Roundtables
ROUNDTABLE: How much of a chance does Tito Ortiz have to upset Rashad Evans at UFC 133? Hansen, Amadi, Hyden, Hobaugh, Marsh and Pelkey
Aug 5, 2011 - 2:30:37 PM ROUNDTABLE: How much of a chance does Tito Ortiz have to upset Rashad Evans at UFC 133? Hansen, Amadi, Hyden, Hobaugh, Marsh and Pelkey

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How much of a chance do you give Tito Ortiz against Rashad Evans at UFC 133, and do you think he'll actually pull off the upset?

RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I have absolutely no idea how Tito can beat Ryan Bader Rashad Evans. Ryan Bader Rashad Evans is far younger than Tito.  Ryan Bader Rashad Evans is far more athletic than Tito.  Ryan Bader Rashad Evans also has far more power than Tito as well.  I don't see any way whatsoever that Tito can defeatRyan Bader Rashad Evans at UFC 132 UFC 133.

So naturally, Tito by decision.

JASON AMADI, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

I have a hard time seeing a clear path to victory for either fighter, so I think this fight wind up looking a lot like their first contest. I think with Evans’ inactivity over the last few years, Ortiz’s momentum, and Evans’ chin being in question after the knockout to Lyoto Machida, that if ever there were an instance where Ortiz could defeat Rashad Evans it’s this Saturday night. I think Ortiz takes it.

FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

There's always a chance, but in this case I'd only give Tito maybe a 30% chance to win. If Rashad loses this he falls way down the ladder. Tito caught Ryan Bader by surprise, while Rashad should be ready for anything. A lot has changed since their last fight. The pressure is on Rashad and he needs to come through.

ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

If MMA has proven anything it is that on any given day any fighter can win or lose. Tito has a very small statistical chance to beat Rashad. They fought to a draw four years ago, but that is an eternity in the UFC. Rashad Evans is a much better and more complete mixed martial artist, and I think Ortiz loses by TKO in the second round.

GRIFFIN MARSH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Not much.  Tito is 1-4-1 in his last six bouts and I'm not convinced the win over Ryan Bader will be enough to gain the momentum needed to defeat Rashad Evans.  I think Rashad Evans will wear Tito out and ground and pound his way to a late second or third round TKO

MATT PELKEY, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
 
If the Tito that showed up against Ryan Bader shows up against Rashad... I still don't give him much of a chance. He just hasn't evolved as a mixed martial artist since his first encounter with Evans at UFC 73 back in July of 2007. Evans, on the other hand, has dramatically improved his boxing since then and will be much harder to take down for the four-years-older, surgically-reconstructed Huntington Beach Bad Boy. The two are similar enough fighters that no outcome to this fight would truly shock me, but an upset would give Tito the top two upsets of the year, hands down.

[Tito Ortiz art by Travis Beaven (c) MMATorch.com]