MAD SQUABBLES EXCLUSIVE: Couture NOT training Ortiz

Even though I posted otherwise this afternoon, it turns out Randy Couture will not be headed up to Big Bear to help train Tito. I got an email this evening from Sean O'Heir, Director of Public Relations for Xtreme Coture, stating the following:

Randy Couture is not going to Big Bear to train with Tito Ortiz. Randy Couture is not training with Tito, period.

I'm not sure if Tito's just mistaken or lying, but either way, this doesn't look good for him. First the "bad blood" with Dana and now this? The plot thickens...

Couture to help Ortiz

In an interview with Nokaut, Tito Ortiz reveals he'll be training for his fight with Rashad Evans by pairing up with Randy Couture. Notable quote:

Justin (Nokaut.com): With Randy [Couture]’s return, we might not see him back at 205 [pounds], but is that another fight you would like to see happen for you?
Tito Ortiz: I would love it, but Randy and I will probably be training for this fight with Rashad, he might come up to Big Bear for a little bit. Randy beat me, yeah, and if he stayed at 205 I would like to fight him, but he’s at Heavyweight now and he’s the champion, so there is no reason for him to be at 205. I think he is a better fighter at Heavyweight just because he can use his size against other guys and wrestling against other guys that don’t have that same style. It just comes down to having a great training partner in Couture and he’s going to help me with this fight so I am excited to train with him and I think it will really help me out and bring me to a new level with my wrestling.

Smart move on the part of Ortiz. Not only will this help sharpen Ortiz's wrestling as he prepares to fight another wrestler, but Couture is a master gameplaner. If you listen to him commentate, Couture is very adept at identifying strategy, fighter habits, and tactics. He will for sure help Ortiz train for some of Rashad's more noticable traits. Rashad trains with a master gameplaner himself in Greg Jackson, so whatever wisdom Randy imparts will not be all Ortiz needs to win. But training with an experienced, cerebral fighter like Couture - a fighter who easily bested Ortiz at his own game - will help Tito to avoid his more obvious mistakes. Couture will help sharpen his skill, help him prepare for his specific opponent, and clue Ortiz into the mistakes he should avoid making (likely some of the same ones Couture himself used to defeat Ortiz).

As a side note, I wonder what Chuck thinks about all of this.

Quote of the Day

"I just looked at is as Dana is trying to be a superstar; you know, he's showing how he's flying around in leer jets, he's driving in his Ferrari, and he's doing this and doing that. But he's paying fighters pennies, man, if you look at what the fighters get paid. It's really just one of the things I look at man, when we step in the Octagon as fighters and we put our life on the line, and the payment we get out of it is nothing close to what our lives are worth. So it's just a business trying to monopolize the fighters -- and they're doing that! And it's fine, I'm willing to continue to fight with the UFC, but just as long as it is in favor in everything that I do." -- Tito Ortiz sounding more and more like Frank Shamrock everyday

A strange letter

Over at BloodyElbow, I ask for help in understanding a very strange letter from Kimo Leopoldo to Tito Ortiz.

Quote of the Day

"Rashad Evans!!! He will be my Nappy Headed Ho. On 7-7-07...Let The Punishment Begin!!!" -- Tito Ortiz in a thread on MMA.tv he started entitled, UFC first woman fighter!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday morning

The UFC - HBO deal is 'signed, sealed, and delivered'.

'Inside the UFC' is coming back.

Rogan and Goldberg won't be on the broadcast team for the HBO shows.

Royce Gracie will be on BodogFight Season 3.

ProElite.com and MMAMix.com Unite to Create the Largest MMA Community Site

Ricardo Arona will replace Dean Lister as Roger Gracie's ADCC 2007 Superfight opponent.

No UFC fighters to compete in PRIDE Lightweight GP.

The Goat KO's Alvarez.

New promotions on the rise.

And lastly, a cool quote:

"Tito is living in a fucking bubble right now. You saw what happened. I showed up, he didn't. He's not afraid of me, but he has people around him telling him it was a bad idea. He is out there making himself look like a jackass. He should shut his face and worry about Rashad Evans."

Bad Blood continues...

Tito's people put out a press release in response to the "Bad Blood" program that aired on Spike TV last week. Honestly, I don't know what's really going on here. If White and the Spike producers left out what Tito claims was the deal breaker - the contract that stipulated the full conditions of the fight was refused signature by White - then he's got a case.

During the program White suggested Ortiz's way out of the contest was by his sending of suggestive texts messages in the days leading up to the bout. White claimed he received a number of texts from Ortiz that he was letting White "off the hook", etc.

I don't care about the television special since it was such a snooze fest. And again, if what Ortiz claims is true then maybe there's a case to be made that White and Spike TV threw him under the bus. But this all sounds pretty fishy to me. White went through all the training and even went before the Nevada State Athletic Commission to get the fight sanctioned. If Ortiz really wanted to, he could've down a lot more than issue press releases for the purposes of damage control after realizing he looked back on television. He could've shown up at the weigh-ins with said contract in hand (although the lawyers would've had a shit fit); he could've put out a press release before the event; or he could've donated whatever money was going to be collected and given it to charity anyway. From start to finish, Ortiz just didn't seem to have any enthusiasm about this match.

I don't personally care that he didn't show up. Win or lose, I doubt the outcome would change my perception of Ortiz's ability. But what this does demonstrate is that while Ortiz may still be the most popular MMA fighter in America (if not the world), he's stuck with the UFC. Matt Lindland has the freedom to fight wherever and whoever he likes. He's the equivalent of an active free agent. But Matt Lindland isn't Tito Ortiz. He's not very popular and not beholden to the grip of celebrity. Ortiz is a different matter. He is popular and is beholden to its grip. His image is so intertwined with the UFC as an organization that he's got nowhere to go. He could likely fight elsewhere, but he'd be doing so at the peril of his career - and by career I mean the machine of popularity and fan interest. He knows that even when the President of the UFC and the television channel airing his sport take a dump on him, the most he can do is complain. Truth be told, he also knows he needs the UFC more than they need him.

Smooth move, Ex-Lax

Last night's "Bad Blood" on Spike TV may not have been the wisest business decision. From a commenter:

Just doesn't seem like a very good business decision ... why tear down one of your main name stars like that? Do Spike and Zuffa not think that slapping Tito in the face like this could come back and haunt them in the long run? What a reward for Tito after all the business he's done for them re: TUF and the two Shamrock fights.

On Bad Blood

There's no good reason why Spike TV aired the 90 minute "Bad Blood" special last night. While the background story line was told in detail and there was some footage that included White as Tito's manager and as new UFC President, the whole thing was essentially a promo piece for White. For whatever reason, Dana has decided the UFC (and he) can be benefited by a very public, very camera-ready, very macho CEO (image wise, at least). It's not by accident he's always on camera. I don't mind it since he's usually an interesting addition. But that's just it: he's an addition. When the camera centers on him, particularly for 90 minutes, you quickly get the sense that Spike aired this special either to dump footage or promote White. Either way it was a complete waste.

Which is why I like Jason "Mayhem" Miller's idea for a new reality show:

Basically it follows me around while I do cool stuff, like drive my tricked out Nissan truck, and train and look tough, many times talking on my cell phone. The other part of the show follows around a guy I dislike, making him look bad as much as possible, and the kicker is at the end of every episode the guy chickens out and never shows up to fight me even though he talks a bunch of smack to everyone, and I have videographic evidence. Do you think that would make for quality television? I'm looking for something PPV quality.

This might be the dumbest thing ever

UFCMania's got the rest of the details.

Happy birthday, Jenna

A message from Tito to his girlfriend at The UnderGround.

Ortiz vs. Evans

Things are already heating up.