Tito Ortiz’s Bellator MMA debut went just about as well as it could have.
The former UFC light-heavyweight champion made quick work of Alexander Shlemenko at Bellator 120, choking the Russian striker out cold with an arm-triangle in the first round of their 205-pound matchup.
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Ortiz (17-11-1) had gone 1-7-1 in his previous nine fights and hadn’t fought since a loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012.
“I’ve gone through so many surgeries and people counted me out. I had my back against the wall,” Ortiz said after the fight. “I worked hard as hell at this. It shows you that hard work and dedication pays off.”
Shlemenko (50-8) is the promotion’s middleweight champion and hadn’t been submitted since a loss to Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at Jungle Fight 6 in 2006.
Despite the huge size discrepancy between the two fighters, Shlemenko was favoured to beat Ortiz.
Bellator 120 took place at the Landers Center in Memphis. It was the promotion’s pay-per-view debut.
