“Dana said I can’t be here,” said Ortiz, as UFC Public Relations director Jennifer Wenk spoke to him and pushed the microphone away, instructing the media not to ask him questions.
“Stay up there Tito,” said Jameson standing off to the side of the stage. “You deserve it.”
As Ortiz spoke to Wenk, he smiled and shook his head as he turned toward the media and said, “I’ve never been kicked out of a press conference before. After 11 years of giving my blood, sweat and tears to make this company what it is I think I deserve to stay.”
Ortiz would sit on the dais for nearly 30 minutes alone as extra security was brought in and Jameson continued to expound on the ridiculousness of the situation. “This is cementing what Tito has been saying for a long time,” she said. “Its freedom of speech, freedom of the press, let him speak.”
Finally White entered the room along with the other fighters, and looked at Ortiz surprised before addressing the media and the situation after I asked him why he didn’t want Ortiz at the press conference. “No, Tito’s welcome to come to the press conference,” said White. “Just as long as he’s not holding his own press conference, I think that’s the issue.”
