By Jamie McAllister
Tito Ortiz in an interview with MMAWeeklyRadio

Ortiz has been fighting in the UFC since he was just 22 making his debut at UFC 13. Now at the age of 37 Ortiz is facing his final test inside the octagon against a familiar opponent at UFC 148 in Forrest Griffin before he retires.

“I’m settled in it. Training’s not as fun as it used to be. The training is tough. Tough on my body, tough on my mind and I’ve been doing it for 15 years. I’ve been doing this over and over and over again and I miss a normal life. Where I put my time in, 15 years, almost two decades and I put my time in. I did everything I wanted to do in the UFC and mixed martial arts, and I think I made a difference,”

Ortiz grew up for most of his life without his father and states that he himself regrets time he has spent away from his own son Jacob who has grown up while his father was training for his next UFC fight.

“Being a father to my children is something I’ve always wanted, to be there for them. I always wanted to make sure I had their futures taken care of. Now their future’s taken care of, they can pick whichever college they want to go to, now it’s time to be a loving father and be there for them and do what my father never did.”

Tito now has two three year old twins Jesse and Journey and feels like being a good parent is more important than any pay-check or title.

“Now that I don’t have to be in training camp three months at time, three times a year, it’s a blessing in disguise. I’m very thankful of what I was able to compete in the UFC and what Dana (White) and Lorenzo (Fertitta) have given me and I was able to be a father than my father never was,”

Although retiring Ortiz does not see this as the end but more of a new beginning. MMA is in his blood and Ortiz see’s himself being involved in the sport in the future.

“Of course I’ll always have something to do with mixed martial arts, I’ll always thank that for getting me to where I am today,”

Ortiz owns the company Punishment Athletics and sponsors several fighters as well as creating a supplement company Punishment Nutrition and also plans to follow his dreams in acting as well. Ortiz states that within the sport he has learned so much and plans to put it all to good use in his future.

“It’s not that I’m retiring, I’m graduating. I’m graduating with a Masters in promotion and a Masters in marketing,” Ortiz stated. “That’s what it comes down to pretty much, with everything I’ve done over the last 15 years.”

“I’m 37 years old and I’ve still got a bright future, I’m going to do some big things.”

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