Overrated loser Tito Ortiz made his career pummeling UFC legend Ken Shamrock in the twilight of a fine career, he literally hasn’t been anybody else since Shamrock. Their fights drew huge numbers on PPV and Ortiz was a made man after that. After losing badly to Lyoto Machida (some may dispute this because of the triangle choke Ortiz almost sunk in, but before that Machida dominated) in his first farewell to the UFC, Ortiz briefly resurfaced in Elite XC before crawling back to Dana White after the promotion crumbled.

His big “comeback” fight was against Forrest Griffin (decision); his next comeback fight was Matt Hamill (decision) He pulled out of a fight with Chuck Liddell at the culmination of the Ultimate Fighter television show last year to have back surgery and probably because Liddell already beat him, too.

He still talks just as much shit as he did when he was winning fights; so naturally, the “worldwide leader in sports” has given Ortiz a platform to voice his opinions on…himself.

Dismissively wank for me, ESPN:

But people need to look at the big details to know what’s been happening in these fights. I’ll never be someone who accepts second place — never — but, honestly, I feel I have won some of these fights.

FORGET WHAT THE RECORD SAYS, FOLKS, I AM A WINNER!

After Chuck Liddell beat me in December 2006, I took on Rashad Evans, who went on to be a world champion and has lost only once since. And I beat him. It was only a “draw” because I got a point taken off for the one, single time when I grabbed the fence. It was a draw, but I was the better fighter in the cage. I won.

Then I fought Lyoto Machida, a great fighter who also went on to win the world title. I almost caught him in a triangle and tapped him out. He admitted he thought he was going to pass out. I lost and it sucked, but I was competitive.

Next was a rematch with Forrest Griffin, whom I beat earlier in our careers. I didn’t get the decision this time, but a lot of people felt I won two rounds to one. Again, I was more than competitive with a top-5 guy.

Conceding his point about Evans and (maybe) Machida, I completely disagree about Griffin. Ortiz looked slow, and old in that bought. He looked just as bad, probably worse, against Hamill. Ryan Bader may have to go for a jog after this fight just to get a real workout in.

By now you have heard the news that UFC has made yet another acquisition by buying up Strikeforce, home to scorned ex-UFC fighters like Frank Shamrock, and Paul Daley. Not to mention bigger draws like King Mo, Bobby Lashely (when was his last fight!??) Dan Henderson, and Herschel Walker.

Tim Marchman has a good column on SI about the barriers that the UFC must overcome in order to expand the business and compete with the likes of the NBA, NFL, and the WNBA.

Full disclosure, I am a Strikeforce fan. Just as I was a K-1/Pride fan, and a WEC fan before they got folded into the ever-expanding tent of UFC. Strikeforce is going to be separate until at least 2014, and they are immediately adopting UFC rules. Still, this is bittersweet for me because, although I like the potential future match ups, I believe that competition is best for consumers (straps dynamite to chest, prepares to run into the Comcast headquarters). Buying up Strikeforce potentially means that if Fedor wants to try his hand in the UFC heavyweight division, he can. It means that Herschel Walker can show up on a UFC card. It means that Bobby Lashley may someday fight again.

With Strikeforce now under the Zuffa brand, Bellator represents the only competitor left. Bellator is somewhat unique from UFC in that it structures its events around tournaments, rather then assigning match-ups. The roster does not have any big names for casual fans but the hope is that the concept catches on, like bj’s after Monica Lewinsky, or adopting african children after Brangelina. Like sex with your mom, I strongly encourage you to check out Bellator on MTV2. It won’t call you up in six weeks hysterical because you don’t like condoms, either. What am I, a sailor!?

Former aerobics instructor turned Zuffa Lottery winner Dana White has a habit of shooting his mouth off. He also has a habit of burning fighters. To many, his comments are refreshing in an age where athletes and promoters are actively encouraged to say nothing and offend no one, an impossible feat unless you’re Will Smith or somebody like that. To others, White represents a somewhat tired act of ingratitude, and his relationships with his fighters have run the entire spectrum of love and hate. So you basically want to give him a hug but then start to strangle him, like most of my sexual encounters.

Given what we already know, just take a guess what happened after Fedor got pounded in the cage last week and White had his smart phone (Now with 4G!) to tweet about it:

With plenty of longtime mixed martial arts fans on the emotional edge following the beatdown of Fedor Emelianenko, there was one man who was fired up to see the Russian go down in flames. Minutes after Fedor fell badly at the hands of Antonio Silva, Dana White hit Twitter, posted a smiley face and then opened up the blowtorch.
Longtime Fedor backers and fans of PRIDE were bent and White stirred the pot. He threw out barbs like “M-Done” for M-1 and “VaDummy” for Vadim Finkelchtein, Fedor’s manager.

Twitter is terrific because athletes and celebrities can muse about all kinds of topics, most of which they know so little about that to even try to debate them would be a waste of time. This is not one of those times. Fedor chased quick paydays and tomato can opponents and built a reputation as the baddest heavyweight fighter walking the planet. Eventually everybody in MMA is going to go down. It’s like when you buy your girl diamonds…they pretty much have to.