Anderson Silva made quick work of Tito Ortiz on Saturday night.
Silva vs. Ortiz served as the co-main event of Triller Fight Club Legends II, which streamed on Fite TV pay-per-view. The bout was scheduled for eight rounds, but it would not make it out of the first.
The opening round started with Ortiz pawing a jab as he controlled the center of the ring. Silva was content to feel out his opponent in the early moments.
Allowing Ortiz to charge forward, Silva covered up against the ropes while Ortiz threw a series of slow and wide hooks that were easily dodged by the elusive counter-striker. Out of nowhere, Silva countered sharply with a right hand that stunned Ortiz. Two additional lefts landed, and Ortiz fell limp onto the ropes and crashed to the canvas, resulting in the knockout victory at 1:21 in the very first round.
Down goes TITO!#TRILLERFIGHTCLUB LIVE RIGHT NOW ON #FITE!
[ #HolyfieldBelfort | https://t.co/jpCvXLI1j3 ] pic.twitter.com/TyFtFZdHXw
— FITE (@FiteTV) September 12, 2021
Ortiz missed weight for the bout, coming in five pounds over the 195-pound limit. Silva anticipated his opponent would come in heavier than the contracted weight.
This was Silva’s second boxing match of 2021 since stepping away from MMA. The former UFC middleweight champion defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via split decision in June.
Ortiz, 46, recently resigned as Mayor Pro Tem in his hometown of Huntington Beach, Calif. He was last in action in December 2019, when he defeated Alberto Rodriguez by first-round rear-naked choke submission under the Combate Americas banner.
