Chuck Liddell believes he’ll be approved to fight Tito Ortiz in UFC, doubts Ortiz will accept

Over the last month, there’s been buzz circulating about a potential trilogy fight between retired MMA legends Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell.

This very week, Ortiz admitted he has broached the idea with the UFC, though he doubts Liddell would ever be granted a license to fight again.

“I have a lot of interest level [in a fight with Liddell],” Ortiz recently told TMZ (h/t MMAFighting.com). “Actually, on New Year’s, I asked the matchmakers for the UFC if they’d ever want to do a Chuck Liddell-Tito Ortiz III and he kind of looked at me and laughed and said, ‘Chuck couldn’t pass to fight again. He’s been knocked out, unconscious, five times.’ I guarantee you the doctor won’t give him a license.”

“It’s up to them,” Ortiz continued, adding that he doesn’t need the payday, but understands Liddell might. “I thought of it just because I was pumped because of the UFC in general, being back in the house [for UFC 219], but I don’t know. I would like another go at it. I left on a high stool of choking Chael within two-and-a-half minutes. My body’s fine. I know Chuck Liddell’s been knocked out unconscious to the point where they had to give him the smelling salts to make him feel better but he’s looking to be a paycheck. I understand it. I have other businesses, and it’s not a hurry for me to fight. I don’t want to fight, I don’t need to fight, but if Chuck needs to, I’ll be a good friend like he was once and give him a payday.”

Despite Ortiz’s skepticism, Liddell says he’d be shocked if he wasn’t allowed to fight again.

“I don’t know why I wouldn’t be,” Liddell told TMZ. “I’ve had medical exams for my mountain climbing show and I cleared with everything there so I should be just fine. We’ll have to see. If they don’t clear me, I’d be shocked. They’ve cleared a lot of people in a lot less shape than I am.”

“I’ve already beat [Ortiz] twice,” Liddell added. “He’s probably hoping that I’ve really declined and he’s able to take advantage of that, that’s what he’s hoping for. If he actually shows up, it’s gonna be bad news for him.”

Do you think we’ll get a Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz trilogy bout in the year 2018?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 2/22/2018.