Counting down to the best MMA fighter of all time

#8 Tito Ortiz (1997 to present)

Tito Ortiz: Dominated UFC's Light-Heavyweight division

Tito Ortiz burst onto the scene at UFC 13, the same show that Randy Couture debuted on. Like Couture, Ortiz competed in a one night tournament, but lost in the final in the Light-Heavyweight division.

From there, Ortiz avenged his loss to Mezger at UFC 19 where he famously upset, Ken Shamrock whom was in Mezger's corner by donning a T-shirt that said: "Guy Mezger is my b*tch."

Ortiz defeated Wanderlei Silva to win the vacant Light-Heavyweight title at UFC 25 and defended that title successfully five times which included huge victories over names such as: Evan Tanner, Vladimir Matyushenko and most famously, Ken Shamrock at UFC 40, an event that re-popularised the sport of MMA in the United States.

Ortiz's dominance in the Light-Heavyweight division was snapped when he was shockingly defeated by Randy Couture at UFC 44. His long-awaited clash with former buddy, Chuck Liddell at UFC 47 also ended in defeat.

However, the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" soon bounced back with a five fight winning streak, which encompassed classic wins over Vitor Belfort and Forrest Griffin.

That streak earned him another crack at the Light-Heavyweight strap, held by Liddell. Unfortunately for Ortiz, Liddell got the better of him once more which began a slow decline for Ortiz.

He went five years without a victory inside the Octagon until he bested Ryan Bader at UFC 132 in July 2011. That was to be his final UFC win as he dropped his final three fights for the promotion before retiring from the sport.

Two years later, Ortiz made a comeback in Bellator, where he won three of his four bouts for the number two promotion in the States.

In his final fight, in November 2018, Ortiz finally defeated his great rival, Liddell at the third time of asking with a first round Knockout in a fight promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.