One of the bigger stories to come out of Friday -- one of the craziest days in MMA history -- was the possibility that Tito Ortiz had been re-signed by the UFC. Dana White provided a little teaser via his Twitter blog welcoming back the former UFC champion. Interestingly enough, Rich Franklin also provided a tweet regarding the match-up with Dan Henderson that was scheduled to be the headliner at UFC 103. His tweet told fans that his fight had been pulled from the UFC website, although many fans are stating it was never up there to begin with.
Where does this leave us? I think you know what I'm getting at. Once I read the tweet from Dana White and listened to his ESPN 1100 interview in which he somewhat backtracked in stating that Tito Ortiz was a "possibility" with a semi-humorous tone as if he knew something we didn't, it didn't take long to put two and two together. Tito Ortiz is likely coming back to the UFC 100% healthy and ready to fight.
Even more interesting was an answer to a fan question during the ESPN 1100 interview in which White basically stated that the Franklin fight wasn't in stone yet, and that the UFC wants to give the fans fights they want to see. This further hints at the fact that UFC has done a little research into the fan reaction to the announcement of the Henderson-Franklin rematch to only find displeasure from much of the fanbase. After all, many fans simply don't want to see a rematch between the two fighters that didn't produce an unbelievable fight the first time around.
Fan speculation is beginning to point at a light heavyweight contest between Tito Ortiz and Rich Franklin as the main headliner at UFC 103. It makes perfect sense that the UFC would be willing to create this match-up. Ortiz is a man that fans either love to hate, or they love to see his abrasive personality come out and create buzz around fights. He's an obvious pay-per-view draw for the UFC, and there are still questions surrounding the potential for Ortiz to actually hang with the top-tier of UFC light heavyweights.
Add to the formula a very popular Rich Franklin who has made the successful move to light heavyweight and remained very competitive within his new division. He not only has a clean image and fan-friendly attitude, but he also has a fighting style that works off the principle of trying to finish opponents in punishing fashion. Both men combined on a major UFC event as a headliner can only bring in major buy rates for the UFC.
Will this match happen? Right now, we really only have the hints coming out of both Franklin's camp and White's mouth. Mysteriously, the Franklin fight seems to be up in the air right now, and White's hint via his tweet regarding Ortiz makes one believe it's a fight that's going to happen. It's definitely a much better bout in terms of interest from fans, and it'll draw both Ortiz lovers and haters along with Franklin's fan base.
We'll surely find out at the July 31st press conference, although White does have a tendency to hype up announcements that end up disappointing many fans. White has mentioned that "a lot of crazy things" will be announced on that date, so don't be surprised if we hear about a Tito Ortiz vs. Rich Franklin main event happening.
Of course, there are other possibilities: Dan Henderson, Mark Coleman, the list goes on and on. Bringing Tito back into the UFC with success is probably a better deal for him in the long run. He's coming off some major back surgery, and September 19th seems like a quick turnaround. Rich is also a very tough opponent, so I'm a bit doubtful that Ortiz takes on Franklin right away. In any case, the rumors are circulating.
