On Tuesday, MMA legend Tito Ortiz revealed he almost attacked referee “Big” John McCarthy after his last fight.
Last Saturday, at Bellator 170, Ortiz submitted Chael Sonnen with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their main event fight. After Ortiz submitted Sonnen, Ortiz held onto the choke well after Sonnen tapped. McCarthy was forced to physically intervene to get Ortiz to release the submission hold.
“When I pumped into “Big” John McCarthy it was funny,” Ortiz said. I almost took him out. “I almost took out the referee. Pulled out a WWE on his ass.”
After the fight, Ortiz revealed he didn’t know he had held the submission hold for too long. He admitted he got caught up in the moment. Regardless, McCarthy had to force Ortiz to let go.
Following his win, Ortiz retired from MMA. He retired with a professional record of 19-12-1. Ortiz is a UFC Hall of Famer and former UFC light heavyweight champion. He was one of the longest reigning UFC champions in history with five successful title defenses.
