Ufc: Tito Ortiz Vs. Vladimir Matyushenko

[Tim Mousel]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION TITO ORTIZ

TO DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST VLADIMIR MATYUSHENKO

AT UFC 33: VICTORY IN VEGAS,

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2001,

AT MANDALAY BAY RESORT & CASINO IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA



Vitor Belfort Forced To Drop Out After Suffering Training Injury



LAS VEGAS (Sept. 21, 2001) – The all-new Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its Las Vegas debut and triumphant return to cable television with UFC 33: Victory in Vegas, on Friday, Sept. 28, 2001, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Headlining the three-world title fight card is UFC World Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz, of Huntington Beach, Calif., defending his crown for the fourth time when he takes on Vladimir Matyushenko, of Los Angeles, Calif.



Ortiz was scheduled to face 23-year-old Vitor Belfort until the challenger suffered a partially lacerated tricep during training that required 30 stitches. A native of Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Belfort was coming off four consecutive Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) victories in Japan.



Matyushenko, who was scheduled to fight Kevin Randleman at UFC 33, will move into Belfort’s spot and challenge Ortiz. The Los Angeles, Calif. resident is coming off a unanimous decision against Yuki Kondo at UFC 32: Showdown in the Meadowlands. The change in opponents means Randleman will be off the card. UFC 33 now will feature eight bouts.



Tickets for UFC 33 are priced at $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30. Tickets to the event can be purchased at the Mandalay Bay box office, or at any Ticket Master outlet. To order tickets by phone, call 877-632-7400. To order tickets on the Internet, go to TicketMaster.com. Doors open at 5 p.m. PT. The first bout is at 5:30 p.m., while the first televised bout is at 7 p.m. PT.

[hounddog]

this should be a great fight but we've all seen vladdy ground and hold.

I hope he comes out wanting to trade with Tito.

They both obviously possess great takedown skills and takedown defenses. I think the questions are: who is the better striker and who fights better from his back?

I think Tito will be better from his back and he probably is a better kicker. I don't have an opinion on who is the better striker but I have a feeling Vladdy is tougher to knock down and is more willing to take a punch to the mug.
-hD

[flyinclockchoke]

i don't think Tito's gonna be able to treat Vlady like a bitch... and he's definately not a better wrestler than Vlady... are we gonna see Tito fighting from his back?

[Hookah Smokin Caterpillar]

I don't know why, I really don't know why, but I'm picking Vladymir. Just a hunch

[Mad Dog]

Has the potential to be incredibly boring! Tito will not have the "big rough-house wrestler" advantage over Vlady, which could make it interesting. Whatever happens, I sure hope Tito gets his butt kicked. I hope the other Tito gets whupped up on Saturday!!!!

[Bau]

This sucks....I was really hoping to see Vitor fight in the UFC again...I think If anyone would be able to beat Tito convincingly , it would be Vitor...
oh well....dont know much about Vlady.....but it seems like it might go to the judges.....then again I thought Tanner would give tito a good fight and look what happened!

[DIRE WOLF]

Good fight but I think Tito will win.

[Arclight]

Vladdy is solid but Tito has a lot more experience against top tier opponents.

Tito will not have the wrestling skills advantage he has had over past opponents, and he has spent his time preparing for a striker and jiu-jitsu guy with only passable sprawl and takedown prevention skills, not a world-class wrestler with heavy hands who likes to trade, who isn't going to be easy to take down.

So it may be a little more matched than people think. HOwever one thing is for sure, is that Vladdy won't be subbing Tito on the ground.

I still pick Tito, I don't think it'll be as easy as Tanner or Elvis though due to the matchup of styles.

Paul

[elmatador]

Tito will win with no problems! Vlady wont be able to handle Titos attack!

[flyinclockchoke]

I think we're gonna see Vlady taking Tito down in the first 30 seconds! I don't think Vlady is gonna want to stand and trade with Tito. He's seen Tito in action and knows that he can be dangerous... Vlady is not a small guy, and a WORLD-CLASS wrestler... Tito has never faced a dude with Vlady's size, athleticism and skillz, rolled into one, before.

Isn't that true?