“Hopefully by October I’ll be competing. We’re finishing the contract I’d say with CBS, Showtime, and Strikeforce and making a deal that UFC can’t match. I feel sorry for the person they have me fight, but I do need one warm-up fight. I managed to come off a huge back surgery. It’s been a year since I’ve competed. I think one warm-up fight to get things going. After that, I don’t want no more warm-up fights. I’m hoping by my fourth fight, possibly fight Fedor Emelianenko at a catchweight. That’d be something that I’m looking forward to possibly by the middle of next year.”

-Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz recently spoke to MMAWeekly about his return to MMA, negotiations with Strikeforce, as well as a desired match up with top ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko. Ortiz hasn't fought in more than a year since losing to current UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 84 last May. He hasn't tasted victory since defeating Ken Shamrock (2x) in July and October of 2006.

The "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" is a 12 year MMA veteran with all 22 career fights coming in the UFC. Ortiz has amassed a 15-6-1 record, with 8 wins by TKO and 2 by submission. He's defeated an impressive mix of fighters in his career such as, Vladimir Matyushenko, Guy Mezger, Wanderlei Silva, Patrick Cote, Vitor Belfort and Forrest Griffin.