That UFC president Dana White and former UFC champion Tito Ortiz have a bad relationship is an understatement. Throughout the years, and even into modern time, the two have had a relationship marred with ire and contentiousness. Their hatred reached a boiling point several years ago. Things got so bad, that the two were in talks for having a boxing match booked so they could settle their differences in the ring.

The now infamous boxing match that could have been came up in a recent interview White had with Barstool Sports. In it White says that the reason the boxing bout never came to fruition was due to Ortiz knowing he would lose.

“Hated each other so bad”

“I knew (I would win), and so did he. That’s why it didn’t happen,” White said. “Tito Ortiz was doing a new deal with us. Tito and I hated each other so bad that Lorenzo Fertitta did this deal, Tito never had great hands. He had been working on his boxing with Fernando Vargas. He started to feel like his hands were getting in a good place and we hated each other, told Lorenzo the last thing he wanted in his deal was a three round boxing match with me. Three three-minute rounds. I told Lorenzo yes, sign the deal.”

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White remains open about the fact that it would be very different had the contest been in MMA. Ortiz is known for his ferocious ground and pound, and his strong wrestling background led him to success in the UFC octagon. In boxing, however, White claims it would have been a very different story.

“Let me make this very clear. If this was an MMA match, Tito would murder me. Like it would be the most horrific beating you’ve ever fuckng seen in your life. He would double leg me and smash me against the fence. Tito would literally put his fucking elbows through my skull.

“In a boxing match, I was going to f*ck him up and make him look stupid. He knows that, and that’s why that match never happened.”