In an interview with Middle Easy, the Huntington Beach Bad Boy broke down the plans for his MMA future. “July, hopefully Fourth of July weekend I will be fighting my last fight and I will be done,” Tito said when asked what’s next, “That’s it; it’s time to walk away.”

In terms of opponents, Tito suggested Forrest Griffin or even the retired Chuck Liddell, but his plans are still up in the air. “We will see what Lorenzo and Dana have to offer and see what they want to do. I’ll sit down with Lorenzo and Dana next week and let’s see, let’s make a fight, my last fight and let’s make a memorable one.”

Once friends, now bitter enemies, former UFC champions Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz waged intense battles inside and out of the Octagon. “UFC: Bad Blood – Liddell vs. Ortiz” by Anchor Bay Entertainment gives an all access look at the epic feud forged in heated competition over the UFC Championship, and fueled by personal conflict that started before they even had their first fight signed that ultimately boiled over into the fights that all hardcore fans remember.

Anchor Bay’s last documentary style release was their “Ultimate Royce Gracie” DVD , which was generally favorably reviewed, in spite of some of the skewed commentary that we can not hold the distributor accountable for. This time around, we only have one disc instead of two, which includes a 70 minute long documentary, two full fights and “Countdown to UFC 66″. Is this DVD about one of the most well-known feuds in MMA worth picking up, or should you save your money for something else? Hit the jump and find out more about this DVD!

With a total DVD run-time of 150 minutes, I looked very skeptical at this product from the beginning. The packaging of the DVD is the same as the “Ultimate Royce Gracie” DVD, resembling a thin hardcover book more than a DVD case. When you open the book/case, you are greeted with an actual booklet that documents the history of Chuck and Tito separately, a brief hype on their feud, and some other tidbits of info about the two fighters as well as giving you their entire fight records in the octagon, where the majority of their careers took place. The booklet is very stylish and on par with their previous releases with striking design augmented by the great photos we have come to expect from the company.

As I mentioned, this is only a one-disc DVD, with everything on that singular disc and my initial glance of the contents left me very worried about both quality and quantity. How much can really be said about two fights? Turns out I was very wrong, and was quickly thrown into a sharply-produced documentary that was much deeper than I anticipated. The doc begins with Chuck’s retirement announcement, then flashes back to the old SEG UFC days and begins to build up both Tito and Chuck’s careers, combined with a slice of life with the modern Chuck and Tito. Tito takes the viewers on a fishing trip with him to relax, then goes back to his old haunts from his time in gangs as a youth, while we watch Chuck get his mohawk trimmed and have his back cracked by a chiropractor.

The story of Chuck and Tito goes way back, and is also part of the story of the Zuffa purchase of the UFC from Bob Meyrowitz and SEG surprisingly. Meyrowitz never appears in the doc of course, but Dana White pops up plenty and doesn’t hold back on his thoughts on Tito. The best part of watching the doc for me was reliving all of the great old school UFC moments from that era. The first UFC pay-per-view I ever bought was UFC 43, which was main-evented by Chuck VS Randy Couture for the vacant light-heavyweight title that Tito Ortiz left up for grabs when he played ransom with Dana White. Great memories from a truly great time that I look back fondly on.

I was surprised with how much I liked the documentary, since I was really not expecting much at all from it. Hardcore fans can enjoy it for it’s nostalgia and newer fans will like it since a lot of it has never been showed to them before and it’s a quick education lesson in some old school MMA history.

The DVD includes both of Chuck and Tito’s fights against each other, including their first at UFC 47 and their sequel for the title belt at UFC 66. It also includes the “Countdown to UFC 66″ feature from way back when that event first aired. The fights are both fun and a nice look back at two fighters in their absolute primes, even if Tito spent more time dodging fights in his prime than he did lacing up the 4 oz. gloves.

Sadly, that is all the special features on this DVD. Sure, you get both of their fights and a hype vid, but considering how much time was spent with both fighters, I was hoping maybe there would be two alternate commentary tracks with Tito, Chuck, their trainers, whoever, to break down the fights as they happened with more technical details. Perhaps that is something Anchor Bay can work on with Zuffa with their future releases, since I believe I speak not just for myself, but for hardcore fans and students of the sport who want to know as much as possible about the techniques and strategies implemented in the octagon.

The DVD and Blu-Ray will both be available starting August 30, for $19.99 and $29.99 respectively. If you jump on Amazon.com right now, you can pre-order “UFC: Bad Blood – Liddell VS Ortiz” from Amazon.com on DVD for around $16 get “UFC: Bad Blood” on Blu-Ray for $20.99. I definitely recommend this DVD, but ideally get it at a discounted rate since I feel there should have been some more special features in this to sweeten the deal. Relive a great piece of MMA history with this DVD and add it to your collection today!

While you’re still here, did you enter my twitter contest for a chance to win sweet swag from Bellator FC? If not, check out this link and see how easy it is to become a winner!

Round 5 President Damon Lau announces an all-new line of collectible figures, UFC Titans, the latest brand extension of Round 5’s incredibly popular UFC license.

“For the last 3 years, we have had a great time working on our Ultimate Collector Series and the complementary UFC Live and UFC Versus collections. We are incredibly excited to announce our latest project: UFC Titans, says Lau. “As the UFC has grown into a mainstream sport, we wanted to produce a new line that appeals to our current fans as well as the new audiences who are finally recognizing mixed martial arts as the greatest sport on earth.”

The 5-inch UFC Titans figures are one inch shorter than the Ultimate Collector Series but share the same points of articulation at the neck, waist, arms and fists. Fans both new and old will see familiar faces in UFC Titans Series 1, as Round 5 will release figures of Randy Couture, Royce Gracie, Chuck Liddell, BJ Penn, and Georges St-Pierre. While the figures feature the same realistic reproduction of the faces of individual fighters, the Titans feature a more light-hearted design featuring oversize heads and, a first from Round 5, all-vinyl construction.

“The design and vinyl construction is reminiscent of the vinyl HAO-Arts PRIDE collectibles. Fans of the UFC brought in by new names like Brock Lesnar or the last season of The Ultimate Fighter may not necessarily know the full history of the sport or have a deep knowledge of the epic PRIDE fights,” says Barron Lau, CEO of Round 5. “Combining current and future UFC Hall of Famers with vinyl construction and a new whimsical concept, we wanted to give new fans of the sport a collectible they can appreciate that still appeals to our hardcore supporters.”

UFC Titans has been in the pipeline since 2008, but Round 5 “leaked” the figures by mixing a few Titans prototypes into their display at UFC Fan Expo Toronto in April. “We got instant feedback and a lot of questions about the prototypes at the booth and through our Facebook page,” says Damon Lau, “That’s what I love about our fans. You can’t slip anything by them.”

UFC Titans will be available in November 2011 and will retail for $14.99. Round 5 targets a bi-annual series release.

Happy April Fool’s Day, fellow fight nerds! Or perhaps it should be MMApril Fool’s Day! If there is one thing I have learned from “The Ultimate Fighter” series, it’s that fighters love pranking people. It should come as no surprise that this has happened plenty in the past, so let’s take a quick look at a few great jokes that have come at the expense of others.

Yesterday, we highlighted the most recent prank where Brock Lesnar surprised Colin Cowherd of ESPN’s SportsNation show and called him out on some of his trash talk. Today, let’s go into the wayback machine and take us to the old glory days of Pride FC 27, as Mirko Crocop was being interviewed by Mauro Ranallo. Crocop stopped the interview dead in its tracks, telling Mauro that he did not like what he said about him in his last fight, and booted him out of the backstage area. Crocop continues this and things almost get physical, and that is where the fun begins.

After the jump, a few other MMA jokes and pranks to brighten your day! And Happy April Fool’s Day, even though you won’t be too happy with me later.

Bas Rutten interviewing Kevin Randleman in Pride FC, and the two nearly come to blows over their controversial UFC heavyweight title match at UFC 20.

Jason “Mayhem” Miller loses his mind in the offices of EA during a session with the EA Sports MMA video game developers, flipping out in a most genuine fashion. Pretty tense moment, and great viral marketing for the game too. How convenient.

Chuck Liddell discusses an old prank he played on UFC President Dana White. And speaking of Chuck Liddell…

Funny Videos

How about the time he got Punk’d by Ashton Kutcher!

Chuck Lidell’s lady, Heidi Northcott, posted these photos yesterday on her twitter page as “The Iceman” marched down the mean streets of New York City, alongside NY Subway hero Joe Lozito. Liddell, who dyed his moustache and mohawk for the festivities, held the banner for a chapter of the New York Fire Department.

You will notice in the photo above that Chuck is wearing a hat, the reason being is that parade officials did not think Chuck’s green hair was appropriate and was “not Catholic”. However, dressing him up in an oversized poofy cap that looks more offensive, that’s okay! Afterwards, Heidi tweeted that Liddell was filming a public service announcement and then headed to a taping of “Fox Business”. Not sure if this is all part of Chuck Liddell’s new office job but if it is, it sure beats the heck out of a regular 9 to 5!

Hit the jump to see a cute pic of Chucky all tuckered out and taking a nap after a long hard day of parading!

Jakks Pacific has revealed the third line of their UFC action figure two-packs!

Slated for a release in mid-April, this new wave is sadly not that new. The two-packs consist of famous meetings in MMA, and this time we get BJ Penn VS Kenny Florian, Chuck Liddell VS Tito Ortiz and a classic bout from UFC 4 between Dan “The Beast” Severn and Royce Gracie.

Every figure in this line-up is a repaint, meaning these were all previously released figures with some new painted shorts. Also keep in mind, the photos you see here are prototypes that are hand-painted and sculpted, and the actual releases will use Jakks patented “real-scan” technology, where they scan the fighters faces and digitally sculpt them for the most accurate look possible. However, as I said before, this line offers nothing new but is a good jumping on point for collectors who want to get a figure of their favorite dude, since this wave has something for everyone.

The packs will retail between $20-$25, depending on where you find them. New York Toy Fair is also going on this week, and I will be heading to Jakks office later today to get the scoop on the newest UFC figures.

Hit the jump to see the other images of this wave!

Jakks Pacific has released prototype images of their upcoming eighth wave of UFC action figures, which includes a few new faces and some you have seen before, but in a slightly different way.

Included in wave 8 is UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Gabriel Gonzaga, Nate Diaz, a classic version of Matt Hughes and a Pride FC version of Chuck Liddell. Frankie, Gabriel and Nate are entirely new figures, while Rampage and Liddell have new head sculpts. Hughes is the odd man out with just a new set of legs to represent the classic look when fighters were not afraid to wear tights, so long as they were black.

These figures are due out in March with a retail price of around 12 bucks give or take, depending on where you shop. I have no idea yet if any of these figures will include any accessories, like Edgar with a UFC title perhaps or entrance gear like shirts, hats and things like that. Overall, I would say this line looks pretty good, but the Liddell repaint is disappointing since his face just makes him look like a disgruntled Mr. Magoo. I like the new calmer Rampage face, as opposed to the first release of the figure where he was caught in mid-roar. The worst figure of this line has to go to Gabriel Gonzaga, who I mistook for Brock Lesnar at first since he has the same look, down to the color of his shorts. My two favorites here are Edgar and Hughes, since you have to love that classic appearance. Maybe Hughes will come with a retro UFC championship belt if we are lucky!

Hit the jump for more photos of these figures!

UFC president Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta announced the official retirement from the octagon of former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell at a UFC 125 press conference earlier today. However, as Chuck steps out of the cage with his gloves off, he enters a new world within MMA.

Liddell, who was 1-5 in his last six fights, will now be working for the company as the Executive Vice President of Business Development, finally letting him use his degree in Business from California Polytechnic State University. According to Fertitta, Liddell will be involved in fighter relations and implemented in their plans for global domination, er expansion.

“A lot of people have worked hard, fighters who have gone out and put on incredible performances, great shows, traveled all over the world, but there’s one guy who really stands out and who has been a great partner, a great friend, a great champion, the list goes on and on,” said White at the press conference. “For more than 10 years, Chuck Liddell has been more than I can say. More than a friend, more than a fighter, more than a champion, and we’re also here today to announce that he is also becoming one of the top executives in the UFC.”

This is a milestone in this age of MMA as one of the pioneers in the sport has stepped down from combat and joined the world of business men. I remember the first time I saw this mohawked man at one of the old UFC events, and it really is amazing how far we have come since then, while simultaneously being depressed. As much as I don’t want to see Chuck keep fighting and am happy he retired on one hand, on the other it truly signals the end of an era when all of the classic fighters will slowly begin to hang up the gloves and move on to new business ventures. Unlike Randy Couture’s multiple retirements, this one hits much harder since it’s for real from a man who has refused to quit for years. The passing of the torch has officially begun. Good luck, Iceman!

Via MMAweekly

As Christmas comes closer, many shoppers are scrambling to buy some last-minute gifts for the MMA fans in their life. Last week, I offered some helpful hints for those who train with reviews of many different types of MMA training equipment, from gloves to focus mitts and more. Regular viewers on the site now that I love my toys and action figures as well, so here is something that is a bit more fun.

Round 5 MMA has been producing some exceptional figures this year which I have really enjoyed like their UFC Collector series Wave 2 that I reviewed, and I had written about this particular figure awhile back but never gave it a full spotlight. Their two-packs “Versus” series have a special variant which I think is even better than their normal line. Why? Battle damage!

The extreme detail in these series, showing blood and damage appropriate to the bout, is a first for Round 5 collectibles. The cuts and gashes are carved right into the figurines so they appear to be actually bruised. The Limited Edition “Versus” series represents action in the following bouts: Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar (UFC 100), 7-11-2008; and Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell (UFC 47, 4-2-2004). A Special Edition of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva, from PRIDE 28 in October of 2004, features the distinctive shorts Silva wore in the bout with Jackson, and both figures are wearing the gloves specific to that fight. The accompanying display stand is a replica of the PRIDE ring and branded for additional authenticity.

Round 5 is not the first to do this, in fact the “Rocky” series from Jakks Pacific had some beat-up figures, but the Round 5 ones have a unique look and if you find these, I suggest you pick these up, if not for your friends, to send one to me! For more on Round 5, head to their website, and for some HUGE photos of these bloody toys, hit the jump!

Round 5 has taken the next step forward in its offering of UFC collectibles with today’s introduction of “UFC Live” Series 1, featuring all-time UFC greats Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell from their historic UFC 43: Meltdown bout. The two superstars will be sculpted in highly-detailed, realistic, scaled figure statues, packaged separately and available at retail during the 2010 holiday season, it was announced today officially by Barron Lau, Round 5 CEO and co-founder and Damon Lau, president and co-founder, who we spoke to at the UFC Fan Expo and told us about it before hand as well as their other upcoming releases including Dana White and Brock Lesnar.

Created with the higher-end collector in mind, these premium figures will measure a full 10 inches and will also come with a UFC-branded display stand. Together, the Couture and Liddell figures, created at a 1/7 scale, complete a battle scene from the epic June 6, 2003, first meeting between the mixed martial arts legends.

“UFC Live” will also feature a distinctive premium packaging that accentuates the figures and highlights the event for each pair in the series, in this case UFC 43. Round 5 is currently planning future “UFC Live” series figure pairs, to be announced. “UFC Live” is scheduled to hit Toys“R”Us stores this fall and other retailers later in the year.

For me, Round 5 keeps getting better and better, and with this more realistic line, take a step into new territory for the vinyl collector. Is this a buy for you or will you pass on this very cool collectible?