Whether he’ll let thoughts of it creep into his head or not, Tito Ortiz is in for probably the biggest pressure cooker of his career on Saturday night. UFC president Dana White has said in no uncertain terms that Ortiz has to win his fight against Ryan Bader at UFC 132 or he will no longer be fighting in the Octagon.
Ortiz believes he’s put in the work to beat Bader, and he enters the fight 100-percent healthy for the first time in years. Still, when a career teeters in the balance of one night’s performance mental fortitude will be imperative.
Ortiz met with the media one final time on Thursday at the UFC 132 pre-fight press conference to field questions about his career, Saturday’s fight, and the added weight on his shoulders.