Michael Jai White interviews the MMA legend. To donate to the "Fight Back" campaign - where 100% of proceeds go to support front line responders with Personal Protection equipment, visit the Red Cross donation link here.

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[MUSIC PLAYING]

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: All right. This is Michael Jai White, and I'm speaking with the man himself, Tito Ortiz.

TITO ORTIZ: What's up, Michael? How you doing, buddy?

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Good, man. I'm good. You staying healthy?

TITO ORTIZ: Yeah, of course. Man, I've been in the house now for going on two months. And hopefully there's light at the end of this tunnel.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes, sir. I'm sure-- I'm sure it will be. I'm an optimist. I feel like, you know, when you go through any kind of adversity, as we understand in life, you're usually better at the other end of it. You know, it builds character and-- I mean, you know. I think-- you know, I think there's been a kind of a reset, I feel, in nature. You know?

And people are like reconnecting with nature. I see more people ever-- being in LA, people are walking, and they're jogging, and they're-- you know, I see families out together. And this stuff would have probably never happened, right? If it wasn't for this.

TITO ORTIZ: True, true, true.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Hopefully, people-- when we get-- from this, we still cherish the nature and that special time together.

TITO ORTIZ: You know, I think we'll get through this. I think-- I don't think it'll be a problem at all. I just-- I think people need to get more educated on what's going on, what things are being held back. I mean, there's so many things you kind of have to watch the gray lining or cross the red line of saying the wrong stuff, making sure you're educated on what you're saying and what's your understanding of this virus in general.

There are just so many scary points that you've got to make sure you pay attention to. And-- but good thing to be under quarantine is looking up everything, Googling everything, making sure I'm talking to my buddies who are doctors, who are first responders, and seeing what the truth is out. Because sometimes, the media can lie to the public.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, man. I mean, I got to-- I've got to herald Black Belt Magazine for doing this. This is so great. Because there are true heroes out there. Those first responders, my god, what they're going through. I mean, these people are going to work realizing there's a risk, that they can get this illness and may never see their family again, because they'd be quarantined in another-- in a serious way.

So to have to deal with that every day, you know? That's the most heroic thing I could imagine.

TITO ORTIZ: I mean, these guys are willing to sacrifice time from their family, sacrifice themselves for their families, for our country, and I'm very, very thankful for every one of our first responders.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, yeah. I feel like we get used to like care providers-- you know, almost like our parents, we just think, that's what you're supposed to do. Well, these people aren't our parents. These people are-- they have their own-- their own families.

And you can imagine how easy it would be for them to just basically tap out and say, I'm not going to-- I'm not going to risk myself and risk my family, you know? Because, you know, that's pretty daunting. They're seeing firsthand what can happen. They're seeing people who are sequestered from their family, and their loved ones can't even see them in their most dire need, you know? And people are leaving this planet.

You know, bless their hearts, leaving this planet without being able to contact, to be in connection with their loved ones, for fear of-- of them spreading the disease.

Now that-- you know, being-- can you think about that? Being-- you know, you're a dad too. You know, everybody's got a family. Can you imagine what that's going through-- that these are what these people-- these first responders are dealing with on a daily basis, man.

TITO ORTIZ: Yeah, and this is one of the things I try to help out here in Orange County, was getting trailer parks for people who are first responders, who can't go home. Because they were sleeping in their cars. They just weren't going home at all, because they're afraid to spread it. So I mean, we're able to build something to give back and get trailer homes for them to stay in front of their homes. When they've got to come home, you know, they wash themselves off. They're washing everything, and then they're sleeping in their own trailer. Wake up in the morning, they're doing it every day. And this is just for the first responders.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, bro. It's like, as we know, being people who trained in-- you know, I feel like we have-- we have more coincidences than I ever even thought. But one thing is that, oh my goodness, it's-- you know from training that adversity exposes who you really are. You know, you could be-- you could be in a lovely relationship, but when adversity rears its head, then it exposes its true character.

Now with this adversity, it's showing who's really heroes in this situation. These first responders are just amazingly heroic people that are just so selfless. I just hope that we don't forget them after this this thing has blown over. But you know--

TITO ORTIZ: And that's completely true. The first responders, of course, our PD-- I mean, here in Orange County, and of course in Los Angeles, NYPD. I was in New York right before my last fight in December, and I had an opportunity to talk to a few of the officers. And like, man, people just don't expect this anymore. And it's like, we're trying to risk our lives to kind of keep these people protected.

And now all of a sudden, everything's been switched around. All of these people are being very thankful for police. And it's important, I think, they kind of get confused between a good cop and bad cop. Because there's so many good cops out there.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, we're in a very unique time. This hasn't happened before. We have this social media age, and that's exposed the worst of us and the best of us at the same time. Because, I mean, you can have a chat room or whatever, and one idiot can sink the whole ship. One hater, one troll, has a lot more power.

You know, before, if you're an idiot, you're by yourself. But now you can find a host of other idiots that's going to back you up. So you know, that's the bad part. But I think, in a way, it all balances things out to some degree, if you weigh the two sides of anything.

Because on the other side, the positive stuff. You can seek out those things that are positive and seek out other people who can help you make the world better.

TITO ORTIZ: That's a good thing with social media. It's like, when there is negative stuff, just hit the Block button. That's what I do. I don't even play around with it. I don't even listen to it. I mean, I had to do this. And of course, being a Huntington Beach bad boy from the UFC, I always had people talking down on me and always would say what a horrible fighter I was. But I mean, in general, as a person, I try to be the best person I possibly can be for my children.

You know, I want to be the father my father never was. I work hard. And you know, being in this quarantine, this is normal life for me. You don't understand. This is how my life is in training. I'm going three months at a time, three times a year, and I'm in quarantine. But it's called training. And I get up, I train, I eat, I sleep. I get up, I train, I eat, I sleep.

For everybody else who are out there who have a normal job, a 9:00 to 5:00 job, who have to get up to support their family, this makes it very difficult, this time. And for them, stay strong, and we can get through this together. It's just-- I think a lot of decisions, a lot of things, educate people on what this truly is about is very, very important.

And how can you tell between what's the truth and what's a lie? And it's very hard to do that. But I think if you do your homework and your research, you can find the truth.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Absolutely. But, you know, you have to have-- you've got to have a balanced head to discern the difference. Because one of the things is, if we have a-- we're products of what we've been fed, OK? And we have a belief. We find-- we tend to find the things that support our belief and ignore the things that don't.

I would try to encourage people-- hey, my philosophy in life is, I want to prove the opposite right. Right? If I'm arguing with anybody, I want to prove you right before I prove you wrong. Because every time I'm wrong, I learn something, and I benefit from it. So I love being wrong. Just like-- like even training wise.

You know, even when I'm sparring, you know, to get better, I always want-- like even if I was sparring with somebody who has lesser ability, I'm going to use my lesser techniques. And I want to be like-- I may wait till that hand is this close to me before I slip it, right? And maybe I'm going to get caught a bunch of times. And they go, oh, Mike's not as good as I thought he was.

But that's on them. But I've-- I've gotten better. I've gotten better-- my skills have gotten better with somebody who has lesser ability. So I'm always gaining. My whole philosophy is, let me lose. Let me learn something. It means nothing if I'm faster and stronger than somebody else and I just overpower them. What did I learn? I learned nothing. So that's a whole thing.

You know, I just-- I just-- you know, it's just-- the information's out there. You know, you just got to like-- it's just the ego stuff. And, you know, hopefully people can navigate around that and just say, hey this is cool to humble yourself and learn. You know? We can learn from each other, even our enemies. You can learn from idiots.

TITO ORTIZ: Yeah, I've learned from most of my losses than I have from my wins. I mean, my wins, like, oh, yeah, I'm good, I'm one of the better fighters. But then, in my losses, maybe sit down for a month and like really indulge and think about it. And you're like, wow, what did I do wrong? And next camp, I want to do the same type of things wrong where, I bring in guys who are better than me. Or maybe guys who are not as good as me so I can get my confidence up. There is like a happy medium right in between.

And this is just in the fighting world, everybody. This is not in life in general. But to a certain extent, if there is a little bit of life, that is-- this is about.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Isn't that true in life, though?

TITO ORTIZ: Yup.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: It's that medium, man. And one of the things-- my heart always goes out to you. Because I feel like there's so many-- like there's so many coincidences in our lives. And you know, looking--

You know, I've met you a number of times. We've bumped into each other, and you are always-- you know, held yourself in. You're just like really quiet and seem like-- you always seemed to me like just a guy with a huge heart. And you're in this-- and for me, I always say I've always been like a walking contradiction.

But when I look at you, I think like, you're a massive walking contradiction. Because it's like, he's a sweet guy who could be-- you know, he could turn it on. You are a family man. You're really-- the thing I like about you, man, is your honesty. You are just honest to the core.

And when somebody does-- I mean, that's so great for their health. And to put yourself out there, you know, so publicly. You're a hero. And of course, there's the haters that want to-- you know, what you're enduring and putting that freaking-- putting freaking UFC on your back like that, under all the-- you know, all the stuff and people who don't understand.

A lot of them don't understand us sensitive badasses, which is-- it's all a part of the same thing. Because if we weren't sensitive, why would we build that armor?

TITO ORTIZ: Well, it's an emotion, you know? It's a defense mechanism that we learn as young kids, as, you know, we got bullied. I got bullied as a kid. You know, I got into wrestling because I didn't want to get bullied anymore. I put myself through college because I wanted to be educated, because I didn't learn in high school. I just learned enough to get me by through-- to qualify for wrestling.

But when I got 18, I kind of realized that, wow, man, I got to be a little more educated. I've got to put myself through school. And I did. I wanted to be a high school wrestling coach, and physical education resource-- or excuse me, physical education teacher and resource teacher. I mean, I wanted to help to give back to kids. That was my main goal.

Being a fighter wasn't something that was my main goal. You've got to understand that. But I mean, 23 years later, I'm still fighting, and I'm still doing these things that I love. But there's a different consequence behind it, you know? It's a physical consequence of the surgeries I've had-- you know, I've had eight major surgeries.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Oh, wow.

TITO ORTIZ: Five spinal surgeries. But I'm still grinding, and I'm still doing it, because I believe in myself. I believe in [INAUDIBLE]. I believe in my skills. I believe my goals in life, you know? The home I live in, I'm very thankful living in it. I didn't come from money. The cars I have. I didn't come from money.

I think when people and say like, yeah, those are all materialistic things. I go, but these were goals in my mind as a kid going, I'm going to achieve this, I'm going to get this, I'm going to get that, I'm going to get this. And when I achieve those goals, I lay in bed and I sit and I go, damn, Tito, you've done a lot of work to get to this point. But I made it happen. And I did it with honesty. I did it with respect, with dignity, integrity. I did the things that I did--

By my name, as you say, man, I'm a truthful person. You know, I don't want to lie, because I won't have to worry about telling the next lie to fill the last lie. I always tell the truth. Because if you don't want to hear the truth, then don't listen to me. I'm going to tell you the way it is. That's the way I am.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: In the end, you've got to look at yourself in the mirror. I think the true measure of a man is there's a code. You know? You've got to live by a code, something that you feel like you can live and die for.

I feel like maybe-- I don't know you agree with me, but-- very much like what martial arts did to me. It saved my life. And I feel like wrestling might have done that same thing. It gave us a discipline. We use that as a tool to galvanize ourselves.

You know, I grew up-- I've been on my own since I was 14, right? And I've probably been in like-- it's stuff that you see in the movies, man. Shoot outs and everything. But back when I thought it was normal, right? I've been shot twice, but then so have several of my friends. And I thought that was normal.

But all the while, I was the person that I am now underneath, right? And that's why I had to build that armor, because, damn, I cared about everything. I cared-- things that rolled off of other people, damn it, I cared. I'd put my life on the line for my-- my block or my friends. That's just us not understanding our nature, which is, our nature is love. But where you're growing up in a harsh environment, so then we build this armor.

Like I say, if something's precious, and you got a diamond, you put it in a-- you know, 4-inch--

TITO ORTIZ: You defend it with your life.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. You put it in a safe, you know? You put it into something that's going to protect it. And then we become that safe.

And then it kind of-- what's the coincidence? That here we are, these sensitive beings. And we know how sensitive we are. Right?

TITO ORTIZ: Yep.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: We'd give our lives for our family. Now is that something of a hardened person? No, it's not. And like you, another coincidence that I became-- I was a custodial parent for my-- you know, like as a guy, as well, just like you. My ex had, you know, certain problems, and I had to take over. And, you know, one of those weird things where you're mom and dad.

TITO ORTIZ: Right, yeah. And I'm lucky I found a good friend. I found a good partner. I found a good partner. It took me a year, but I found a really good partner. I've been with her now for seven years.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Amber.

TITO ORTIZ: Amber, yes. Amazing woman. Someone who is not selfish, who cared about my kids as much as I do, and willing to sacrifice everything for them, as I am. At the end of the day, you know, people talk about your legacy. And my legacy is my children.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes, sir.

TITO ORTIZ: I look back on it and it's like, you know, when I'm gone, what are people going to think about me? Tito Ortiz was a Huntington Beach bad boy. Tito Ortiz [INAUDIBLE] UFC champion. But what do you do beyond that?

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes, sir.

TITO ORTIZ: And I think spreading the truth and-- and showing what a true father is about, that's one of my goals, is being a real great father. Because my father wasn't.

And it wasn't his fault. I understand it wasn't his fault. It was his father's fault. You know? And then that's the way that he was taught, and he was never to learn different. I was taught that, but I was willing to go outside the box and learn different. And I did that, and I'm successful from it. And the sacrifices I went through in life, I've been through so many sacrifices that I can look back on them, and they were all learning processes. They were all learning examples that made me a better man, a better person, a better human being on this earth.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. I really applaud you on that. Because that's one of the things that I had to-- one of my biggest gripes in society is that we've learned-- we've created a culture that can scapegoat everything. You can blame it on your parents, you blame it on your upbringing. And it's not that way.

I mean, I grew up with a brother who, we are like night and day. We grew up in the same house.

So where's my excuse? If I blamed a certain behavior on the fact that I grew up without a dad, or my dad was a gangster, and therefore I'm a gangster. Or if I said, my dad's a gangster, therefore I'm not a gangster, the public would agree with me both times, because it's so in fashion to blame everything.

Hey man, it's like, hey, this was a pre-existing condition. You know, we got to take responsibility of who we are.

TITO ORTIZ: Responsibility for your actions, exactly.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: It's like so-- so acceptable for people to go, oh, well, you know, my bad upbringing. And that's going to excuse my BS. You know? That's just--

TITO ORTIZ: Stop playing the victim and be responsible for your own actions at the end of the day. If you can look in the mirror and be respectful for yourself--

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: People haven't figured that out though.

TITO ORTIZ: --that's important.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. Think about how many people you know that haven't figured that out.

TITO ORTIZ: Yeah.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: But you did. You know what I mean? That's so-- that's such a great thing, because our children, who mean more to us than we mean to ourselves, they're going to do what they-- they see us do, not necessarily what we say.

So as an example--

TITO ORTIZ: That's funny.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: You know what I mean?

TITO ORTIZ: I have that right next to my-- I have that right next to my bed [INAUDIBLE] sign underneath my lamp. And it says, my children-- one day, my son won't listen to what I say, but he'll listen to what I do.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: That's good.

TITO ORTIZ: And it's true, man. It is true to heart.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, man. And however we arrived at that place, where we balance this all out, I mean, that's the destination. That's the goal of what martial arts is, is to-- you know, to galvanize and create a complete human being, somebody who gives back to society, who gives back to their humanity.

TITO ORTIZ: In a positive manner. 100%. I'm right there with you, man.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, you know. And I'm saying, I'm very-- you know, I really-- I really look up to you for that. Because, you know, you are in a very unique situation. Like there's been so many people who-- you know, in a male dominated society, right? Especially in a society that like-- especially with this whole, you know, social media and everything else.

In a male dominated society, we who are pugilists, we who are fighters, we are given a power. Especially you, because you are a professional fighter. You know, I fight, you know what I mean? You do it for a living.

TITO ORTIZ: I understand. I understand. I get it.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: But the thing is, what we represent to people. What they have is-- you know, in a male dominated society, there's so much honor given to the fighter, beyond anything else. Because, hey, you can have a roomful of dignitaries. You know, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a president [INAUDIBLE]. And then a fighter walks in the room, and every head looks at the fighter.

TITO ORTIZ: And I've been in that room so many times.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Exactly, right?

TITO ORTIZ: It's cool, because then people they-- they want to see a different side of you. They want to see if you are just a fighter. And when I have these conversations, and just so particular, of different things that have been said. And it's just-- they're like, wow, Tito, you're a really good dude.

And I'm like, listen. At the end of the day, if my kids are happy, have a roof over their head, they have clothes on their back, there's food in the refrigerator, I'm doing my job as a father.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: And that's what I truly care about. And at the end of the day, I can say, that's all I care about. Every day, I have to think about that. I have a nice house. I live very nicely. I've worked hard for 23 years to make that happen. I came from nothing. My mother and father were heroin addicts. My mother got sober to leave my father, gave me a new life. And I had to do that same situation with my twin boys, where their mother had a drug problem. I didn't to get sober. I didn't want to lose everything we had. And I had to make the decision my mom made.

I made that same decision. I told my mother, I'm all, Mom, thank you so much. She's like, what are you talking about? [INAUDIBLE]. You made me make the same decision you made, and I had to make the decision for the future of my children. I did that, and now life is almost normal. I would say because it's quarantine it's not normal. But it is as normal as life can get, I think, for me personally. Just for me.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, myself, I-- there's a quote of this guy Roberto Bernini. He did this movie years ago, won an Oscar for this movie called "Life is Beautiful." And he said something-- he said he had the gift of poverty. And I take that to heart, because I feel like one of the happiest people on the planet because of where I came from.

And the fact that you can-- you know, there's so much that-- just like we are reconnecting with nature in another way now, there's-- I remember when things were really bad, OK? Instead of harping on my past, I use that to say, wow, from that perspective, life is beautiful right now. And the things that I have to complain about, I should be embarrassed about. You know? Really, if I look at it from where I came, you know?

So it's-- and, you know, I'm saying really-- I'm really-- because it's a unique thing to see someone who's navigated through what you had to navigate through to find yourself in that balanced place, where all of that, even though people's heads are going to turn when you walk in a room. That's intoxicating for a lot of people. That's-- some people will allow the public to define who they are. Because they want-- they want to hold onto that power, because the little nerd that they used to be needs that. They need people bowing down.

But when you go, oh, you know what? That's great. But what matters is my friends and my family, those people that I love, and who love me. So to get to that place-- and I just go-- you know, bless their hearts. There's a lot of people in in Hollywood who-- and a lot of fighters and what-- who-- who they got into it because there was a-- they were compensating for something. They wanted--

TITO ORTIZ: Some of the most successful people in the world come from that. I mean, look at Dwayne. I mean, Dwayne Johnson. I mean, he comes from almost the same experiences. But just-- he had, you know, was it $7 in his pocket, and that was it? And he was able to bounce back and become the superstar that he is. But it's just hard work and dedication of pushing yourself forward and working hard each and every day and dedicating yourself. There's a lot of dedication, a lot of self-sacrificing you've got to do to become great.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: And he's a wonderful-- I mean, that guy, I think he's deserving of every accolade, everything that he gets.

But, you know, I have to feel sorry for those who, you know, like a drug, they lost that. That drug became so intoxicating, that fame became so intoxicating. And I don't want to put names out there, because we know a lot of people who have taken the exit.

TITO ORTIZ: Yes.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: And just-- their ego has just driven them to a place where, you know--

TITO ORTIZ: It's all about power, power and fame. You know, I got to that point at one time in my career, back in 2003. But I mean, I was still a pretty decent good guy. I was the world champion of the world. You know, I thought that my shit didn't stink, and I thought I could kill everyone.

And all of a sudden, I got a little humble pie served nice and warm by Randy Couture. He took my world title from me. I walked out with 20 people from my corner. And when the fight was over, and I lost, there was two people in my corner-- my coach and one of my best friends. And those people were with me for the rest of that night, and they're still with me to this day.

And it's crazy, because when you get served a little piece of humble pie like that in such a quick-- beginning of a career-- you understand life a little bit more. You understand the difference between right and wrong. You understand, you know, everything can be taken away with the snap of the fingers.

But at the same time, you want to work. You want to benefit for your kids. Or, in my fact, for my family, of just working hard. And don't ever step on anybody to get ahead. You know, respect people the way you want to be respected. And I think it's really important. A lot of people don't do that.

I think it's coming around a little bit more. You know, I've been in this quarantine. I think people are a little more educated and looking things up and seeing if they're right or if they're wrong. And if I'm wrong, I'm saying, you know what, I admit it, I'm wrong, I apologize. But when I'm right, you know, I'll go to my grave with it.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, man. That's-- that's, man, commendable. And, you know, congrats for getting to that place, man. Like I say, man. It's-- I love to be wrong, because it just-- it just teaches me more. It just teaches me-- you know, I get to learn. Learning is just fascinating, you know? So how's training going?

TITO ORTIZ: If you're willing to dig into it and kind of find out what [INAUDIBLE] truly about. You know, what's the right, and what's the wrong? You know, what's the happy medium? There's so many different things.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. So how has-- how has training been? I mean, first of all, I am amazed by what you know-- as far as regenerative properties and, you know, what you know. Like the things you were talking about with the-- man, you were talking about so many things that it's like freaking over my head, right? You sound like a scientist with it. That you've gone through all of that, and you're pain free, training at altitudes, all that.

Can you expound on that? Because I'm actually fascinated.

TITO ORTIZ: So in the beginning of my career, I've always found out, you know, who are the best fighters? Who are the fighters that are out there winning? Who are the fighters out there not getting tired? You know, I watch guys like Oscar de La Hoya, Fernando [INAUDIBLE], Tyson, Lennox Lewis. And they're prime of their years, of their heydays. And I was saying, where are they training?

You know, the UFC just got bought by the Zuffa company, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta. And they're telling me, like you know, you need to go up to Big Bear. I go, what's-- Big Bear for what? He goes, altitude training. Altitude training? Yeah, it's 7,000 feet up there. He goes, it actually will help you reproduce more red blood cells in your body.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Right.

TITO ORTIZ: Thank god that I actually was a physical education major in college that kind of understood, you know, through kinesiology, anatomy, learning these different things on your body about just, you know, rehabilitation and so forth of what makes your body be preserved or be quickly to respond to things. And altitude for your body actually does help. It actually does produce red blood cells in your body to recover faster.

And I was like, all right, let's try this out. So from 2000-- from 2000 until 2014, I was in Big Bear for every one of my camps. I would go up there for three months. I would be in quarantine. [INAUDIBLE] like quarantine now, this has only been two months. Do three months quarantine, sparring every day, wrestling every day, jujitsu every day, running every day, weight training every day, and doing that, you know, six days a week. Not every day, six days a week for three months, man.

And I was like, OK, I came down for the fight. And up there. I was running a mile in about, oh, 6:15. I was like, OK, that's really good for 3,000-- or for 7,000 feet. I can run. That's really good. So let's try it. And I came down right before a fight. It was before [INAUDIBLE] fight where I fought [INAUDIBLE].

I came down and I ran a mile. I ran a mile in 5:05. That's the fastest mile I've ran in my life. Let me tell you. My recovery was like this. I mean, within 40 seconds, 45 seconds? I would recover 100%. And I was like, wow. But I had to go all the way up to Big Bear to make this happen.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: I live in Huntington Beach. I'm up in Big Bear. It's two hours away. I was like, my kids had school and everything. So when I became a full time father, I was like, no, I gotta find something that will change it, where I'm able to do the altitude but stay in sea level. And a company called Ascent Adaptation in Newport Beach has a machine called the CVAC machine.

It's an altitude simulation machine which produces red blood cells in your body. Now since, gosh, 2004 I started using it. And I would use it periodically through the time, you know, up to about 2015.

And there was all these different times I wasn't up in Big Bear that I would use it. So when I was at home, I was like, gosh, how am I going to get up to Big Bear and get that same altitude? Well, I found machines that were in. I was at Ascent Adaptation in Newport Beach. They had this machine. I was like, you know what? I'm going to start using it.

I used it five days a week. I would do three sessions a day. They were 20 minute sessions. And what I was doing, I was reproducing my red blood cells in my body. Over the last three years, I was like, OK, I have all these red blood cells in my body. It's keeping me young. I'm recovering fast. My recovery time is even better [INAUDIBLE]. What can make the difference to make it better as I'm older?

I mean, I'm 45 years old. What can make it better? Well, I found actually a hyperbaric chamber-- and a small one, one that fits in my room. It helps out a lot. One of my friends, Nick Barnett, that used to play for the Green Bay Packers, he had one. And I was like, hey, can I borrow that? He said, sure.

But I figured out myself that if I can do the CVAC for the five days, and then on Saturday, do the hyperbaric chamber, which compresses all the red blood cells and produces white blood cells, can I get double dipping right here? Can this really work? And did it. I did it for one week. I did it for another week. And then, my third week, I had a little bit-- like a blood-- not a clot, but like a blood bubble in my arm.

And it scared the hell out of me. I was like, what the hell is this? I've never had this before. I talked to my doctor. He's all, hold on, let me talk to another person [INAUDIBLE].

And he's all, how did you figure out how to do a hyperbaric chamber after the altitude simulation machine? I was all, well, I kind of just used my own brain of, you know, common sense of, you know, if I reproduce a bunch of red blood cells, and I do a hyperbaric chamber to compress those-- and produce white blood cells where the red blood cells were, and I can do it every week, it will just make me stronger. It will make me recover faster and make me be able to do the things I wanted to do during training. And he's like, you should be a scientist, because that's exactly what we thought and we figured out.

But if you would have done it the opposite way around, and you would have done the hyperbaric chamber first, and then did the red blood cell replacement, you would die. Because what happens is it makes your red blood cells expand after you push it in. He goes, you would've killed yourself.

I was like, well, thank god I have a little bit of common sense to myself.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, I mean, putting it all together.

TITO ORTIZ: And anybody who's listening, please make sure you follow your doctor's orders, and what they say, and what they want to do [INAUDIBLE]. And then do a hyperbaric chamber or a CVAC, which is an altitude simulation machine.

You know, it's always CVAC first and then the hyperbaric chamber after. But those are the things that actually kept me young, man. They keep me going, and they keep me fast, keep me on point. With training, with everyday life.

I mean, I have no more soreness. I mean, I've had four next surgeries. I've had a back surgery. I've had three surgeries, a reattached retina on my left eye. And I'm still banging. I'm still going, and everything seems normal to me.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: That is very unique. Because almost everybody who's had their back opened up that I know, or their neck, never get better. You know, they don't go back to normal.

TITO ORTIZ: So here's the thing beyond that. A lot of people who do have back problems or neck problems-- I've been through this stuff. I've grinded through this stuff. I've done my research. I mean, when I did my first back surgery, I had L4-5 S1 fused. And I was afraid.

I mean, I heard people getting that done, and they were never going to ever compete again. And this was back in 2009 that I got it done.

And what I come to find out is, make sure you have a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic, a neurosurgeon to work on your spine. And the neurosurgeon that can put the less hardware in your body is the best. The guys who want to put, you know, rods and screws and everything, that's too much hardware in your body. Your body's not going to accept it. You're going to have problems throughout your life.

And the ones who already have it done, I apologize. I wish you guys would have seen this earlier, and I wish you guys would have studied what I've done over the last 10, almost 11 years now.

But the less hardware in your body is the best. That's what saved me.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. So many people go straight to orthopedic. And I always warn everyone. Your pain is dealing with nerves. OK? Deal with people. It's a nerve issue. It's not-- it's not a bone issue. And that's--

TITO ORTIZ: 100%.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: People just, you know, you veer off. And, you know, we got-- we know the horror stories that's come of that. Because, I mean, my ex was a doctor. And she'd be first one to tell you. That-- I mean, doctors, there's a-- you go to a doctor, they're going to-- they have-- with somebody with a limited knowledge about something, they're only going to talk about what they know.

It's kind of like, to a hammer--

TITO ORTIZ: You go to an elbow doctor, you go to a wrist doctor, an elbow doctor, a knee doctor, a back doctor, a neck doctor.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: If it's in the spine, it's a neurosurgeon.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: It's a nerve-- it's a nerve thing. And it just--

TITO ORTIZ: If it's any other part of your limbs, then go to that specialist.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, it just makes sense. But yeah, so-- and I'm telling you, I was dealing with-- I feel embarrassed even saying it, because I've had a little-- you know, I had a neck issue a couple of years ago. And, you know, the first person I thought about was you. I was like, man, he's going to--

TITO ORTIZ: Not had a problem in C6, C7. Because we were just pointing right now, probably C6, C7, he had a minor bulge, probably about maybe 2 to 3 millimeters.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Dude. My left hand? It atrophied. Man, I couldn't do a push up. The whole side didn't work. You know, finally, it got better. It was just compression. It was, you know, a nerve issue. I went and dealt with it nerve wise, and got fine with it.

But man, to go through-- so when I heard about your neck surgeries, I thought, oh my god. Because I thought you were going orthopedic. So I know it's like, wow, oh man. So my first thought is like, wow, that is such a-- when you're dealing with a nerve in your neck, when it's that close to your brain, and that pain is like-- that pain is--

TITO ORTIZ: I was miserable. Just to rewind, from when I had that pain, it was C6, C7 that I ended up getting fused. And I would lay down on my right side, like I'd lay on my left side. And then it got so bad. When I couldn't lay on my left side, I'd lay on my back. And then I couldn't lay on my back.

It got to a point I was like, all right. I need painkillers just to make the day go by-- the pain go by. I mean, training sessions were-- you know, I would do three days of training, four days off. Three days of training and four days off.

And I was up in Big Bear at the time, so I was thankful for the altitude. But it was hard. You know, it was mind grueling where you're just second guessing everything.

That was my career from 2009 to when I ended in 2013 or 2012, when I ended [INAUDIBLE] from my last flight, UFC 148. But it was just-- I was in so much pain, you know? I mean, even from the beginning of 2003, after I fought Randy Couture and I had a disk on my back, L4-5, S1 fused, when I finally got surgery in 2009.

But I went through that pain from 2003 to 2009, which is pain where I couldn't handle it anymore. When I fought Ludo [INAUDIBLE] and lost to him. And I was like, I could beat that guy. I go, I can't continue to compete in the place I am right now. My body hurts, my neck hurts, my back hurts. It was just-- I couldn't handle it anymore. I was eating painkillers like every single day.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: And you're pain free now?

TITO ORTIZ: I need to stop.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: And you're totally pain free now?

TITO ORTIZ: Totally pain free now. I mean, I could literally stand straight up and touch my toes with my palms flat on the mat. Not a problem at all.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: That's great.

TITO ORTIZ: I mean, I had a great surgeon. Dr. William Smith, he just retired just this last year in Las Vegas. And he was the best neurosurgeon in the world. He was teaching people in France, in Italy, doing a lot of surgeries back there.

But he brought me here, a company called NuVasive out of San Diego. The company actually introduced me to him. And he was like, hey, I'm a Tito fan. Which I'm very thankful for, because he took care of me for-- gosh, now-- it's been 14 years now, so it's been crazy, man. It's been a long ride.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, I know that pain. I just threw my back out earlier this morning. And, you know, so-- I was going to warn you, if I wince in pain, just it's because-- I'd like to say it's because I was dead lifting 450. And because I was, you know, picking out leaves between these rocks on my walkway. It's not that. It's the whole-- it's the whole-- the dead lifting 450.

TITO ORTIZ: You know, and I think for a lot of people at home, if they have the same back problems, or they have the same neck problems, or just-- you know, physical problems in general. I think taking care of the body is very important.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes, sir.

TITO ORTIZ: You know, I just started [INAUDIBLE] my oldest son Jacob, who lives in Arizona with my ex-wife, who's 18 years old. And we started doing push ups every night.

I'd get my video and I'd put it down, bust out 100. And actually, the first time I did it, I could only bust out 15. And then I had to do my 10s. Then I said to him, the next day, I was able to do 60 and then busting out my 10s.

And then, the next day, I was able to do 70 and I'm busting out my 10s. And just these extra things will help your body perform a little better-- perform a little better, feel a lot better. With back problems, lower back problems, is doing sit ups. But not a full sit up, where you fully sit up, but maybe a crunch where your knees are raised. I learned that from my doctor, is making sure all ab workouts are with your knees raised always. Don't ever make your body reflex all the way through. So I think that's really important.

And then we have those times, before you go to bed, you know, 100 sit ups, 100 pushups. That'll help.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Do you have any fights coming up? What are you doing?

TITO ORTIZ: Not until October. We've been on shut down. Everything kind of got put to a halt. We were thinking about doing something in July, but it looks like nothing's going to happen until October now. But I'm fine with it. I mean, if I fight once a year, financially, it works. I would like to fight more than once a year, but you know, you've got to fight the right opponent.

I mean, I've been in the business now for 23 years. And I'm still grinding at it. I still love it. It's my passion. Getting into the movie stuff has been something I've been able to dabble into over the last couple years, seriously.

And it's tough. It's hard. People think being an actor is easy. You have a script of lines, and you'll be fine. You read them, and you do them on camera. No, no, no. You've got to live those lines. You've got to live that script. You've got to live all that stuff. You know, man, come on. It's not easy. It's not something to just give in. You've got to work and work and work.

And it's, you know, repetition over and over and over. You just-- not even remember it, but live it.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, yeah. Honestly, it depends on your perspective of it. Because I feel-- I really feel-- you know, everybody has different ways of going about it. I feel like most people, there is a way that you can find a style of acting that's comfortable for you. It's one of those things where-- because if you're so hyper aware, you might-- you can't see yourself in a room. You've got to believe it.

And so whatever makes you believe, whether you're doing this technique or that technique, we have an innate ability to-- you know, to convince ourselves of a certain reality. And whatever you do to get there, that your brain is occupying a certain thought process, that's what it is.

Because you know-- you know when it feels right. It's like, hey, man I felt like I wasn't acting. I felt like this was real. You know, a cop pulls you over--

TITO ORTIZ: [INAUDIBLE] put yourself there.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: A cop pulls you over, you do the best acting of your life. Because there's something at stake. You know what I'm saying?

TITO ORTIZ: Well, and that's when you make it. You make it something at stake, and something that puts you [INAUDIBLE] life that-- you know, you live for this situation, you're able to-- my acting coach gave me the 20 questions of the character. You know, where did he live? Who was his mom? Who was his dad? Who was his brother? How did he grow up? I mean, you ask these questions, and then you give that character those feelings, it becomes you. I think that's what makes the difference.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, you want to do that for prep. But then you don't think about that when you're doing it. You know? You know, because then you can distract yourself. It's one of those things.

TITO ORTIZ: Then you think too much. Exactly.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, because one technique I do-- because I've taught acting, right? So I would take some of the classmates, right? I would have them-- I'd say, we're going to look at how you walk. I want to-- and I would make them walk from one point to the class into the other side.

And they'd walk-- and everybody is studying their walk, right? Sometimes, they would stumble, right? And I would have everybody do this exercise.

And I'd ask, well, how did that feel to you? It was so uncomfortable that some of them would stumble. I'm like, you walk--

TITO ORTIZ: Yeah, it was awkward. It was awkward for-- [INAUDIBLE].

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: You walk every day. But if I told you, hey man, can you give me that book and bring it here? You'd walk fine, because now you're thinking about the book. You're not thinking about walking.

TITO ORTIZ: And you think about walking.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: So--

TITO ORTIZ: That's good stuff.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: So just like, look at the amount of dialogue that we had already, right? That would pretty near fill up-- you know how many pages that would be? But we never had to stop and think about it. It's whatever was on our mind. You said something that made me think about something, and then I said it.

So it's the same thing with acting. So it can be-- you know, I just don't want you to think that-- if you tell yourself it's hard, you might convince yourself. You know, but I'm telling you, bro, because-- I've seen-- you seem very natural. And, you know, believing and using yourself as the vessel.

And saying, hey, how would I respond to this? It can feel a little bit easier because then we're looking at honesty, you know, all the time.

So you can't screw up honesty. As long as you're honest, you'll never be acting. You'll never feel like it's a task. So that's a little--

TITO ORTIZ: When it's pushed, it's too much. Way too much when it's pushed.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: If you convince yourself-- and do, man. You know, there's a part of us-- and I know you adapt to character. You adapt to character because, you know, that guy with the team punishment, that walks down, is different from the guy at home, right? You--

TITO ORTIZ: Oh, 100%. I mean, even my last fight, I mean, he walked out. I can think about every one of my fights. It's like, when I walk down, it's like, that one second, you know, all right, it's time to go. [EXHALES]. And you've got to walk in. It's like, you put a persona on. That's not your normal persona. It's that I'm going to kick this guy's ass.

And it's like so angry, but it's like, as a person, me, I'm not that angry. It's like, I really don't want to do this, but I have to do it, because I've got to feed my family, and I've got to keep my name recognizable. You know, I've got to make a statement. And the only way to make a statement is to put this mode on. I've got to put this mode on.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Same thing.

TITO ORTIZ: All of a sudden you go from [AARGH] to--

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yep. But it's the same thing, the same motivation. Like I swear to you, like if I'm in my trailer, I'm about to do a scene, it's that same thing. I'm going to kill this. This is what's important.

TITO ORTIZ: It's a confidence issue. A confidence issue for everyone. As a fighter, or as an actor, as a person just in general in society. I mean, you're amongst a group of people, and you want to start talking in front of them? You've got to have the confidence to do it. You've got to have the confidence to show the inflection of everything you want to say in the right way and not be nervous, and not stutter, and not say the bad things or not say something wrong. It makes you feel somewhat uncomfortable.

But it may make you feel homely.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: Make you feel like it comes from the heart.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: If you're thinking about what that character is thinking about, you'll never see yourself in the room. You'll never be a spectator, because you're so involved with it. And that's the fun part of it. Is that-- you get all that, and say, this is--

TITO ORTIZ: I love it, man. It's cool. I dig it. I've been able to do a few films. I've been able to work with Tyler Perry, who is an amazing director, actor, producer. He does everything possible. I've just been able to watch different guys, you know. Randall Emmett, I mean, there's guys that I've been able to work with.

And it's been cool. My last film that I did with Nikki Wayland and Bruce-- what was it-- Bruce Willis. He was just amazing. I was just like, wow.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: [INAUDIBLE] movie?

TITO ORTIZ: No, that was actually, we did-- what was it? Trauma room, or Trauma Center. Excuse me, Trauma Center. Did Trauma Center. Yeah.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: I mean, that was a smaller budget film. But still, just to be around those people, and you know, to get the director kind of showing me the right things, like, no, Tito, we need to do it this way. This is the way we want it. This is the way we need it.

And if I was able to adapt to that that they wanted me to do, I thought I did my job right. And it's funny, because back in the day, when I was doing my first film, first speaking role, the Crow Wicked Prairies. And I was with Danny Trejo.

And God, who else was there? David Boreanaz, Tara Reid, Eddie Furlong. And I remember sitting down, you know, just waiting in my dressing room, waiting in my dressing room like, Goddman, what are we ever going to act?

And I talked to Danny Trejo. And Danny Trejo is like, Tito, you understand, we act for free. We get paid to wait.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes, sir.

TITO ORTIZ: And after he said that, it opened my eyes and made me think, wow, this is actually cool. So when it came down to doing the acting parts, it actually was fun. It wasn't work. It was natural. And it helped out a lot.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: It's all about what mind frame that you want to put yourself into.

TITO ORTIZ: Yes.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: I want to plant a seed to you, man. There is a movie that would be amazing for you, and it would be called "The Tito Ortiz Story." If you think about that. I'm going to plant the seed. Because--

TITO ORTIZ: I'll stop you right there because the seed's already been planted, and I'm even starting to write it.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes, sir.

TITO ORTIZ: And this story will blow some people's minds. They will say it's not real. I don't have to add fiction to the story, just because it is my real life that I've been through as a kid that had nothing. A kid who dreamed about being the best in the world, a kid who watched the WWE and always wanted to be that performer, and to get the opportunity to do it.

And when he did it, he seized the moment, and he embraced it and made it happen. But I went through some trials and tribulations through life that most people don't succeed through, but was able to sit down and look in the mirror and tell himself, what do you want in life? And I've done that, and I look back on my career and I-- I've seen everything possible that I think. I mean, hard work, dedication, sacrifice, all the rewards that came off of that.

But where I stand today was never even imagined. I never even thought that I could get to this point. I knew I could, but I didn't think I could. But it was a confidence that I had to build in myself. And once I built that confidence, I became better and better and better. When I failed, I got back on the horse and I tried to succeed even better. I tried to better myself every day.

And not just as an athlete, but as a human being, and as a father, as an Ortiz. Because at the end of the day, I have two things. I had my name, I have my word. I don't break my word for anybody, and I'll never tarnish my name for anything. And that's the way I stand. And I don't know, Michael, we have something here in the future that we might be able to work on.

I got to find the right people to do it, at the right time, for the right reasons, that are able to explain it the right way. And I think I started it.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. And I'm telling you. I'm going to put it out there, and you can call me anytime on this. Because what we're talking about is bigger than us. OK? We're servants. That's what we are. You know, so to tell the story that lives beyond us, that's what we're put on Earth to do, to raise up others and share our stories and make life better for other people.

So, you know, definitely, you got me as a resource. And like I say, these are the important things. This is about legacy. And what you have-- and you have such a power. See a lot of people don't know, I-- before I was an actor, I was a schoolteacher. I devoted myself to at risk kids, and I've done that. I've done motivational speaking all around the world. That's like my passion. I feel like that's my real job. This other stuff helps me reach a lot more people. Because I was spared for a reason. I was not supposed to be-- I was suppose to be out of here, you know? Statistically wise.

So that's why I continue to be the happiest person I know. Because I know where I came, where I came from. So honestly, brother, whatever I can do to help you with that, it will be-- it'll be my pleasure. Because it's about what we live for. And like I say, it's bigger than us. And so I've been blessed to be in a position where I'm in the storytelling business.

TITO ORTIZ: World. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a world. It's not just a business. It's a world. Becase everybody else want to live like--

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah. And, you know, you could tell us some crappy stories, or you can tell some stuff that means something. And thankfully, I'm to a place where I can tell stories that mean something more to myself and entertain. So by all means, consider me somebody as a resource, brother. I'd be honored, and I'd be proud. And I'm so happy to speak to you about this.

And I'm so happy for you to get to the place where you are.

TITO ORTIZ: Thank you.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: I hope you know how amazing that is.

TITO ORTIZ: It's been a grind, man, let me tell you. It's been a grind. It's been nights. I mean, I look back, you know, eight years ago, and crying in bed, and going, God, is this world going to ever change? [INAUDIBLE] able to fix my family. Am I able to-- and you know what? I bit down. I looked in the mirror, and I said, Tito, if anybody can do it, you can do it.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: [INAUDIBLE].

TITO ORTIZ: All of a sudden, you know, two years later after that, I was like, wow, life is kind of normal.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: Actually, life is normal now. Like things are, like, normal.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, dude, I can't help but see-- you know, even from my perspective, you know, how things come full circle. I was at the fight where you were cut. I was there. I was right there.

TITO ORTIZ: So everything comes full circle.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, so--

TITO ORTIZ: [INAUDIBLE]. didn't mean anything. Let me tell you, he called me up, he said he wanted to fight me. He's only five years older than you. And I told everybody what I was going to do and I did it. But let me tell you, it was work, man. That was the longest camp I've had in my career of 18 weeks.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: It seems to have written itself. But again, the beauty is where you are spiritually, bro, and where you are for your family, and what that means. Not only is it that your children follow what you do, but you've got millions of fans who look at you, and look up to you, and follow your example.

And when you look-- when anybody uncovers all the layers, and they see the man that you are, it's impossible not to be a fan of Tito Ortiz.

TITO ORTIZ: Thank you, man. That means so much coming from you. I mean, I work my butt off to get where I am. I never wanted to be famous. I just wanted to be respected, I think.

You know, my grandfather was a priest of Pacific Palisades in Hawaii. [AUDIO OUT] back in [INAUDIBLE], get back to the hospital, who had taken the milk truck and kind of helped him out.

But being the religious side of it, I've never been a religious person. You know, I've gone to churches. I've gone to different churches-- Christian, Baptist, Mormons. I mean, I've had Mormon friends, different things. But they all want to say pretty much the same thing, is be a good person. Treat people the way you want to be treated.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Absolutely.

TITO ORTIZ: And when you talked about doing-- what was it? Motivational speeches. I've done a few in my career. And it's kind of funny, because when I talk, my mom was like, I hear your interviews, son, and you sound like grandpa. You sound like a preacher.

But it comes from my heart and what matters to me. At the end of the day, when we get off of doing this interview or any interviews I ever do, that someone takes something away from me of going, wow, I never knew that about Tito. Wow, I'm learning something now from Tito.

Then I've done my part as a human on this earth, man. Giving back to society is, I think, the biggest gratitude that each person needs to indulge themselves in.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Absolutely, absolutely. Man, so this has been our hour, man. So I want to say, you know, say thank you for allowing this interview. And let's encourage those to, you know, hit the-- hit the button and basically find out more about how we can lift up our first responders.

Please, you know, give those donations.

TITO ORTIZ: Yes. Please help. Click underneath. Help, help, help. Help as much as possible. Hopefully everybody will get out of this sooner than longer.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: What's that?

TITO ORTIZ: [INAUDIBLE]

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, right.

TITO ORTIZ: It's really, really important, you know? Right now, summer's coming along. You know, here in Huntington Beach where I live, there's a lot of protesters out. And is our government telling the truth of what is truly going on? I hope they are. The vaccine for it, I know they don't have a vaccine for it, but what is the protocol to stop it from happening? I heard the hydrochlorophin that Trump talked about, and all of a sudden people are talking about, saying, you know, all of a sudden you start drinking bleach and this and that. It's like, no, dummies. Do your research, instead of all of a sudden assuming things.

But at the end the day, the deaths that are happening are a tragedy, are very sad. And those families that have lost-- or people who have lost, I feel bad for them. Not bad for them, I mourn with them. It's hard, but at the same time, it's part of life. We've got to accept things that do happen.

But at the end of the day, wash your hands, practice social distancing. Let's live on, man. It's time-- time to live a normal life again. This has been a long time. The quarantine was only supposed to happen for 14 days. Now it's been two months. So what's going to happen after two months?

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, well we'll see. I mean, hopefully people's hearts are in the right place behind these decisions, we hope. Yeah, we're going to definitely have to move forward in life. And hopefully-- and my belief is that we're going to be better having gone through this. And we're-- and so, I mean, not only will we be ready-- ready for if there's another catastrophe or some other pandemic, we would have had this in our repertoire, you know? So we can access-- we will know what to expect next time if something--

TITO ORTIZ: Let's just hope that this is not about a politic deal, this is not about votes. This is not about something that's-- let's hope that this is truly something that was a slip up by somebody who got exposed to something, that we can clear it up and get it done with.

I mean, my opinion, this is not a disease that got spread by [INAUDIBLE] virus. I think it was a man made disease. But this is my opinion. And there are-- population control, once again, my opinion.

It's sad, but it's the way people want to make money. And it's over my head, but I want to make sure people understand. You're at home. Do your studies. Look up everything. Prove fact after fact after fact. That's all I post. People follow me on Instagram, I show nothing but facts. I do my homework. I do my research. I understand what I'm talking about, and I try to spread the truth. And that's my end of the day deal. That's what I want to do.

My kids want to live a long life. I want to live a long life. I know every one of you want to live a long life. And it's really, really important that we take care of our family by boosting our immune system with Vitamin C. It's really important. I've done it through my whole camps.

Every one of my fights, I always got sick probably about-- I don't know, anywhere from a month after training camp or two months before the fight, I always got sick. And 3,000 milligrams of Vitamin C in the morning, 3,000 milligrams of Vitamin C at night. And the sickness went away like this. And it was the common flu that I was fighting, that I ended up beating by just taking Vitamin C.

They came to a part that you actually had to do a z pack. I know [INAUDIBLE], right before this came about to the Coronavirus. And I did not have the coronavirus, but I had sickness, when my body aches.

I didn't have a fever. I felt just congested. My nose, my head, my chest. But I did a z pack along with the Azithromycin, and it went away within seven days, and it was gone, and I was OK.

And people need to [INAUDIBLE] care of it when it first happens. You've got to do the things to boost your immune system. That's important.

Going on walks, people say social distancing, cool. Go on your walk, and stay away from me. Just go on your walk, that's fine. And I had a problem with this about a month ago. You know, people didn't want to stay in. I had a couple of people from the Huntington Beach police department from Huntington Beach Fire Department was like, you know, Tito, can please tell people stay home? I was like, yeah, I'll do my part as a citizen. I'll do this.

And I did it. And then all of a sudden, another month goes by. And I was like, OK, well, no one else is getting sicker or it's not spreading, and more and more people are going out. So now let's start doing more research about what it is. And I was talking to one of my buddies who's a doctor, an M.D. And he takes care of everybody in Southern California. He does all the medication that are spread out for different types of problems or things that people have.

And he says this hydrochlorophin is not being used. And I was like, why isn't it being used? And he's all, he doesn't want to people on ventilators. Because I went to Riverside Hospital, and I asked them. I said, before we put people on ventilators, what are you doing? And they're all, nothing.

And this is a doctor, an MD who's a close, close, close friend of mine. He's like, Tito, they want it to spread They want it to get worse. And they have an opportunity to stop it by using hydrochlorophin, and they're not doing it, because they don't want to.

It makes me second guess what's truly going on. What's the big deal behind all of this that is truly going on? Is it the vote? Do people care that much about having a president? Are people that much about making Trump bad? I don't get it. [AUDIO OUT] true. And I [INAUDIBLE], and they came to the same conclusion every single time. And my prayers go out to every one of you guys out there fighting it. And knuckle bumps, elbow bumps. Stay away from 6 feet distance, that's fine. But I think this country needs to go back to work. I think this country needs to start living normal again.

And I was the first to say it. Everybody else, they're afraid to say it. All the other people in Hollywood, they're afraid to say it. But you know what, at the end of the day? I won't sell my soul for anybody. I care about this country. My children's lives' future is my number one. And this country and my family-- my family, my friends, everybody who have been around me, they know what type of person I am, that I'm a very care person, caring person.

And, you know, when I'm gone off this earth, I want to make sure I look at it and go, I did my best, and that's what's important.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yes. All right. And that's the best thing you can possibly do, man. So hey, we got to wrap this up. And like I say, it's been a pleasure speaking with you, you know, at length, you know.

I'd see you at the Wild Card, and we'd see each other in passing in the gym. But man, it's been an honor--

TITO ORTIZ: I think, actually one of the second or third "Black Belt Magazine" expos in Glendale, I think-- that's when we first met.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Yeah, it was Dragon Fest.

TITO ORTIZ: Dragon Fest, there you go.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: Dragon Fest.

TITO ORTIZ: Yeah. That was one of the first things we met at.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: That's true. Yeah.

TITO ORTIZ: Good stuff.

MICHAEL JAI WHITE: I've been a fan ever since, brother. And keep doing your thing, man. Definitely.

TITO ORTIZ: I appreciate it, man. I want to thank you, thank "Black Belt Magazine" for making this happen. You guys are doing an amazing job giving back to our first responders. Each one of the first responders, thank you very much, every one of us Americans love you, appreciate you, and we couldn't do this without you. So thank you very much.

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