Tito Ortiz Isn't Retired, He's Just Graduated From Fighting

A lot of people were taken aback recently when Cris Cyborg Santos manager said that he believed a Cyborg vs. Ronda Rousey bout would eventually take place, just not at 135 pounds.

It wasnt so much the rhetoric about the fight, but more so who it was saying those words. And that would be Tito Ortiz, who now claims Cyborg among his charges under his new management company, Primetime 360.

Ortizs career spans a time when fighters were lucky to be making in the four-figures for a fight to now, where it isnt uncommon for those at the top to actually bump up into seven-digit paydays.

He believes that he had a lot to do with progressing the sport to that point, but also has the experience of building up his brand and other business interests so that fighting wasnt the be-all, end-all to his life. Ortiz didnt necessarily have to make millions and millions of dollars from his fight career in order to sustain himself once he stepped out of the Octagon for the final time.

During my whole career, I made mistakes. I made positive and negative things to get me to where I am today. I want to go out and find the next generation fighters. Im really going to take this managing stuff by storm. I really want to battle for fighters for what they believe in and what I believe in, Ortiz told MMAWeekly.com about why he decided to start Primetime 360.

Ortiz has had representation over the years. In fact, current UFC president Dana White was once he and Chuck Liddells manager. But Ortiz wasnt a fighter that would lay his life in the hands of his representatives and just accept what was doled out to him.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion, as he says, took many missteps throughout his career, but thats because he was always involved, always taking an active hand in the direction of his career on the business end, not just in the gym and in the cage.

Thats why he believes he has something to offer todays fighters that sets him apart.

Ortiz doesnt intend to promise his fighters that stars and the moon if they sign on with him. He intends to promise them that if they are willing to put in the work, they will be successful, and perhaps more importantly, they will have a future beyond the short lifespan of a professional combat sports athlete.

I want to break the mold on fighters. Theyre going to do all the hard, diligent work to become superstars, said Ortiz. I think thats what it comes down to, where Im showing these guys the right things to do to make themselves a brand. Thats what its really about, a fight for the fighters, and thats what Ive been doing for myself for so long, making the right decisions and not making ones on pure emotions.