Look who’s back

Things can happen quickly in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, both in and out of the ring.

Tito Ortiz, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” has seen it all.

In the past year, he’s mended his relationship with UFC President Dana White. He and his girlfriend, adult film star Jenna Jameson, had twin boys, Jesse and Journey, in March.

Life outside the octagon has moved just as fast as a takedown for Ortiz, one of the most recognizable names in the sport. Oh yeah, and at the age of 34, he’s ready to make his comeback.

Ortiz will fight Forrest Griffin Saturday night in Las Vegas as the main event of UFC 106. The fight, which is Ortiz’s first since losing to Lyoto Machida at UFC 84 in May 2008, will be available on pay-per-view.

After that fight, many thought Ortiz was done with the UFC. He had a falling out with White, partially stemming from White’s control over the business side of the organization. But last Friday in a conference call with reporters, Ortiz sounded at-ease and ready to get back into it.

“Everything’s awesome,” Ortiz said. “I just kind of miss that Dana travels so much because I don’t have anybody to cuddle with in the nighttime.”

Seriously though, Ortiz is back. But for a while, it was his back that seemed to put his status in doubt. Ortiz had back surgery last October and just started training again over the summer. For the past several weeks, he’s been in Big Bear, training at a facility the “Bad Boy” bought from the “Golden Boy,” Oscar de la Hoya.

His weight went as high as 232 pounds. Now, he said he’s between 218 and 222 and “in some of the best shape of my life.” He’ll cut weight to meet the 205-pound light-heavyweight limit.

“I’m a fighter,” he said. “You know, I’ve been in this game for 12 years. I won the world title after a year-and-half of competition and held onto it for four consecutive years and five consecutive title defenses, longer than any other light heavyweight’s ever done it.

“When I got injured, everything kind of went downhill after that. I was just kind of training to survive for each fight and, you know, there’s fight I should have taken and I shouldn’t have taken, but I believe when I come in I have a lot of heart. I have a lot of determination and you know I put in the right training. And when it’s fight time, you know I give it my all.”

Ortiz has a 16-6-1 professional record in mixed martial arts. The 1993 Huntington Beach High graduate was a wrestler with the Oilers, finishing fourth at the CIF state meet at a senior. He went on to wrestle at Golden West College, where he won two state junior college titles, and at Cal State Bakersfield.

Some may feel Ortiz has something to prove. He lost to Chuck Liddell in late 2006, fought Rashad Evans to a draw in 2007 and lost to Machida in 2008. He hasn’t won since beating Ken Shamrock for the third time in October 2006.

The light heavyweight division he once dominated is now led by younger fighters like Machida, Shogun Rua and Evans. But Ortiz doesn’t seem worried. He’s still plenty young at heart, and he can still get his shots in.

Griffin responded to a question during the conference call by saying his pre-fight ritual includes a cup of coffee on the way to the arena. Minutes later, responding to a different question, Ortiz made the offhand remark that drinking coffee doesn’t help because the caffeine dehydrates you.

Ortiz was supposed to fight Mark Coleman Saturday, but Coleman pulled out due to injury. This led to Ortiz posting a message on his Twitter: “Coleman, Coleman, Coleman. Too bad he sissies out!!!”

Of course, he’s “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.” Fans would expect nothing less.

This is the second time he’s tangled with Griffin, who won the first season of the television series “The Ultimate Fighter.” When they fought at UFC 59 in April 2006, Ortiz won a controversial split decision. But Griffin is coming off a first-round loss to Anderson Silva in August.

“I get to be a headline fight coming off two losses and that’s a big deal for me right now,” said Griffin, whose career mark is 16-6. “Tito talks about being career-minded and stuff like that, and I want to be a headline fight right now, you know?”

Ortiz knows. He can’t wait until the opening bell Saturday night.

“[I look forward to] just the energy in the arena, just feeling that energy again,” he said. “You know, I haven’t felt that energy in the last 18 months. That and getting my hand raised. I think that’s something I haven’t felt in the last almost two years. It’s something that I’ve worked really hard over the last six months and, you know, I’m in shape.

“I feel physically, mentally, emotionally ready for this fight.”

UFC 106

Who: Tito Ortiz (16-6-1) vs. Forrest Griffin (16-6)

Where: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

TV: Pay-per-view