Ortiz: Cyborg Should Get A Warm-Up Fight
Posted on 18 Jan 2013
by MMAScoops.com Staff

Tito Ortiz recently spoke about the ongoing dance to get to a fight between his client Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Check out the highlights:

On his desire to get Santos a warm-up fight first: "She hasn't fought in almost a year and a half. I want her to get warmed up and comfortable in the UFC."

On Santos going straight to 135 pounds: "She's kind of bummed out about it because of the respect that's not been shown to her. She's a world champion. She's defended her title more times than Ronda Rousey has ever fought, and she doesn't get respect. She's kind of in the same shoes that I am. She said to me, 'When I became champion, nothing in my life has changed. Financially, it hasn't changed.' So as a manager, I'm going to make sure her life is changed."

On Liz Carmouche as a potential warm-up opponent: "No one knows who she is. No one has ever seen her fight before. [Rousey] got a tuneup fight, and she's in the main event. So I think 'Cyborg' deserves a tuneup fight."

LOn the UFC's proposed steps to help Santos get to the proper weight: "I really need to sit down with her. I sat down with her on the business side of it, but not really as a trainer, to see if I could really get her down to it. She walks around at 170 (pounds). That's almost 35 pounds (to cut). To get down that low, so quick – she's never fought at that weight. She's shredded at 145."