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Tito Ortiz’s career in and out of the cage was among the most influential in MMA history

On Jan. 21 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., Tito Ortiz left the cage and walked off into the sunset with his oldest son. Bellator even projected an actual sunset on the video walls to signify the end of a career that was among the most important in the history of mixed martial arts.

While Ortiz's true heyday as a fighter came a long time ago, from 2000-03 when he was UFC light heavyweight champion and the organization's biggest star, his influence changed the sport in many ways. Most know Ortiz had a run as champion and would recognize the name for his long tenure in the sport.