Tito Ortiz & Chael Sonnen to Main Event ‘Bellator 170’ Live & Free on Spike

Kickoff Press Conference taking place Nov. 3 at Mohegan Sun prior to Bellator 163

SANTA MONICA, CALIF (October 19, 2016) – It’s a fight that many mixed martial arts fans thought they’d never see, but on January 21, 2017, both Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) and Chael Sonnen (28-14-1) will return to action inside the beautifully renovated Forum in Inglewood, Calif., to headline “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen.” In college, the two met on the wrestling mat, in a matchup that Sonnen won by pinning Ortiz on his birthday. Now, Ortiz will have the opportunity to avenge that loss when the compete in the Bellator MMA cage on SPIKE.

Ticket information will be made available shortly. The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announcing in the coming weeks.



Since shocking the world with his surprise signing with Bellator MMA last month, Sonnen has made it clear he wants to fight anyone and everyone – regardless of weight class, or anything else that could stand in his way. Sitting atop that list, is a name that has sat atop the sport of MMA practically since its inception, Tito Ortiz.

Not one to shy away from any sort of challenge, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” wasted zero time welcoming “The American Gangster” to the fray as only he can, by responding to Sonnen’s call-out with open arms on his social media account.

Sonnen spent a vast majority of his 43-fight career with the UFC, a run where he competed against names the likes of Jon Jones, Anderson Silva (2x), Rashad Evans, “Shogun” Rua, Demian Maia, Brian Stann, and current middleweight champion Michael Bisping. In addition to his exploits inside the cage, the West Linn, Ore., native has mastered the art of being in front of the camera, doing major broadcasting work for both ESPN and Fox Sports. Now, after a three-year hiatus from active MMA competition, Sonnen looks to add to his impressive resume by defeating Ortiz.

Known to the masses as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” or “The People’s Champion” Tito Ortiz is a fan-favorite all over the world. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion has always been one of the toughest competitors in the cage, utilizing his wrestling background; Ortiz is a grinder who defended his title an impressive five times. Always with a flair for the dramatic, Ortiz had intense rivalries in the cage with guys like Ken Shamrock, Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, and Randy Couture. Most recently, Ortiz challenged current Bellator MMA 205-pound champion Liam McGeary at “Bellator: Dynamite 1.”

Updated “Bellator 170: Ortiz vs. Sonnen” Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Main Event: Tito Ortiz (18-12-1) vs. Chael Sonnen (28-14-1)

About Bellator:
Bellator is a leading Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:
Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike's press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.