Jacob Christopher Ortiz, popularly known as Tito Ortiz, is ‘The Huntington Beach Boy’ who came from nowhere and conquered the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with his extraordinary skills and focus. Majorly known for his association with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Tito has also been into controversies for his ability to brutally pound his opponents in total submission. As much as his fans loved him, he was also loathed by his opponent’s admirers in a blatant manner. When he was at the top of his game during 2000-03, he wore t-shirts that exhibited disrespecting quotes against his components after he defeated them. After being a huge pay-per-view winner for a long time, it was around 2008-09 when he faced a number of defeats and injuries, and finally decided to retire. Tito Ortiz, along with Randy Couture, was the main figure behind the popularity of UFC. While his belligerent nature in the ring was known to everyone, his philanthropist heart isn’t hidden from the world either. He does extensive charitable work for the US troops and children.
Tito Ortiz was born Jacob Christopher Ortiz in Huntington Beach, California on January 23, 1975, and lived there until he was five. Thereafter, he moved to Santa Ana, California along with his family.
His father, Samuel Ortiz, is of Mexican descent and mother, Joyce Ortiz, is an American, and that makes him half-Mexican and half-American. He was born Jacob Christopher but his father nicknamed him Tito. He has been known as Tito since then.
Ortiz is youngest of the four sons born to his parents. His parents were drug-addicts, and that made his childhood rough and traumatic.
With parents addicted to heroin, Ortiz also turned to drugs and got caught in the gang culture. He used drugs like cocaine and PCP, and was often placed in Juvenile centers.
Even so, his determination to soar to the sky made him choose martial arts over his drug addiction. He was 13, when his parents got divorced and he moved back to Huntington with his mother.
He began wrestling while studying at ‘Huntington Beach High School’. During his sophomore years he started excelling at it, and decided to pursue it further. Under the tutelage of Paul Harrera, the then future UFC fighter, who encouraged him to go ahead in this field, he was kicked out of his house by his mother.
Paul Herrera was the head wrestling coach at ‘Golden West College’ and encouraged Tito to enroll in the college. He joined Golden West College and that’s where his journey towards stardom began.
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