Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz Agree to Third Bout Under Golden Boy Promotions Banner

The rumored trilogy bout between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz will become a reality under the Golden Boy Promotions banner.

According to ESPN.com, Liddell and Ortiz have agreed to fight for a third time after signing promotional agreements with Golden Boy. The Oscar De La Hoya-led company is one of the top boxing promotions in the world but will be making its first foray into mixed martial arts.

"I'm proud to announce we've signed a deal for the fight between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz," De La Hoya said. "This will be huge for sports fans around the world. Ortiz and Liddell are two of the most recognized fighters in MMA history. They are legends in the sport.

"Everyone remembers their rivalry helped put the sport on the map, and we're excited to host the next and final chapter of this historic rivalry.”

Liddell vs. Ortiz 3 will take place on a Golden Boy Promotions pay-per-view card. The date and venue are still being finalized and are expected to be announced soon. The bout will take place inside a cage and will be contested at 205 pounds, where both Liddell and Ortiz have competed for the majority of their careers.

It has been nearly 12 years since Liddell and Ortiz last fought, when “The Iceman” stopped his rival via third-round technical knockout at UFC 66 on Dec. 30, 2006. They first squared off at UFC 47, with Liddell scoring a second-round knockout over “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” on April 2, 2004.

Liddell, 48, retired from MMA in 2010 after losing five of his last six UFC appearances. He accepted an executive position with the Las Vegas-based promotion but was let go after WME-IMG bought the UFC in 2016.

"It feels great to sign a deal, to be honest with you. It's as exciting as I knew it would be," Liddell said. "Golden Boy offers something different. We're partners in this. And I never get sick of punching Tito.”

Ortiz, meanwhile, has competed more recently. After retiring from the UFC in 2012, he made a comeback with Bellator MMA and won three of four bouts from 2014 to 2017. The 43-year-old last appeared at Bellator 170, where he tapped out Chael Sonnen with a rear-naked choke 2:03 into the opening stanza.

"I'm only interested in fighting Chuck at this time," Ortiz said. "If anything, the rivalry is worse than it ever was. This isn't made for TV. This is as real as it gets.”