Pros Pick: Ortiz vs. Griffin 2

Elvis Sinosic: Both guys need a victory. Desperation will make this an exciting match. Forrest is coming off some hard losses. Tito is coming off a long layoff after a serious injury and surgery and some long negotiations to get back into the UFC. The last fight was very close. Tito dominated the first round, and Forrest came back in the last two. The question is which will affect each fighter more. Will Forrest’s recent losses have more of an effect, or will Tito’s time off and surgery have the great effect? I think Tito’s time off and his recent surgery is more likely to come into play. Forrest has lost recently, but he lost in the striking range to explosive, accurate fighters with KO power. This is not an issue with Tito. With Tito, Forrest will need to do his best to stay off his back, which, in turn, leads to Tito’s situation. Tito needs to put Forrest on his back and punish him from the top position. Now, if Tito’s back is 100 percent and he has the takedown ability from when he was in his prime and the cardio to go with it, Forrest will be in a lot of trouble, and I could see Tito winning a decision or even possibly a TKO, especially if he can keep up the pressure for three rounds. The problem is that I think his back injury and surgery will play a bigger part than Forrest’s recent losses. Tito relies on his takedowns, and his back will not only need to be 100 percent, it will have needed to be 100 percent the entire lead-up to this fight. I think that Forrest will be able to keep Tito off. I don’t think he’ll get caught the same way he did in the first fight. He’ll be able to pressure Tito and put him on the back foot. I see Forrest winning this fight via decision.

Jason Lambert: Forrest by TKO.

Robin Black: I like this fight. The last one was a great fight, and I thought Forrest won it. I think Forrest will win this one, too. Tito will probably be looking pretty scary in a fight or two, but I think a highly motivated Forrest Griffin is just gonna be too much for him for a first fight after a long layoff. Forrest is going to come in, have a good performance and welcome the keyboard warriors back on the bandwagon. Tito is going to go back to Big Bear and continue rebuilding for a run at the title. This fight is just too much too soon for him.

Ryan White: This is going to be a great rematch, and no matter who wins, it’s going to be one of the best fights of the year and will put the winner back on the ladder to the title.

Billy MacDonald: The winner on this one should be the fans. Tito, back to himself after nagging injuries, and what should be a very focused Forrest Griffin. Personally, I think Griffin comes in a little gunshy, which will allow Tito to control the pace of round one. Forrest gets into the action a little more and starts to stand in the pocket with Tito, which should leave it even after two. Round three will begin with Forrest peppering Tito with jabs and leg kicks. Tito will shoot in on Forrest but won’t be able to take him down. Forrest wins via decision, 29-28.

Jason Zorthian: Forrest via round one, angry redeeming knockout.

Jeff Monson: Griffin by decision.

Travis Lutter: I think Tito will win this one, but I think it will be fun to watch.

Ricardo Liborio: Forrest by decision.

Mike Whitehead: Forrest by decision.

Roland Sarria: Forrest will win a decision.

Zac George: Tito secures early takedown and a little ground-and-pound. Forrest wakes up at the end of the first and takes over. Forrest [wins a] decision, unless Tito tags Jenna [Jameson] in. Then [it will be] Jenna via armbar.

Melvin Guillard: I predict Griffin to kick Tito’s ass.

Mac Danzig: Seven years ago, I was coming off a decision loss in the WEC that was held in Connecticut. As if a five-hour plane ride back home after a disappointing loss wasn’t miserable enough, Tito Ortiz was sitting directly in front of me. He had been wearing his UFC belt everywhere the entire weekend of the fight and was still wearing it in the airport and now on the plane ride home, too. He had to turn it backwards to comfortably sit on the plane. He proceeded to tilt his seat back as far as it could possibly go. This left nothing in my forward vision except for a giant yellow head, not to mention the fact that his seat was basically in my lap, which was more than mildly uncomfortable. Over the course of the next five hours, I tried my best to sleep, but every time I opened my eyes, there was a huge sphere of yellow hairs with dark roots coming in no less than 12 inches from my face. I was bordered on the right by a window and on the left by Colin Oyama. Luckily for me, I was able to suppress this memory for quite some time, but after seeing that giant yellow head bounce around the ring a few times afterward, I’d get flashbacks. Rumor had it that just a few weeks earlier, Lee Murray soccer-kicked a giant yellow beach ball in a British pub. Forrest by TKO in round three.

Chris Weidman: I think Tito Ortiz by decision. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Forrest Griffin and what he has accomplished in his storied career. Tito has a new-found respect and passion for the sport and what it takes to be at the top. I think Tito has as matured as a person and will avoid bad situations. He will avoid standing up and take it to the ground to grind out a three-round victory.

Pros that picked Griffin: 17
Pros that picked Ortiz: 9
Pros that could not decide: 2

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