LAS VEGAS - Tito Ortiz isn't ready to retire just yet.
Facing a must-win Saturday night in his light heavyweight bout against Ryan Bader at UFC 132, the 36-year-old Ortiz gave the fans chanting his name inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena what they wanted to see -- dropping Bader with a big right hand and then finishing the job with a guillotine choke less than two minutes into the first round.
"First I have to thank Dana White for pushing me to my limit," said Ortiz of the UFC president, who on Thursday said the MMA legend absolutely had to win to keep his job.
"I'd like to thank Lorenzo Fertitta for giving me this awesome opportunity and giving the fans what they want to see -- me kick some ass."
Ortiz (16-8-1 MMA, 15-8-1 UFC), who was a 5 1/2-1 underdog at the MGM sports book, felt out Bader for the first minute, before landing a solid left. Bader countered with a punch, but shortly thereafter his when Ortiz dropped him with a big right.
"The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" quickly secured the guillotine and Bader -- who dropped his second straight bout after starting his MMA career a perfect 12-0 -- tapped out at the 1:56 mark.
Carlos Condit started off the main card in impressive fashion, landing a flying knee to a stunned Dong Hyun Kim before finishing off the South Korean with a series of punches as Kim lay up against the cage.
Melvin Guillard swears he isn't gonna ask UFC brass for a title shot, another performance or two like Saturday night and he won't have to -- matchmaker Joe Silva will be forced to give one to the up and coming lightweight.
The New Orleans native floored Shane Roller with a left hook and big knee to earn his fifth straight victory and eighth win in his past nine fights, knocking out the former Oklahoma State wrestler just 2:12 into the first round.
"I give you fireworks every Fourth of July," Guillard told a cheering crowd. "I'm kind of emotional right now. My whole life has been a battle, but now I'm coming back to the top.
"I'll keep knocking them out as they line 'em up. I don't know how close I am (to a title opportunity), but I want another top contender next."
Rafael dos Anjos provided the first finish of the evening when he knocked out George Sotiropoulous with a big right hand just 59 seconds into the first round.
Former WEC bantamweight champ Brian Bowles wasn't too pleased with how he got his victory over Takeya Mizugaki, considering it was the first time he's had a non-finish in 11 fights when he earned a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
But Bowles, who might have actually broken his right hand in the first round, said not only would he take the win -- but thinks it actually positions him as the top bantamweight contender.
"I think I'm next in line for a shot at the belt. If not me, then who?" said Bowles, whose only loss came because of a doctor's stoppage against Cruz in March of 2010.
"That was my first decision, so I'm not too happy about that. But Mizugaki is tough as hell and I'm proud to have been able to get a win over him."
After suffering back-to-back losses to Leben and Mark Munoz, Aaron Simpson scored his second straight victory with a unanimous decision over Brad Tavares.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 finalist Andre Winner's time in the UFC might have come to an end as the English fighter dropped his third-straight bout when Las Vegas-based Anthony Njokuani defeated him by a lopsided unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the bout 30-26.
"It took too long for me to get going tonight. I was too tense and didn't use my range. He was a good puncher, but I spar with guys like Paul Daley so I'm use to hard shots," said Winner, who looked like he might be stopped in the first round when Njokuani delivered several hard knees and big punches up against the cage.
"Anthony was just better tonight in all aspects."
