Tito Ortiz vs. Chael Sonnen 2 booked for 2023
It looks as if two legends of mixed martial arts will meet once again as Tito Ortiz, 47, and Chael Sonnen, 45, have agreed to compete in a rematch, this time under the Freedom Fight Night banner in February 2023.
News revealed by the former UFC light heavyweight champion Ortiz, was announced on The Adam Carolla Show on Tuesday, yet to be confirmed officially.
“I’ll be competing my one last time in the beginning of February, Tito Ortiz versus Chael Sonnen No. 2 will be happening for Freedom Fight Night,” Ortiz said. “I’m excited, I’m really excited. In MMA, not boxing, at 205 [pounds].”
Ortiz’s reference to boxing competition comes after he was defeated in the first round against fellow former UFC champion Anderson Silva, a boxing bout that took place after both their UFC careers had surpassed.
Ortiz defeated Sonnen by way of rear-naked choke submission in the very first round when the two trash-talkers met at Bellator 170 in January 2017.
“The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” went on to win two more fights post-Sonnen, a trilogy bout against Chuck Liddell, and then a fight against Alberto Rodriguez (Del Rio) under the Combate Global banner.
Sonnen made headlines in 2022 as he battled alleged battery charges stemming from in an incident in a Las Vegas hotel.
Sonnen’s last MMA bouts both ended in loss to icons of the sport in Fedor Emelianenko and Lyoto Machida. Following the loss to Ortiz however, Sonnen was able to pull out victories over fellow combat sports legends in Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Wanderlei Silva.
