While the main event of tonight’s UFC 84: Ill Will showcases its Lightweight division, Tito Ortiz found a way to steal the show at yesterday’s weigh in at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The bad blood between the “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” and the company’s president, Dana White has been highly publicized in recent months, and while Ortiz had nothing to say at the weigh in, his feelings for his soon to be ex-boss were on display for all to see.Click here to watch
In what is likely his final fight with the mixed martial arts powerhouse, Ortiz (16-5-1) will take on Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (12-0-1) in a highly anticipated matchup.
Tonight’s main event will see Sean “Muscle Shark” Sherk (35-2-1) get a chance to recapture the Lightweight championship, when he squares off with B.J. “The Prodigy” Penn (13-4-1). The pair have been engaged in a war of words months before the fight, but kept all comments cordial in the days leading up to the fight.
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“As far as I’m concerned, my fight with BJ is probably gonna be one of the best fights of the year,”Sherk told HipHopDX. “You’ve got two of the best lightweights in the world coming out here and going to war.”
The former champion is fighting not only to regain the title, but also to regain the respect he once had from fans. Sherk was suspended and stripped of his belt last year after testing positive for a banned substance.
“For me this fight . . . this fight is about redemption,” he revealed. “It’s about gaining respect back from fans and getting my career back on track.”
While Sherk is fighting for a second chance, his opponent, B.J. Penn, is fighting to cement his legacy in the octagon. Known for being equally effective in striking and submissions, the man fighting out of Hawaii made it very clear that he’ll be serving up nothing but aggression until the final bell sounds.
“I’m just gonna punch him as hard as I can, slam him on his head as hard as I can and choke him as hard as I can,” a clearly focused Penn said after the press conference.
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UFC 84’s other headlining fight will see a rising star in “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine (13-4-1) take on a living legend struggling to remain relevant in Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva (31-8-1). For the Dean, fighting Silva in Las Vegas is better than fighting current champion Quentin “Rampage” Jackson.
“In the context of history, this fight is really huge for me. I get to seal my place as one of the all time MMA greats by beating someone like Wanderlei Silva.”
UFC 84: Ill Will kicks off tonight at 7 pm. PST on pay-per-view.
