UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta announced via twitter that they’re planning to put on a third fight between former light-heavyweight champions Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin. Tito asked for the fight, Griffin obliged, so the UFC is going to do it.
These guys have met twice before: once in 2006 when Forrest was still green and Tito was still a force. Tito would take the split decision, but the fight validated Forrest as a legitimate player at 205. In the second fight, in 2009, it would be Forrest who walked away with a split decision, but it was smack dab in the middle of Tito’s current downward spiral of six losses, one draw, and only a single win that began at the closing of 2006.
An argument can be made that this is simply a fun fight, that it doesn’t have to include any efficacy. True, it’s of no consequence. Neither guy is knocking on the door to a title shot, nor seems much interested in that anyway. Tito has called this his retirement fight, claiming this is it for him. Forrest has also been tepid in his passion for fighting as of late. So it’s not like this fight makes no sense. Two fighters, two fights, two split decisions. Why not a third act to put it to rest?
Fights lacking in significance are put together all the time. There’s nothing wrong with that, especially when they’re between aging warriors who simply cannot hang with the young lions anymore. The only factor that separates this one, and makes it seem a tad inane, is that it’s a rubber match. GSP/Hughes III, Chuck/Randy III, these are rubber matches that meant something. Tito/Forrest, not so much. But viewed through a very wide lens it can be seen for what it truly is: a farewell fight for the legendary Tito Ortiz against a guy who is not likely to put too much of a hurting on him, and a paycheck for Forrest while he decides what he wants to do.
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