• UFC 132

Ortiz 'begged' for fight with 'top-three-ranked' Bader

Tito Ortiz is coming off a loss to Matt Hamill © Getty Images

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Don't miss Tuesday's ESPN UFC Podcast for the full interview with Tito Ortiz

Tito Ortiz has revealed he begged the UFC to give him one more fight, and he ranks UFC 132 rival Ryan Bader in the "top three" of the light-heavyweight division.

Ortiz has not won any of his last five fights, drawing with Rashad Evans and losing to Chuck Liddell, Lyoto Machida, Forrest Griffin and Matt Hamill.

The former UFC light-heavyweight champion looks a shadow of his belligerent best, lacking the explosion in his wrestling to overcome the likes of Griffin and Hamill, individuals he would have been expected to rip through in his prime.

The UFC told Ortiz his time was up after the defeat to Hamill, but he managed to convince the organisation to give him one more shot, against another tough rival in Bader.

"Dana White and Joe Silva told me they wanted me to retire, but I knew I still had the fight inside me," Ortiz told the Telegraph.

"I pretty much begged for my job, to show how much I want to fight, but I still have it in my heart to compete, to fight. I told them I want to still fight against the top guys, I want to put on a show.

"I've just turned 36, but when they put me against the top guys, I think I can still compete. I'm not getting submitted or knocked out… I'm making little mistakes where I should be submitting guys. I thought I beat Forrest Griffin two [rounds] to one the second time. But it was what it was.

"I made some mistakes against Hamill. I didn't respect his takedown. The UFC called me after that fight and said 'we want you to retire'. I was shocked, I thought they were kidding around. I took it as they didn't want to pay me, to give me what I'm worth.

"I'm competing against the top guys and I'm not getting dominated."

Ortiz has a point that none of his opponents are dominating him, but very few fighters - if any - remain in the UFC with a record of no wins in five. Victory against Bader is a must, and in Ortiz's eyes Bader is one of the top three fighters in the 205lb division.

"Next month I'll be fighting one of the top guys in the world again, ranked in the top three, and I'm going to show how much I'm really worth. I've put in a great eight weeks in camp for Ryan Bader. I'm healthy and ready to compete."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.