Ortiz already running his mouth, says a lot of fans hate Griffin

[Clark Kent]

10-27-2009 10:40 AM:

Let the talking begin. Tito Ortiz's return to the Octagon at UFC 106 was all set to be a sideshow. Sure "The Huntington Beach Bad Blab Boy" would do his share of trash-talking to hype his fight against Forrest Griffin but that match was merely an appetizer to the buffet UFC fans were presented with, in the Brock Lesnar-Shane Carwin fight.

That fight is gone, Lesnar is out with the flu. So Tito is back where he loves to be - center stage.

In the spotlight with pay-per-views to sell, "The Blab Boy" is ready to fire away. Hell, TMZ caught the guy trash-talking a bum in Hollywood earlier this month, so Griffin is easy pickings:

"A lot of fans hate Forrest now after the Silva fight, but he usually brings it, and I always come to fight," told the L.A. Times.

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What will the fan reaction be for Griffin after his mad dash from the cage at UFC 101 and a recent interview where he basically told fans he doesn't need them? Could it be that Ortiz, for once, will be the more popular fighter at UFC 106? And how will that contribute to Griffin's mental state on fight if he's greeted by the Bronx cheer? Ortiz thinks Griffin's spirit has been broken:

"You figure in losing the title [to Evans] that Forrest has doubt; he had doubt against Silva. This is all or nothing for him."

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Ortiz, 34, coming back from back surgery, is training in Big Bear, Ca., and it sounds like his biggest hurdle is conditioning:

"And this is my comeback fight. I'm not going to lie, it's been a challenge for me. Not pain. I have no [back] pain, but I'm dealing with the fatigue from not fighting so long. I'm like 80-90% now, not 100. Coming back is hard mentally and physically."

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Calling the Lyoto Machida-Mauricio Rua fight "dull," Times' writer Lance Pugmire pointed out that Ortiz thinks his fight against Griffin will be more action-packed.



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