Tito Ortiz (photo via Bellator)

By FCF Staff

Since Tito Ortiz submitted Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170, some have questioned whether the fight was legit, but UFC President Dana White isn’t on board with the conspiracy theory.

Ortiz tapped Sonnen out with a rear-naked-choke / neck crank in the opening round, but some observers have argued that the latter didn’t need to tap when he did. White appeared on the latest UFC “Unfiltered” podcast, and he had this to say about the bout (quote via MMA Junkie):

“Here’s one of the things a lot of people don’t realize about Tito Ortiz,” White said. “Tito Ortiz – this (expletive) guy is so strong. He put me in a neck crank one time and almost popped my (expletive) neck off my shoulders. This guy is physically very strong. And I think his ground game is very underrated because Tito would always get that top position and ground-and-pound people.

“I don’t think Chael has fought or won a fight since 2013, or that ballpark somewhere. … You take that much time off, and that’s what a fight’s going to look like. … There’s no way in hell that was a work. I’d love to come on here and (expletive) all over Bellator, but there’s no way that was a work…”

The bout was the last of Ortiz’s career, which included an off-and-on feud with White, who at one time was his manager.