Tito Ortiz feels he should have complimentary access to any UFC event he wants to go to.
Ortiz, now 49, was a key figure during the UFC’s rise in the early 2000s, but his relationship with White has been anything but smooth.
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The two clashed repeatedly over contract disputes, with one argument even leading to a physical altercation on a flight to Japan.
Tito Ortiz aims at Dana White over White House UFC event
Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images
“I wish I was invited to the White House card, and I’m not. After the 16 years I gave to them, from the very beginning, when they first bought the company, to almost the end, where they sold the company. I don’t get tickets. I gotta pay for my own tickets when I do want to go.
“The last time they had a Miami event, I had to pay $1,000 for a ticket. If you’re on Dana’s good side, you don’t have to pay for anything. I get it. He said if you want to be a good friend, I’m a good friend. He goes, but if you want to be an enemy, I’m good at that also.
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“I’m the first one to actually tell you he’s 100 percent correct. Don’t get on his bad side. But it’s childish. I mean, to me, it’s just it’s petty. It’s really petty. I’ve done so much for that company.
“When they bought the company, they bought the company because of me. They saw a star, and they actually just built it on me. All of a sudden, when The Ultimate Fighter came about, they threw me to the side and got the next fighter up.
“That’s how they do it. They promise you the world until you don’t get it. Then they’ll build another fighter and fill your spot.
“I’m okay with it. I’ll be watching [UFC Freedom 250] at my restaurant, Tito Cantina, as we do every UFC event.”
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UFC White House tickets vanish in minutes
Dana White has claimed 4,300 people will attend the UFC White House event, and most of them will belong to the military. The UFC is even selling a $1.5 million package that includes access to Conor McGregor’s comeback.
With tickets so scarce, it seems fair that Dana White is not providing any free tickets to any UFC legend, much less his least favourite.
Still, the fact that Tito Ortiz has to pay for his way into the bog-standard UFC events is amazingly mind-boggling.
MMA fans can probably expect Dana White to fire back at Tito Ortiz after the recent comments and officially reignite their rivalry during his next press conference.
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