CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK) — Shiny black-and-gold belts sit on the wall, cushioned by red velvet. In the middle is a mural that shows former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz waving an American flag. He is surrounded by snapshots from a Hall-of-Fame career.  

Suddenly, Ortiz appears in real life. He isn’t carrying a title belt, but two trays of quesadillas. It’s that personal touch that kept a loyal group of customers returning to Tito’s Cantina Mexican Restaurant in downtown Cape Coral. But it’s also the reason Ortiz closed the doors on Sunday night. 

Ortiz said challenges arose after a boating accident earlier this year, as injuries and surgery kept him away from the restaurant. Ortiz said the building owner also raised the rent, forcing some tough financial decisions. 

“It’s hard for me,” Ortiz said Sunday. “But at the same time, I’ll have a lot more time for my family, a lot more time to coach high school wrestling.”

Ortiz said the restaurant was inspired by his Southern California roots. That started with recipes from his grandmother, which influenced the menu. Mexican and American flags adorned the cozy cantina.  

People packed the restaurant for it’s final night on Sunday. A steady stream of customers stopped by for an autograph and a meal. Some asked where he was going. 

“I’m staying here,” Ortiz told one man. “I’m not going anywhere.” 

That’s welcome news for Jeff Olson and Carla Accettolla. The Cape Coral couple designed the restaurant’s shirts and own ‘A Salty Stitch’ printing company. They’ve been with Tito’s Cantina since the start. 

“You always hear about how much of the family it is. It really is,” Olson said.

“We’ve believed in it from day one,” Accettolla said. “I mean, we were here. We were invested. You know, we loved it.”

It wasn’t hard to find people who spoke highly of Ortiz, and his wife, Amber. Rachel Peters remembered the first time she visited the restaurant, for a Young Republicans event. 

“Tito was very warm and welcoming to me, even though he had no idea who I was,” Peters said. “He welcomed me like family. Amber was amazing.”

Ortiz said it’s that sense of community that’s keeping him here. He first arrived in Cape Coral to help with recovery after Hurricane Ian. Within a week-and-a-half, Ortiz said he got married, sold his house, and moved to Southwest Florida. And he’s not leaving anytime soon.

“This is home for me,” Ortiz said.