Tito at peace, pretty much

Tito Ortiz is retired at age 42. He has suffered through lower back injuries, disc fusions, ACL surgery, a detached retina in his left eye, and has his fourth neck surgery coming up. Still, he is happy.

For me to walk away with my head still on my shoulders, I’m very, very lucky, said Ortiz to Chuck Mindenhall for MMA Fighting. I’ve had body damage, but almost pretty much no brain damage.

And he is staying busy.

Ortiz’s oldest son Jacob told Tito’s former partner Jenna Jameson that he wished to live with his father full-time. So Ortiz and longtime girlfriend Amber Nichole Miller are raising three all three of Ortiz’s sons. The group was just in Las Vegas for a wrestling tournament, with Jacob, 14, and twins Jesse and Journey, 8, all competing.

In addition, Ortiz serves as an ambassador for Bellator MMA, will appear Tyler Perry’s “Boo! A Madea Halloween 2′, commentates, plays some professional poker, and works with charities including Give Back Hollywood Foundation, Los Angeles Police Memorial Foundation, Racing for Kids, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Tower Cancer Research Foundation.

I’ve always just tried to work for the future of my children, and for their future,” said Ortiz. “I wouldn’t have been able to do that if not for Bellator. [Spike president] Kevin Kay’s an amazing guy over there. He gave Scott Coker a job in order to make that company grow. Bellator’s gotten bigger and bigger, and the PR firm is doing an amazing job. The sport’s getting bigger. You can see all the UFC fighters are going over there and signing with Bellator. Is it that the pasture’s greener over there? In my history, yes. I’d have to say absolutely yes.

I’m very thankful to Bellator. Scott Coker’s been amazing to work with. It’s kind of weird, because after it was all over I got a text from [UFC president] Dana [White] saying congratulations. Me and Dana haven’t really been eye-to-eye for a long time, but recently we’ve been texting back and forth. I don’t know, man. Life’s too short. Too short to hate. I’ve done a few things in my career that I regret towards him. Maybe wearing a tee shirt that says ‘Dana’s My Bitch’ is one of them.

Ortiz’s final fight was a dismantling of Chael Sonnen, after which his son left his gloves in the cage.

It was kind of like watching a great movie, only I lived it, said Ortiz. It was great. It was the perfect ending.”

Ortiz’s body is done fighting, but he remains the same man, and still wants to lay hands on Sonnen.

That guy has not shut his mouth up about me, he says. And the next time I see him he better put his hands up, because there’s going to be a fight. I didn’t think I could dislike anybody more than I did Stephan Bonnar, but I think I just have with Chael Sonnen.

You see guys like Chael Sonnen who is nothing but mouth. But you’ve got to win, that’s what it’s about. In my career, yeah I had a mouth on me, but I backed it up come fight time.