air at the time.
Ortiz talks about the decision to have the surgery, and then also confirms that he was indeed removed from the reality show before filming finished.
"That's why they pretty much fired me the last five days before the fight, or before 'The Ultimate Fighter' was over," Ortiz said about the surgery. "What can I do? I've got to get the surgery done, that way so I can get back and fight again."
Now all indications are that the "fired" statement eludes to the filming of the reality show, and not Ortiz's actual involvement with the UFC.
NODQ