Renato Babalu summed it up in a few choice quotes over the weekend. He told PunchDrunkGamer.com in an interview recently that he "heard that Tito is not going to fight him anymore" when asked about Machida vs. Tito. Of course, many fans are taking Babalu's words lightly. After all, it isn't official as to whether the fight is off or not.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this matchup won't be happening for a couple of reasons. First, Tito Ortiz probably doesn't want to leave the UFC with a loss, and more importantly, I don't think he wants to leave the UFC. He's playing hardball, and with an impressive win over a mid-echelon fighter, he may be able to convince the UFC brass that he is worth the amount of money that he is asking for. It definitely depends on the kind of drawing power he can get in his next fight.

Secondly, Machida's style doesn't suit anyone in the division, and it certainly doesn't suit Ortiz. Ortiz's bread and butter has been his ground and pound tactics for most of his career. Back problems have hindered his performance in the past couple of years, but he has recently stated that the current time off should allow him to heal. Even if he's healthy, Machida is elusive, non-engaging, and a man of frustration to everyone. Ortiz likely wants an exciting fight that he can build up himself to draw big money, big buys, and bring him a large purse.

Don't be surprised if this fight doesn't happen.