Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin at UFC 106
From Kevin Iole: #MMA scoop: Tito Ortiz gonna fight FORREST GRIFFIN at UFC 106 on Nov 21 in Vegas. Just…
From Kevin Iole:
#MMA scoop: Tito Ortiz gonna fight FORREST GRIFFIN at UFC 106 on Nov 21 in Vegas. Just confirmed with #UFC prez. Story on Yahoo! Sports soonabout 1 hour ago from web
Edited to add full story from Yahoo…
Tito Ortiz will face a stern test in his first match in the Ultimate Fighting Championship since undergoing back surgery Oct. 6, 2008, when he takes on Forrest Griffin at UFC 106 on Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Ortiz, who last fought at UFC 84 on May 24, 2008, when he lost a decision to Lyoto Machida, had been slated to face Mark Coleman. But Coleman had to withdraw from the bout Monday after suffering a second-degree tear of the medial collateral ligament in his knee.
The UFC had to scramble to find a replacement because most of the stars at 205 pounds are booked. But UFC president Dana White confirmed to Yahoo! Sports on Thursday that Griffin had accepted the bout.
Griffin, who lost a controversial decision to Ortiz at UFC 59 in Anaheim, Calif., on April 15, 2006, said last week he hoped to return to action at UFC 108 in January. Given the urgency to find a suitable opponent for Ortiz in the co-main event of what the UFC sees as a blockbuster card, Griffin agreed to the bout.
Both men are former light heavyweight champions. Griffin defeated Quinton Rampage Jackson for the belt last year before losing it in his first defense to Rashad Evans. Griffin is coming off a first-round knockout loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 101.