Tito Ortiz signs with Bellator, meets 'Rampage' Jackson on pay-per-view Nov. 2

It had all the makings of a pro wrestling callout, but regardless of what it looked like, Tito Ortiz (16-11-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has returned from retirement – and will fight Quinton Jackson (32-11 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) for Bellator MMA in November on the promotion’s first pay-per-view event.

Bellator teased a special announcement from “Rampage” during Bellator 97, its “Summer Series” finale on Wednesday night in New Mexico. With boxer Roy Jones Jr. cageside, many anticipated it would be an announcement that Jackson would meet Jones in a boxing match on pay-per-view.

But Jackson pulled a surprise.

“I’m happy to be back here on Spike TV. I’m training hard, man. I’m back motivated and I found my love for MMA again. Now I’m with a reputable company that knows how to treat his fighters. It’s on,” Jackson said. “I’m down to fight Roy. I’m a big fan of his. I’m a big fan of that man. He’s one of the best boxers of his time. But for my first fight in Bellator, I want it to be an MMA fight – and I’m going to be fighting this man coming out right now.”

And with that, Ortiz’s walkout music began playing. He was shown in silhouette with his trademark walkout flag over his shoulder, and he made the walk down the ramp to the cage – the first official announcement that he had signed with Bellator.

The two will meet on Nov. 2 at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif., as the main event of what is expected to be Bellator 106. A pay-per-view price point has not yet been announced by the company, but a news conference with Ortiz and “Rampage” already has been scheduled for Monday in California. Tickets for the event go on sale Saturday. The event will take place on a Saturday night – and it should be noted that Bellator’s chief rival, the UFC, does not currently have an event scheduled for the same day.

“To have two of the biggest names in MMA headline our first pay-per-view is awesome,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated “Rampage vs. Tito is a fight I’ve wanted to see for years, and to have it as our main event on our first pay-per-view is a spectacular next step in Bellator’s evolution. They’re both re-energized, excited and ready for a war. This will be a great fight.”

Ortiz had been retired after his most recent fight, a loss to Forrest Griffin a little more than a year ago at UFC 148. That same weekend, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

But lately, Ortiz has been teasing a possible comeback on Twitter. And despite six losses in his past seven fights, and just 2-7-1 in his past 10, all in the UFC, the former light heavyweight champion will return for Bellator and meet Jackson, also a former UFC light heavyweight champ – and a longtime friend and sometimes training partner.

“I fought the best of the best in the world,” Ortiz said. “I’ve been fighting for a long, long time. We’ve been friends with each other, but it’s time to put the friendship aside and it’s time to give the fans what they want here in Bellator.”

Jackson gave one final plug before the two stared each other down in the cage: “I know it’s going to be one of the best fights in history,” “Rampage” said.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported that Jackson was being targeted for a pay-per-view boxing match against Jones later this year. And that still may happen. But the fight against Ortiz will happen first.

Through a lengthy and ongoing court battle with former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, one of the points of contention has been Bellator’s attempt to match an offer made to Alvarez by the UFC that included pay-per-view appearances and payment bonuses based on pay-per-view sales. Bellator at one point said it was planning a pay-per-view that Alvarez would be able to be part of – but until Wednesday, none had come to fruition.

Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com for more on this story as it develops.

For more on “Bellator 106: Rampage vs. Tito,” stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.