"I think it's very important. I feel like I kind of walked Chael Sonnen through the things he's done to this point. I pulled him aside and I kind of told him how to do it. He's marketed himself the best I think he could possibly do. He's going to be doing The Ultimate Fighter now, and getting a shot at Jon Jones, after coming off a loss. If it wasn't for his big mouth, he wouldn't be in the situation he's in right now. I think a lot of fighters need to understand that. Not only do you have to fight great, but you've got to talk smack. Chael may not have fought the best fight his last time out, but he talked his way into a great situation, and as a fighter, you've got to be able to do those things. I wish other fighters would follow in the footsteps of guys like myself and Chael. It puts a smile on my face to see how successful he is today." - Tito Ortiz via BloodyElbow

UFC Hall-of-Famer Tito Ortiz shares his personal opinion on what fighters need to do today to build successful careers in mixed martial arts.

Ortiz, who's famously known as "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy," helped build the UFC into the giant MMA organization it is today through his colorful pre-fight exchanges with nemesis Ken Shamrock, his distaste for UFC president Dana White, and exciting Octagon performances.

The former UFC light-heavyweight champion's career was shortened by a series of serious injuries to his neck and spinal cord that led to several surgeries which sidelined the champ for years and hampered his performance inside the Octagon.

After 15-years as a mixed martial artist, Ortiz finally retired from the sport after a loss to rival Forrest Griffin at UFC 148.

The former collegiate wrestler now spends his time operating Primetime 360, a management company located in California.