Chuck Liddell and Charles “Mask” Lewis To Be Inducted Into UFC Hall of Fame
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and late TapouT co-founder Charles “Mask” Lewis will be the newest inductees into the UFC Hall of Fame.
UFC President Dana White announced the latest inductees via Twitter on Monday evening.
The pair are set to be inducted at 6:30pm PT on Friday on the eve of UFC 100 at the UFC Fan Expo at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Liddell, MMA’s most-popular and well-known fighter, inconspicuously made his MMA debut at UFC 17 in May 1998, defeating Noe Hernandez via unanimous decision to kick off a streak that saw him win 12 of his first 13 fights over the likes of Jeff Monson, Kevin Randleman, Guy Mezger, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort and Renato Sobral. After picking up a victory over Alistair Overeem between losses to Randy Couture and Quinton Jackson, Liddell won back-to-back fights over Tito Ortiz and Vernon White before winning the 205-pound title with a first-round knockout of Couture in April 2005.
“The Iceman” would go on to defend the title four-straight times against Jeremy Horn, Couture, Sobral, and Ortiz before relinquishing it to Quinton Jackson in May 2007 after suffering a first-round knockout. After losing the belt, Liddell would win just once more inside the Octagon, defeating Wanderlei Silva in late-2007 in one of the most thrilling fights in recent history, while suffering losses Keith Jardine, Rashad Evans, and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Though Liddell has not yet officially retired, the UFC President White has made no secret of his wish for the UFC star to hang up his gloves after compiling a 21-7 career mark and having an extended reign as the top light heavyweight in the world. Liddell recently stated that he wouldn’t return until after April 2010 at the earliest should he opt to continue his fighting career.
Charles “Mask” Lewis Jr., who died on March 11, 2009 as a result of a tragic car crash, becomes the first posthumous inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame. He co-founded what would become the sport’s biggest apparel company, TapouT, in 1997 with Dan Caldwell (”Punkass”) by selling MMA apparel out of the trunk of a car. TapouT quickly grew alongside the UFC into a multi-million dollar company that has become synonymous with the sport, with its growth exploding in recent years, jumping from $22.5 million in 2007 to a predicted $225 million in 2009. Mask and Punkass, along with a third partner “Skyscrape,” were featured on a TapouT reality show on Versus, which followed the trio and they scouted up-and-coming fighters.
Liddell and Lewis will join Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Randy Couture, and Mark Coleman as members of the UFC Hall of Fame.
[Pictured: Chuck Liddell]
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well deserving for both men
definitly….would have liked to see hugehes inducted also but just these two are fine maybe next year we can get…..hughes/tanner
Hughes will definitely be inducted eventually with Tanner arguably on the edge. I’m all for Tanner, but can understand arguments against. I think they’re holding off on Hughes because he’s still got a few fights left in him while Liddell is likely to retire first.
I think Matt will fight again and see where he stands in the division, but wouldn’t be surprised to see him inducted next year. Unfortunately, since Evan Tanner didn’t make it this year, I’m not sure he’ll make it. I thought he might make it this year while the sentiment was high, but I think there are still some unanswered questions.
Not that i disagree with the inductees, but I think the UFC should create a waiting period for inductions. For example, a fighter cannot be inducted until 5 years after his last MMA fight or something to that effect. I think it would just make the whole induction more meaningful than just having Dana (and probably his close staff) pick names for the Fan Expo, although there hasn’t been anyone inducted that wasn’t worthy so far.
rhoads, the problem with that is, well let’s use Ken Shammy Shamm as an example the guy just headlined a WarGods card and won.. Now if that were his last figth (which I don’t think it will be) he would have to wait til 2014 to get into the HOF, or how about Dan the beast what would you do with him?
Congrats to both Charles Lewis and Chuck Liddell both have changed MMA in their own special way and they are deserving of this honor
Forget Severn, fr702.
When does Pat Miletich get into the HoF?
His credentials and contributions to the sport are without doubt, but his $#it-awful relationship with Dana White will almost always keep him on the outside looking in when it comes to the UFC HoF.
And didn’t Miletich fight Severn to a draw about a decade ago while giving up about 65 pounds?
And of course I was just joking about forgetting Severn, fr702.
He’s an integral part of the birth of the UFC, and maybe the primary reason that so many wrestlers descended on the sport like barbarians sacking Rome. The man is over 50, has a record of 88-16-7, and won his last match this past May, at an age when most pro athletes are playing either golf, cards, or the ponies down in Florida. Most men at 50 are are putting their kids thru school, not putting kids half their age thru their paces in a cage or on the mat.
Also, you look at his first 2 dozen MMA fights, and it reads like a who’s who of the pioneers of this sport.
Its sad but true, but due to the “one man show” nature of the UFC front office, certain deserving individuals are going to be excluded from the HoF.
Regardless, Liddell and Mask most certainly deserve the honor, based on their contributions to the sport both in and out of the Octagon, and deserve all the congratulations and accolades that come their way, Mask’s posthumously of course.
While I understand your concerns about increasing the prestige of the UFC HoF by adding a waiting period, it just wouldn’t work in the UFC. The rules for anything outside of the cage are all from Dana White. Period.
Hughes will get inducted after he gets it thru his thick head that the sport has sadly passed him by and his day is done. As long as the UFC remains in the hands of the Fertitas, who are content to let their buddy Dana White essentially be the sole shot-caller, the UFC HoF will be strictly an “as Dana sees it” sort of affair…
Speaking of guys not getting into the UFC HoF cause of a certain somebody. Who here thinks Tito will get inducted. CAuse obviously he should but as long as Dana lives and breathes I dont know.
Dana and Tito have this sort of fierce love/hate bromance thing going on. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Tito in the UFC again someday, or his entry into the HoF.
Also, there were some rumors about Tito wanting to fight at HW after his child was born and he got back to training, so maybe Tito’s last UFC run would be at HW, but I think that’s both unlikely and near-suicidal for Tito.
Could you just imagine him in a locked cage with Lesnar or Carwin? Or rolling on the mat with Frank Mir or Big Nog?
Vaya con dios, Tito…
Congrats to Liddell and Mask, I think both deserve the honor. Hughes does as well and would have gotten it had Serra been his last fight, but since he clearly stated he wants to keep fighting, I think that is why he was not chosen to be inducted at this time.
Well done to Chuck and Mask. Shame there is no mention of Tanner.
Congrats to them both. Hughes’ time will come just not now. Tanner is borderline imo.
Am I the only one who thinks Mask is only getting in because he’s a crappy driver? Liddell, no probs. If Hughes went in, no probs. But Mask?
The big test for me is this. If he hadn’t died, would he be in now? Nope. Not a chance. And that is what rubs me raw, and why I never once participated in the “you will be missed” hugfest that lasted about 2 months.
DbiZ he (Charles Lewis) was hit by a drunk driver, how is that him being a crappy driver… I understand your humor man but com’on..
Ofcourse some people will disagree with Chales Lewis getting in no doubt and harsh things might be said, hey honestly if Mask hadn’t died would he be getting in rightnow, No…. But having respect for someone that has done alot for THE FIGHTERS and in helping the sport grow in their own little way deserves acknowledgment.. Now I’ve seen people around the net comparing TapouT to like condom depot and Affliction and that is just retarded, I (and most of us) can remember seeing the TapouT logo on the shorts of fighters the world over since the begining ie day 1 like Royce, so don’t come to me with that shhhhhhh….
As far as the “hugfest” so be it, if people want to say R.I.P Mask or whatever so be it if they don’t then so be it, truly it is a non~issue til it is made one.. (and no this is an attempt to start a holy~war with you Dbiz, just venting and well saw your comment.. You are tops in my book kid I’m just explaining my point of view)
I agree with you FR. His company grew as fast as the UFC did. Without the Tapout crew it would still be underground!!!
FR,
I understand your point, I respect your opinions, but my issue is half devil’s advocate, and half inline with eldiablo. If Mask is alive, none of this is an issue. He is getting in since he is dead. Why not put the whole crew in there? Hell, they aren’t going to get in UNLESS they also die tragically. That’s even worse, really.
Furthermore, Why this dead guy and not that dead guy? Where is the spot for a former champion and active fighter if you’re putting one of the t-shirt guys in? Did Tanner dump Dana’s sister at the alter?
Finally, this is the UFC hall of fame, no the MMA hall of fame, so it should be about what they did for the UFC, not what they did for the sport. Which is why I will leave the room during any televised tributes to Mask or any footage of the induction.
DbiZ, do what you have to do by playing devils advocate, I get it, I do it quite often too… Like I stated earlier this isn’t going to turn into an argument I get your point… I understand if you don’t believe that Charles should be inducted, yet honestly we don’t make these decisions…. Futhermore, lets not forget that Charles was close personal friends with Dana and the brothers Fertitta soo how do you forever inshrine your beloved friend? Not only did he do great things for THE FIGHTERS of many different orgs, he was a respected honest business man and truly loved the sport of MMA, see he was no different than us fans, except he took his passion and turned it into an opportunity to assits fighters coming up in the ranks of their personal popularity..
as far as Punkass, well futher down I commented on that
I agree 100% with these inductions. Congrats Chuck, RIP Mask.
While there are arguments for Tito, Militich, Tanner, and I’d even say Carlos Newton to be inducted before these two, were forgetting an obvious choice: Punka$$ is just an integral part of the TapouT legacy as Charles Lewis. If Mask is going into the HoF for his contributions to the sport (which were huge, think of the NFL’s HoF section for builders), you’ve got to put in the other half of the TapouT inception crew.
But he’s not dead, so he doesn’t get a free pass.
Tito most likely will get in, Miletich probably not anytime in the forseable future I would like to see it but well let’s be honest they aren’t fans of one another.. Tanner I’m all for because I have been a fan of his since I can remember, His heart was genuine hell, he was genuine self taught and a champion… Punkass I will assume will accept for Charles Lewis Jr, and yes I do believe one day he will be in as well and not due to a tragic death..
this quote alone shows me that mask was in my opinion probably the # 2 or #3 most ifluential person in mma -
“I think the sport is still so small, as big as it’s getting, it’s still so small that if I can put our money back in it, the better. I want to build the sport, and make the fighters’ lives easier.” -Charles “Mask” Lewis Jr.
and this …..theres no denying that without mask some of our favorite fighters might not even be fighters right now
“Just take a step towards your belief daily, fearlessly, wholeheartedly, digging and dreaming within yourself, believing that as you push on through sacrifice, you will one day stand alone on top of a hill that you created that now encourages and inspires others to chase their dream.” – Charles “Mask” Lewis Jr.
that’s a great ****ing quote! thanks for posting it gunslinger.
I’m a little dissapointed that hughes and tanner aren’t getting in to thof this time around. They deserve it. What about tito? Oh yeah…dana. Dude tito hella deserves to be in there imo. He did a lot for the sport and kept it exciting when zuffa wasn’t even the owner. He’s got the record (tied now) for title defenses and he was a big “face” for the UFC. Whatever, it’s good to see mask and lidell going to the hof.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE TITO ENTERED IN ALSO EVEN THOUGH I DONT LIKE HIM
I’m going out on the edge, here, and I know I’ll catch some garbage for it, but I do not believe Evan Tanner should be in the Hall of Fame. No way. Here’s why:
2. Evan Tanner – Once the middleweight champion, then lost it. Not an impressive career, not even a title defense. Has only beaten 2 people of considerable skill. I highly disagree with this choice, if it happens. Just because he’s dead? Come on. I feel sorry for his family, I do; but this is not the quality of fighter the UFC needs to be putting in their Hall of Fame. Consider the future Hall-of-Famers:
Royce Gracie
Dan Severn
Randy Couture
Ken Shamrock
Mark Coleman
Chuck Liddell
Rich Franklin
Anderson Silva
Georges St. Pierre
Matt Hughes
BJ Penn
And then…Evan Tanner????????????????? I’d even put Lyoto Machida in before him. And Brock. And Tito, for goodness’ sakes. Come on, guys. Really?
Brock Lesnar going into the Hall of Fame with a grand total of 5 fights over Evan Tanner?
Maybe you want to re-think that one…