The long arm of Zuffa law apparently extends to estranged former champions who write books and wear their belts on the covers.
Tito Ortiz — who just satisfied the final fight on his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) — has been served with a cease and desist because his recently released autobiography, “This is Gonna Hurt,” violates the intellectual property rights of the mixed martial arts promotion, according to MMAPayout.com.
“The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” according to the report, needed to get the stamp of approval from the UFC to sport the belt on the cover of the book. And he apparently did not get the green light or overlooked the clause in his contract.
Regardless, the move is just the latest salvo in an ongoing feud between the fighter an organization. Ortiz and UFC President Dana White have an epic, long-running distaste for one another.
This is certainly not going to help the situation.
Ortiz will soon be a free agent and has expressed his intentions of seeking greener pastures (literally) with an organization that can promote him properly, as well as be respectful and professional.
Even if he does it appears that Ortiz can’t break free from the UFC’s Kung Fu grip … for now.
He defeated Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision to earn the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 25: “Ultimate Japan 3″ back in 2000. Ortiz defended the 205-pound belt five times during a three-year span until he lost it to Randy Couture via unanimous decision at UFC 44: “Undisputed” in 2003.
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