Tito Ortiz ends storied MMA career with first-round victory

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Mixed martial arts legend Tito Ortiz got exactly the moment he was hoping for in his retirement bout.

Ortiz took Chael Sonnen’s back and forced him to tap to a rear-naked choke at 2:03 of the first round of the main event of Bellator 170 on Saturday night at The Forum.

Then he got to perform his famous gravedigger celebration for the final time.

Ortiz, the longtime former UFC light heavyweight champion, went 3-1 in Bellator fights to conclude his storied career.

“I’m happy I was able to do this, (especially) in my hometown,” said the 41-year-old lifelong resident of nearby Huntington Beach, California.

Ortiz allowed his son Jacob to place his fighting gloves on the mat in the center of the cage to mark his official retirement, a nod to his amateur wrestling past in which competitors often leave their shoes in the ring to signify their final match.

It wasn’t a total breeze for Ortiz, who was caught in an early guillotine by Sonnen. After escaping the hold, which Ortiz insisted wasn’t particularly tight, Ortiz found himself in side control and quickly worked to mount.

He took Sonnen’s back when he tried to escape, and it wasn’t long before the choke was locked in and the fight was over.

Ortiz said he had drilled the technique throughout training camp because he figured Sonnen would give up his back to avoid Ortiz’s noted ability to do damage from top position on the mat.

“It felt really, really good,” Ortiz said. “I knew I’d get the choke because I knew he wouldn’t want to get pounded by me.”

Sonnen hadn’t fought since a November 2013 knockout loss to Rashad Evans in the UFC. He failed a second drug test in 2014 and was suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

He subsequently announced his retirement, but signed a six-fight deal with Bellator last year after he was released by the UFC. Sonnen has lost four of his past five fights.

Also on the card, veteran welterweight Paul Daley delivered a spectacular knockout of Brennan Ward in the first round.

After he dazed Ward with a spinning back elbow, Daley sprung forward and landed a flying knee that knocked Ward cold.

It was the sixth win in seven fights for Daley, who hoped his highlight-reel knockout will provide a springboard to a matchup with one of the top welterweights in the world who was recently acquired by Bellator.

“Rory MacDonald gets in this cage with me, he’s getting knocked the (expletive) out,” Daley said.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @adamhilllvrj on Twitter.