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UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz is reportedly training at the WWE Performance Center as he looks to become a pro wrestler.
The 45-year-old left the UFC in 2012 but has since had six fights, competing under the Bellator banner, boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya and Combate Americas.
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Ortiz beat former WWE champion Alberto Del Rio - real name Alberto El Patron - in his last fight and could now switch from the cage to the ring.
Esteemed wrestling reporter Dave Meltezer claims the MMA legend has visited the WWE’s Performance Center and wants to make the career switch.
Meltezer said: “Tito Ortiz is training to be a professional wrestler at the Performance Center as we speak.
“Maybe not right this moment, but he was there all week. I heard great things about his work ethic, which doesn’t surprise me, his enthusiasm, which doesn’t surprise me in the least.
“The negative is that Tito Ortiz is 45-years-old and he’s got a really bad neck, and a bad back and, you know, things like that. But, yeah, he wants to be a pro wrestler.”
Ortiz competed alongside Ken Shamrock in the early days of the UFC and went on to beat the American in 1999.
Shamrock was the first MMA fighter to make a high-profile run in pro wrestling, debuting with the WWE in 1997 before working with TNA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and on the independent scene while still fighting.
Since then Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey have both made a name for themselves in WWE and the UFC.
Ortiz revealed he was in talks with the WWE in 2003, but never made the move into the ring.
He told Wrestling Inc: "I did [have talks with WWE] back in 2002 / 2003.
"I believe it was at Seattle at WrestleMania; it was 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin versus The Rock and they brought me backstage.
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“I was still in awe that The Rock was there, and Stone Cold was there, and Brock was there, and I was more of a fan than in my attitude of a fighter.
“They put me on the mic with I believe it was Brooklyn Brawler, and I had a little interview with him and I think he caught me off guard.”
Ortiz has made brief cameos with rival promotion TNA, firstly in 2005 and then in 2013.
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