UFC prez on Tito Ortiz's rumored comeback: 'Obviously, Tito needs money'

SEATTLE – UFC President Dana White isn’t exactly waiting with open arms if Tito Ortiz decides to come out of retirement.

In fact, he’s pretty much the opposite of a cheerleader when it comes to the UFC Hall of Famer’s recent hints at a return.

“Who gives a s–t?” White blurted when asked by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) for his thoughts on Ortiz’s recent musings on the topic.

“Tito’s lost every fight he’s had for the last three years or something? He won one fight in the last three years against Ryan Bader,” White said. “Tito hung in there and made some more money. He was a guy who was around in the early days. It’s time for Tito to move on.”

Ortiz (16-11-1 MMA, 15-11-1 UFC) officially retired one year ago following a unanimous decision loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 148. He recently was inducted to the UFC Hall of Fame despite speculation that his rocky relationship with White would keep him on the outs with the promotion.

White and Ortiz have frequently taken shots at each other in public and once were slated to fight as a part of Ortiz’s fight contract. The two made amends in recent years, but White hasn’t shied away from taking a jabs here and there.

In his post-fighting days, Ortiz has taken the reigns of Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino’s career and also broken up with the mother of his twin boys, Jenna Jameson. But as of late, he’s tweeted pictures to show he’s still in shape, and also that he’s apparently of interest to competing promotions. A shot of Bellator’s front door implied he was in talks with the Viacom-owned promotion.

White, who once managed “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” didn’t know whether the UFC retains any contractual rights to the fighter. But he joked that he hasn’t exactly checked into the topic.

“Tito’s going to have to do whatever Tito’s going to have to do,” White said. “Tito is the guy who back in the early days was like, ‘I’m going to retire young from this sport. I’m going to become an actor, and my Punishment Athletics line is going through the roof. I’m not going to be that guy who hangs around the sport.’ Does anybody remember all that s–t?

“Now Tito’s like, ‘Yeah, I think I’m going to come back. I haven’t won a fight in three years, and I’m old.’ Obviously, Tito needs money. That’s the only reason he would come back.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Tito Ortiz)