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After claiming he was close to deals with EliteXC, Affliction, Strikeforce and a few other players over the past year, MMA superstar Tito Ortiz may be returning to the organization where he first got his start.
UFC president Dana White said Ortiz's return to the organization is a "possibility" during a guest spot on the ESPN 1100 Radiothon (listen live), a 24-hour fundraiser for The Caring Place cancer charity that's hosted by Steve Cofield.
Speculation ran rampant earlier today when White issued a message on Twitter stating, "Welcome back Tito."
So, is Ortiz close to signing a deal?
"Tito and I have been talking, and we've been trying to see if we can figure things out," White said. "It's a possibility."
That's certainly a softer stance than White (and Ortiz) have taken in the recent past.
White, a former MMA manager who once had Ortiz among his client list, has made no secret of his mutual disdain for the fighter. Ortiz cited his broken relationship with White as the reason he was leaving the organization and not re-signing with the UFC after he fulfilled the terms of his previous deal. He's been sidelined by injuries and a no-compete clause ever since his would-be departure.
"I've said many times Tito and I have issues," White said. "We both need to grow up."
Ortiz, who underwent back surgery earlier this year, hasn't competed since a decision loss to Lyoto Machida in May 2008.
Despite his recent layoff, Ortiz (15-6-1 MMA, 14-6-1 UFC) remains one of the sport's most recognizable stars and one of the very top pay-per-view draws in MMA history. Although winless in his past three fights, Ortiz faced three current and former champions (Machida, Rashad Evans and Chuck Liddell) during the stretch.
Ortiz, who won the UFC light heavyweight title with a September 1999 victory over Wanderlei Silva, made a record five consecutive title defenses before a loss to Randy Couture in 2003.
UFC president Dana White said Ortiz's return to the organization is a "possibility" during a guest spot on the ESPN 1100 Radiothon (listen live), a 24-hour fundraiser for The Caring Place cancer charity that's hosted by Steve Cofield.
Speculation ran rampant earlier today when White issued a message on Twitter stating, "Welcome back Tito."
So, is Ortiz close to signing a deal?
"Tito and I have been talking, and we've been trying to see if we can figure things out," White said. "It's a possibility."
That's certainly a softer stance than White (and Ortiz) have taken in the recent past.
White, a former MMA manager who once had Ortiz among his client list, has made no secret of his mutual disdain for the fighter. Ortiz cited his broken relationship with White as the reason he was leaving the organization and not re-signing with the UFC after he fulfilled the terms of his previous deal. He's been sidelined by injuries and a no-compete clause ever since his would-be departure.
"I've said many times Tito and I have issues," White said. "We both need to grow up."
Ortiz, who underwent back surgery earlier this year, hasn't competed since a decision loss to Lyoto Machida in May 2008.
Despite his recent layoff, Ortiz (15-6-1 MMA, 14-6-1 UFC) remains one of the sport's most recognizable stars and one of the very top pay-per-view draws in MMA history. Although winless in his past three fights, Ortiz faced three current and former champions (Machida, Rashad Evans and Chuck Liddell) during the stretch.
Ortiz, who won the UFC light heavyweight title with a September 1999 victory over Wanderlei Silva, made a record five consecutive title defenses before a loss to Randy Couture in 2003.