Tito Ortiz Returns as a Commentator For Affliction
Published by Dave Sholler on December 18th, 2008 in Current Events

 Print |  Email |  RSS

Some of the world’s finest athletes have made the switch from competitor to commentator with little difficulty.

Former Super Bowl champions Troy Aikman and Michael Strahan are two such athletes, as both gridiron greats have had successful careers as Fox Sports football analysts. Likewise, former New York Knicks hardwood legend Mark Jackson has made great strides on television, seamlessly transitioning from NBA floor general to ESPN color commentator.

One of the best light heavyweight mixed martial artists of all-time is hoping to follow a similar path. Former UFC 205-pound champion Tito Ortiz, recovering from major back surgery in October, will return to the sport in January as a guest commentator for upstart promotion Affliction’s Day of Reckoning card. A close friend of Affliction business partner Donald Trump, Ortiz vows to bring his colorful antics to the pay-per-view broadcast team.

“All of you guys are witnessing, what is Tito gonna say next,” Ortiz, a ground-and-pound specialist arguably known more for his world-class trash talk than his actual fights, said. “I think I know a little bit about MMA, so I think I could do a great job. I will be the best color commentator I could possibly be.”

Affliction’s decision to add Ortiz to the broadcast team should come as no surprise. Since venturing into the MMA promotional business earlier this year, the company has done its best to secure the best talent available and serve as a direct competitor to the UFC. When Ortiz broadcasts the Day of Reckoning card on Jan. 24 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, he’ll be calling fights that feature former world champions Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, and Josh Barnett, as well perennial contenders Renato Sobral, Matt Lindland, and Vitor Belfort.

Ortiz, whose contract with the UFC ended in May following a loss to Lyoto Machida, may be sidelined by injury until the summer of 2009, but Affliction is hoping he can pack the same pay-per-view punch as a commentator. After all, Ortiz’s December 2006 rematch against Chuck Liddell remains one of the highest grossing pay-per-views in the sport’s history.

“Tito Ortiz is an icon in the sport of MMA,” Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio said. “He is an excellent addition to our already stellar lineup of entertainment and will be able to provide insight unlike anyone else. We are extremely excited to have him on-board.”

While both Ortiz and Affliction are pleased to have joined forces, it remains to be seen whether his signing will be enough to keep the promotion afloat. Having teamed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, executives at Affliction are hoping to build a fan base that rivals that of the UFC.

Still, the true test will be whether Affliction’s six-fight card lives up to the hype. Staged just one month after the holiday season in a declining economy, the promoters must realize that consumers will be spending their entertainment dollar carefully. For the time being, officials are hopeful that Ortiz’s appearance will generate more buys and help the card become a success.

“One of the reasons Golden Boy is involved is because of the quality and caliber of fighters,” Golden Boy’s Chief Marketing Officer Bruce Binkow, whose company is also working on an HBO welterweight boxing match between Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito on the same night as the Affliction card, said. “That is what Golden Boy is about, putting on the best bouts with the best fighters. January 24th will be successful on all fronts.”

For the future of Ortiz and Affliction, let’s hope Binkow is right.