Getty Chael Sonnen
Three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen was recently challenged to a rematch by ex-light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.
“The American Gangster” retired from mixed martial arts after suffering a second-round TKO loss to Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222 in June 2019. In his first of five fights in the promotion, Sonnen battled Ortiz at Bellator 170 in January 2017.
And as history has it, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” bested Sonnen via first-round rear-naked choke.
Ortiz, 47, also hasn’t competed in an MMA bout since 2019, and he’s made it clear that he wants to fight again soon. His last combat sports competition was a boxing match against ex-UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva during a Triller event in September 2021. The Huntington Beach Bad Boy was knocked out in the first round.
Well, Ortiz is now apparently eyeing Sonnen, 45, for a rematch.
“@ChaelSonnen don’t be scared homie,” Ortiz tweeted on August 15. “Now you have a chance to keep the promise to your dad. #Ortizvscheal2.”
The “promise” Ortiz referred to was what Sonnen made to his late father. The American Gangster had revealed that he made a promise to his dad before his passing that he’d defeat Ortiz and then become a world champion, something he was unable to deliver on.
“When my dad died, the last thing I ever said to him, I said to him, ‘I’m going to beat Tito Ortiz and I’m going to win the world championship,” a teary-eyed Sonnen said in a Bellator promotional piece. “That’s the only promise I never… that’s the only promise I never kept.”
Sonnen Responded to Ortiz’s Tweet
Shortly after Ortiz posted the tweet, The American Gangster hit back, writing: “My father released me from that verbal contract when he heard you tap from heaven.”
.@ChaelSonnen don’t be scared homie. Now you have a chance to keep the promise to your dad. #Ortizvscheal2
Sonnen has long claimed that Ortiz tapped during their bout. Specifically, The American Gangster caught Ortiz in a guillotine choke during the opening part of the first round, something Sonnen has said The Huntington Beach Bad Boy tapped to.
Regardless of Sonnen’s belief, the fight continued on and Ortiz earned the rear-naked choke win later in the round.
Ortiz Was Roasted on Twitter After Challenging Sonnen
If someone pays attention to the sport closely, they may know that Sonnen has one of the most loyal followings in the MMA community. So, after The Huntington Beach Bad Boy posed the challenge to Sonnen, he was lit up on Twitter.
“You can’t even spell his name correctly, sir,” someone wrote. And Ortiz replied: “Yes it’s Chela.”
“Have you ever had a tweet where you had no misspelled words?” another tweeted.
Sharing an image, another fight fan wrote: “watching chael slam and ragdoll tito around for 15 minutes.” See the tweet below:
@titoortiz @ChaelSonnen watching chael slam and ragdoll tito around for 15 minutes
Sharing a photo of Ortiz knocked out and laying on the canvas courtesy of Silva, another Twitter user commented: “Tito, why so disrespectful. We miss sweet peaceful Tito, look at that smile!” See below:
@titoortiz @ChaelSonnen Tito, why so disrespectful. We miss sweet peaceful Tito, look at that smile!
Another commented: “Tito would be the only person to misspell Chael as ‘cheal’ with the correct spelling being one line down #Titoainttoobright.”
“Why bring his dad into it lowlife? The only one that thinks Toto Ortiz is a legend in MMA is @titoortiz himself,” someone tweeted. “Chael is Top G in the MMA world.”