it is a honorific title saying he was warrior fearing nothing

前面的BE动词is和句子的意思决定了后面不可能用said.此句的意思是标题说的是什么,表示的是一个状态,如果用said 在此就表示被动,完全跟句子不符.

it is a honorific title saying he was warrior fearing nothing
=it is a honorific title which said he was warrior fearing nothing
而且先行词和say是主谓关系