SPORTSNET.CA
Fans might see Tito (The Huntington Beach Bad Boy) Ortiz back in the Octagon in the near future. UFC president Dana White hinted at the MMA star's return in a Twitter update late Friday, saying "welcome back tito :)." However, he wouldn't say any deal had been signed on a Friday night appearance on ESPN radio.
While letting those who follow him on the social networking and micro-blogging site (user name: danawhiteufc) that he'll be appearing on the ESPN 1100 sports talk program in Las Vegas on Friday night, he added the following line to the end of the "tweet":
"Oh yea and welcome back tito :)"
This seemed to imply they had struck an agreement for Ortiz to return to the promotion where he got his debut and was built into a star. However, comments made by White during the radio program suggested it was simply referring to his return from recent back surgery.
"Tito and I have been talking and ... trying to see if we can figure things out," White said. "Tito just had major back surgery. He feels good. ... We'll see if he can come back."
When asked point blank by the program's host if Ortiz will be back fighting for the UFC soon, White merely said, "It's a possibility."
White and the former UFC light-heavyweight champion, who hasn't fought for any organization since his contract with the UFC ended after his loss to Lyoto Machida in May 2008, had been considering a number of different offers.
It was thought unlikely the 34-year-old would return to the UFC, considering the hatred he and White, his former manager, had for each other.
But the two apparently spoke and "made up" last week, according to what Ortiz said on a radio appearance, which was backed up by another of White's Twitter notes, posted last Friday, July 17.
"Yes tito and I made up," White wrote.
