Tito OrtizFormer UFC champion and UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz walked away from the sport a little over a year ago as a fighter, and looked to get into the managing side of things shortly thereafter by signing on to manage former women’s Strikeforce champion Cris Cyborg.

After negotiating with the UFC and ultimately helping Cyborg to sign with Invicta FC, Ortiz has decided to step down as her manager according to an announcement on “Inside MMA” Friday night. You can read the press release from Ortiz below:

“I can live with Dana not liking me but what I can’t live with is Dana using me to hurt someone else. I’ve taken abuse and maybe I deserved some of it but Cris is a beautiful person and great athlete and doesn’t deserve to be insulted like this.

I don’t understand how Dana lets his hatred towards me hurt the UFC and the fans by not making this fight.

He accuses her of still using banned substances and say that she isn’t worthy of fighting Ronda yet a year ago he personally called me to make the fight happen.

I never said she would die if she made 135- we just repeated what the Dr said that Cris shouldn’t make a career at 135- we offered a 3 fight deal they said no 7 fights or no deal.

Regardless – I won’t stand in the way from the fans getting a fight they want and I won’t hold Cris Back. So I’m stepping down as Cris’ manager

Now he can’t hold that against her-

I’m also tired of Dana accusing Cris of using banned substances. I challenge you to put up or shut up- Test her or stop lying about her- Cris is a beautiful woman inside and out- don’t insult her on her looks- she may be tough as nails but she still has feelings.

I know people are going to say there goes Tito making this about him again- but it’s not -it’s about Cris Cyborg- the baddest woman on the earth – soon to be multi-sport world champion.”

-Tito Ortiz

I’m not sure if Ortiz stepping down clears any hurdles for Cyborg to goto the UFC. They don’t have a women’s featherweight division and don’t seem to be in any hurry to create one. Also, from recent Dana White interviews, he doesn’t seem to be a huge fan of Cris Cyborg’s due to her failed drug test in which she served a year long suspension. The funny thing is there are multiple fighters on the UFC roster that have failed drug tests. Is there a double standard for women’s cheating or is the UFC looking to protect one of their biggest star in Ronda Rousey by not signing Cyborg?

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