While Fedor Emelianenko is scheduled to return to professional mixed martial arts at the end of the year, his opponent remains a mystery to fans and pundits alike. That will remain the case for the foreeable future, as one of the rumored opponents, Tito Ortiz, revealed that he wouldn't be Fedor's opponent on New Year's Eve.

Ortiz, who lost to light-heavyweight champ Liam McGeary at Bellator: Dynamite, plans to undergo yet another surgical operation before enjoying the holidays with his family.

"Not on New Year's Eve, no," Ortiz told Submission Radio. "I would love to. I just gotta go in and get some little, light surgical work done, I guess you could say. I gotta go get a bone shaved down. So I'll be healed by next year. But I'm going to enjoy Christmas, I'm going to enjoy Thanksgiving, I'm going to enjoy New Year's, I'm going to enjoy my birthday for the first time in a long, long, long time. I miss missing those times, and right now my kids are six years old and I want to enjoy the holidays with my children. I think that's the number one thing for me right now, is to be a Dad and to be happy.

"New Years Eve, I'll be having a cold beer in my hand, saying "happy new year's" to my family, instead of going out and trying to kill somebody. It sound a lot funner to me (laugh). I've been putting a lot of work in over a last few years, so I think it's time to take a little break."

However, while Ortiz is unavailable during the holidays, he is open to a fight against the ‘Last Emperor' at light-heavyweight. When asked what his strategy would be against the 39-year-old Russian, Ortiz's answer was exactly what was expected:

"Wrestling of course. On our feet, he's a little older. He's not the young guy who throws super fast now. I think in the wrestling area. Him going for submissions, and they're not crisp for submissions. So just try and punish him. But of course if we fought each other, it'd be at light heavyweight. I mean I've always fought at Light Heavyweight. There's no reason to go . I think my weight class, when I'm in the best shape possible is 205, and that's what I'll to fight at. But you know, I think my wrestling will keep it at par. I know the fight on New Year's, I've heard of a few opponents, so it will be a question of if he can handle the competitors he competes against."