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Tito and Ricco on TV: Good or Bad for MMA?

Jan 03, 2008 10:49 AM John Chandler

Beginning tonight and continuing into next week, we are going to experience something for the first time in history. It’s not really a big deal to anyone else, but it’s pretty big to those who follow mixed martial arts on a regular basis. The sport of MMA will be represented on mainstream reality television.


Photo courtesy of NBC.
Now I’m not talking The Ultimate Fighter, TapouT, or another MMA-related reality show that has aired to date. More people will be watching Tito Ortiz and Ricco Rodriguez over the next few months than probably each of The Ultimate Fighter seasons combined.

Ortiz will be trying his hand on Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” on NBC while Rodriguez will be checking into “Celebrity Rehab” on VH1. The connection between the two is quite obvious. They are best friends and former training partners under the Team Punishment banner.

Now the million dollar question - Will the sport of MMA be affected in a positive or negative way because of all this?

In reality (no pun intended), it’s all going to depend on two key things - The behavior of the two and how they are portrayed. Now if we just the past as an example, we’re screwed to put it lightly. Both are brash, cocky individuals. Ortiz is loud and likes to talk trash. Rodriguez has struggled with substance abuse problems in recent years. However I think things might go a little differently.

I’m not really all that worried about Ortiz. I think we’re all aware that he’s a pretty intelligent guy and I’m sure that’s going to be evident on the show. Ortiz has been working with charities for years now and I’m sure that he wouldn’t want to hurt his chances of having a good amount of money go towards St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by acting up. He’ll most likely shine on the show.

Rodriguez is a different story. These VH1 reality shows usually make you or break you in terms of how you behave and how you are portrayed. You can have your career jump-started again like Hulk Hogan or you can be made out to be a complete psycho like Joanie Laurer (Chyna).

So is all of this going to be good or bad for MMA? I don’t know the answer to be honest. Do you? Personally I’m going to have to wait to see how this all plays out. It’s going to be interesting to watch everything unfold without a doubt.

The upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice” begins tonight at 9 PM EST on NBC. Rodriguez and “Celebrity Rehab” will debut on January 10th on VH1.

General • Ricco Rodriguez • Tito Ortiz • UFC

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Comments:

1. David M Singer
from NY
Jan 03, 2008 11:48 AM

Has being on The Apprentice ever been good for anything?

2. John Chandler
from Philadelphia, PA
Jan 03, 2008 12:10 PM

I don’t think so…

3. Bill Reger
from New York
Jan 03, 2008 12:43 PM

The connection between MMA and the Apprentice is obvious.  Season Two winner Kelly Perdew is President of ProElite.  He also has his hands in a ton of other things.  From Wikipedia…

Perdew is currently the President of ProElite.com, a social networking site for mixed martial arts that trades under the symbol PELE.pk. He is also a Managing Director for Angel Venture Partners, a $50 million venture capital fund that co-invests with the leading angel groups across the country in early stage ventures. He also helped develop eTeamz with founder Brian Johnson and is a member on Zaadz.com, a social networking site on changing the world.

He is also the host of the show G.I Factory on the Military Channel. In addition, he has also done a commercial titled “Today’s Military” with Donald Trump, involving him accepting a “military challenge” from him. Perdew is also the author of Take Command: 10 Leadership Principles Learned in the Military And Put To Work For Donald Trump The book focuses on leadership principles that are necessary for success in business and life. ISBN# 1-59698-000-1.

Perdew founded a company called American Family Protection, Inc. to provide government approved training modules to U.S. families on how to respond to a terrorist attack. The interactive CD is called the Terrorist Attack Survival Kit.

In June 2006, Perdew received a Presidential Appointment from President George W. Bush to the Council on Service and Civic Participation.

4. Bill Reger
from New York
Jan 03, 2008 12:51 PM

The Apprentice may actually end up showing Tito in a good light.  He’s no slouch in the business field, taking a $500 loan and developing Punishment Athletics into a huge apparel company.  And if anything, his appearance on TUF actually created more fans for him as he related very well to people, in contrast to his arrogant persona that he likes to use.  I’m not a fan of his at all, but I can’t deny his intelligence at times.

As for Ricco, last I heard, he and Tito are not as friendly any more.  And Ricco’s appearance on this show will be a complete trainwreck, as all the reality shows featured on VH1/MTV are.  Its going to be brutal.  Why do I have a bad feeling my wife will end up watching it, LOL!

5. Chris McCorkle
from USA
Jan 03, 2008 4:17 PM

This is going to be the last Apprentice… I enjoyed the series throughout until now.

And now Ortiz is going to star on it? Blah.

Added this to KnockoutCentral.com anyway

6. DirtyML
Jan 03, 2008 8:52 PM

I think it’s good for Tito, and has little or nothing to do with MMA.

Ricco… well, they are just exploiting his weakness, and that is pretty sad.

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