California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Response to Tito Ortiz Leaving His State is Unbelievable
UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz, a former light heavyweight champion, has announced his departure from his home state of California, citing escalating crime, fraud, and safety concerns for his family as primary reasons for the move to Florida.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Ortiz directly blamed Governor Gavin Newsom for the state’s decline.
He accused Newsom of devastating San Francisco during his time there as mayor and spreading “disastrous policies” that have led to “exploding crime, rampant fraud, lawless streets, unaffordable housing, crushed small businesses, and families who no longer feel safe in their own communities.”
“I never wanted to leave California. But I left because of the crime, the fraud, and the growing threat to the safety of my children. Like millions of other parents, I made the difficult decision to move my family to Florida — not for opportunity, but for protection,” Ortiz said.
“No parent should ever be forced to flee their home state to keep their children safe.”
Ex-UFC champ Tito Ortiz slams Newsom, blames gov as reason he left California https://t.co/X3QCoaKD1a pic.twitter.com/D20sFcOJDc
— New York Post (@nypost) February 12, 2026
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In response to the news, a spokesperson for Governor Newsom’s office dismissed Ortiz with a curt statement. The kind of statement you just know came from a pimply-faced intern whose only introduction to competition was either on the debate team or the robotics team in junior high.
“We’re not sure who Tito Ortiz is, but we wish him well. Bye!” a statement from his office reads.
The disrespect is more comedic than anything to be taken seriously. Ortiz is a pioneering UFC legend who helped elevate mixed martial arts to mainstream status. He is a legend in California, too, bro.
But then, what would you expect coming from the office of a governor who sits like this on the regular? (Also, this might be one of the greatest headlines we’ve ever seen.)
Internet goes nuts over Gavin Newsom’s odd ‘testicle-crushing’ sitting pose https://t.co/WY2tU8x1kE pic.twitter.com/NOMtDRn6Q1
— New York Post (@nypost) December 4, 2025
Ortiz, a true legend in California sports, emerged from Huntington Beach to become one of the most iconic figures in UFC history and a pioneering force in mixed martial arts.
Known as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” he dominated the light heavyweight division in the early 2000s, capturing the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in April 2000 and holding it for over three years with a then-record five successful title defenses through his relentless ground-and-pound style and wrestling prowess.
His high-profile rivalries—most notably with Chuck Liddell and Ken Shamrock—drew massive pay-per-view audiences and helped transform the UFC from a niche sport into a mainstream phenomenon.
Inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2012 as a Pioneer, Ortiz’s larger-than-life personality, trash-talking charisma, and contributions to the sport’s popularity cemented his status as a foundational legend of California combat sports.
Newsom is most known for excessive use of Brylcreem and sitting in “testicle-crushing” poses.