Lil Nog: Tito has hard head, going for KO anyway

Tito Ortiz, nearing the very end of an extraordinary career, put together an extraordinary run in 2011. In the space of just five months, he will have had three elite level fights.

7/02/2011 vs. then top-5 ranked fight Ryan Bader: wins with Submission of the Night

08/06/2011 vs. top 5 ranked Rashad Evans: Losing effort taken on very short notice. Earns Fight of the Night honors.

12/10/2011 This Saturday night The People’s Champion fights Antonio Nogueira and hopes to do the gravedigger again.

Standing in the way of his plans is Antônio Rogério Nogueira, who has plans of his own.

“I’m coming from a loss (vs. Phil Davis at UFC Fight Night 24 on 3/26/2011) and I’m motivated to get a win against Tito Ortiz. Tito Ortiz is a tough opponent but I am confident.

“I have been training boxing intensely. My hands are fast. Dorea really liked out training session yesterday. He said that I am able to maintain strong punches though out combos.

“When we train grappling and the arms get tired I am still able to keep power and speed. So the probabilities are high for a knockout in this fight. But Tito Ortiz has a hard head. Let’s see if I can get a KO.

“But if the fight goes to the ground, he will be surprised with my ground game.”

Props to Cyril Jeff for the gifs