Forty-seven-year-old UFC legend Tito Ortiz will rematch bitter rival Chael Sonnen, 45, six years after their first meeting.
Their rivalry dates back to 1997 when Sonnen defeated 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' in 44 seconds when the pair met long before their UFC fame. A fight between the pair was touted for years, but they didn't meet until they were both in their 40s as Ortiz submitted Sonnen in just over two minutes when they fought at Bellator 170 in January 2017.
Ortiz has fought twice more since the win, knocking out fellow UFC legend Chuck Liddell and submitting former WWE star Alberto Del Rio, whilst Sonnen retired after his 2019 defeat to Lyoto Machida. Ortiz announced the news whilst appearing on The Adam Carolla Show, stating: "I'll be competing one last time in the beginning of February, Tito Ortiz vs Chael Sonnen number two will be happening at Freedom Fight Night. In MMA, not boxing, at 205lb."
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Freedom Fight Night was founded by businessman Harrison Rogers after he saw "America’s freedom’s being challenged and slipping away". The promotion, who hold their next event on November 4, have worked with a number of MMA stars such as Ryan Bader, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Ortiz. A date for the event in which Ortiz states he will be fighting Sonnen at has not yet been made official.
Ortiz was just the second UFC light-heavyweight champion in the promotion's history, winning the title by defeating Wanderlei Silva in April 2000. Also known for his bitter feud with UFC boss Dana White, Ortiz ended his stint in the promotion with just one win in nine fights as he went on to compete in Bellator, losing out on the 205lb title in 2015. It's unclear if his rematch with Sonnen will go on both men's professional records.
Sonnen is known for being one of the first trash talkers in MMA, often being remembered for his antics outside of the cage. The wrestling standout had over 35 professional fights before he became a UFC star, challenging Anderson Silva twice for the middleweight title but losing on both occasions. Sonnen, who has never won a world title in a major promotion, also missed out on the UFC light-heavyweight belt when he was stopped by Jon Jones in 2013.
