Opinion: Liddell Will Never Reclaim A UFC Title
First and foremost, I’m obligated like every other keyboard warrior in the blogosphere to formally apologize to Rashad Evans for not giving him a snowball’s chance in hell at winning on Saturday night. There, official kudos have been dished out, all is well.
Now everyone else and their mother are forecasting the blank future for Liddell, so I won’t bore you with my thoughts on that matter. What I will say is that it unless Liddell can somehow completely alter his preferred fighting style, he might want to hang up those 4.5 ounce gloves and check out the coaching scene more thoroughly, because UFC gold is simply no longer in his scope of possibility.
It was only a matter of time
See I have this friend, Sheldon. Sheldon is an avid boxer as well as a pretty big MMA aficionado, though he admittedly prefers the sweet science over mixed martial arts any day of the week. Never without a bone to pick, Sheldon has always been particularly critical of the “sloppy†boxing element displayed by mixed martial artists. Most notably, Sheldon and I have found ourselves arguing about who else but Chuck Liddell — as Liddell is best known for his knockout prowess despite having what Sheldon and I’m sure many others deem an absolutely terrible striking style — which is kind of true when you think about it.
Liddell holds his hands entirely too low, throws shots one can spot from miles away, and his target zones are left open wider than a waistband at Lane Bryant. Nevertheless, I usually retaliated to Sheldon’s argument by stating that regardless of Liddell’s technical lacking, the man stands/stood atop the proverbial ladder for a long, long time, so the guy must be doing something right. And so, Sheldon and I sort of agreed to disagree that sooner or later, this style of Chuck’s would be thoroughly exposed for its weakness and, ultimately, exploited.
As we all already know, that time has come and gone with one swift, brain-rattling blow from heavy underdog, Rashad Evans. Now I do not believe by any measure that “Sugar†is the future of the UFC. In my opinion Evans is really too small for the LHW class, and is at best a constant hanger-on to the bottom end of the top ten. Contrary, I think what we all witnessed on Saturday night is simply the result of placing a quick and patient man inside the cage with someone who just doesn’t have any surprises left for the competition.
Darwin would not be proud
Like Tito Ortiz, the man Liddell trounced with ease on two separate occasions, Chuck has unfortunately failed to evolve in terms of what works best inside the octagon. The Iceman’s intimidating knock out power worked and worked and worked in the UFC, as Liddell once boasted a three year, seven fight winning streak with no end in sight.
But not too long ago a guy by the name of Quinton Jackson stepped in with Chuck and knew, just as we all now do, that Liddell’s one trick pony style was really nothing to be afraid of. And the results speak for themselves. The fighters who have knocked out Liddell in the past and those who might knock him out in the future may or may not be of champion-level caliber, it’s just that, like King Hippo or Don Flamingo, the man’s style is so blatantly figured out that it now sits primed for all to come and try their hand at picking apart.
Lets face it, there is video available for every single one of Chuck Liddell’s 27 MMA bouts. Opponents can watch hours of tape, adjust appropriately, and take it right to The Iceman, and they won’t be afraid to do so either. Whether the opponent is ready to go for the gusto like Rashad or Jackson, or simply content to leg-kick en route to a decision like Jardine, Liddell will surely find himself unable to beat any real contenders from here out. Let alone, will he himself be able to capture that precious gold-plated strap that so many in his division are more qualified to wield.
I hate to say it, but…
Age, heart, work ethic- these are not any of the real causes to Chuck’s recent follies. After all, just nine months ago Liddell reclaimed the spotlight after picking up a win over Wanderlei Silva, no easy task.
But Rashad Evans’ brutal knockout did more than just mark another L on Liddell’s impressive record. It let everyone out there who didn’t already know that in mixed martial arts today, you have to be a damn near perfect sort of animal with little to no weakness if you are to stay at the top of the MMA food chain. Just take a look at some of the other title holders in the business: St. Pierre, Penn, Silva, Faber, Emelianenko — those guys are absolute machines and true epitome’s of what a champion mixed martial artist must become.
Sadly, Liddell no longer embodies the same essential qualities. Not by a long shot.
Tags: Chuck Liddell
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I like how when you said look at the other champions…..and you did not mention Forrest. If Chuck were to fight Forrest, he would reclaim the title….but we all know thats not gonna happen anymore.
Im a huge chuck fan..but i also think its time for him to hang up the gloves..was so upset to see him lose
Liddell is a counter-puncher. The way to beat him is to make him come to you.
Did you see how visibly frustrated he was that Rashad didn’t come charging in to eat his fists? That is the key to defeating him. Make him move forward, where he has relatively few skills and very poor defense.
Yes, unless he starts to adjust (and I would go so far as to say LEARN), he will be done. I just hope he doesn’t go the way of Ken Shamrock.
I’m not the world’s biggest Chuck fan, and the assertion that he is a one trick pony is fairly accurate. However, the heavier weight classes are essentially a boxing match not MMA. The manner in which Rashad disposed of Chuck is the same as Cuck could have potentially disposed of Rashad. As noted the chorus of ‘boos’ were sure to ensue had the fight continued in the manner it did, as all Rashad was doing was waiting for an opening and not engaging Chuck.
Chuck’s days are numbered at LHW.
He does not have the speed for the LHW
maybe a last hurrah at HW could be an option for Chuck or maybe he can fight a can and retire on a win.
I’m glad Chuck lost in a way as i always had this feeling he felt this fight was beneath him especially after top level fights with Rampage & Silva.
He didn’t look motivated as he was in the Silva fight he looked frustrated with Rashad’s cowardly fighting style.
Credit to Rashad he will always have a win over Chuck no matter how lucky he was….
It doesn’t look good…but as we all know from watching this sport never say never…
FixXer,
What are you talking about? I’m a huge Forrest Griffin fan but I’m also a Chuck Liddell fan, but how can you say that if they fought, Chuck would for sure win the title back? Forrest would have dismantled him just like he’s gonna do the Rashad.
I LOVE Chuck Liddell and think he’s an awesome face for the UFC but I can’t really argue this article (as much as I’d like to). I was surprised to see during the replays that Chuck’s left hand was at his waist. If he’s going to engage fighters like that… he’s asking to be KO’ed. Rashad didn’t get lucky… he was able to exploit an obvious mistake and if it wasn’t during that exchange it would’ve been the next the way Chuck was dropping his hands.
Chuck might be up there with Matt Hughes at this point where a formerly dominant fighter is now getting owned because they haven’t adapted and taken on other styles. Chuck losing 3 of his last 4, to me, is another passing of the torch to the younger fighters.
I am not sure if its an age or a Time/Economics problem for fighters like Chuck. Too many things to do for the upper ranked fighters other than put in the time to adapt the game. Say 6 weeks in New Mexico working on clinch transitions vs Six weeks on location trying to be the next Tony Ja. Sure the training means a win (Short run) but if the movie takes off that means way more $(Long Run).
I am a Liddell fan but I strongly disagree with the notion that he would beat Forrest Griffin at this time.
No, Forrest Griffin doesn’t finish fights with his knockout power by any means. But Forrest’s game-plan going into bouts is damn near flawless. He picked apart Hernandez with leg kicks. He gassed Shogun and submitted him in impressive style. He stood toe to toe with Rampage and out-scored his stand-up. Two of the most highly regarded LHW mind you.
All it took for Forrest was to get carelessly knocked out by Jardine for him to adjust his style and fine tune his game plan going into fights. Something Chuck Liddell has never been able to do. Let’s face it, Chuck is a one trick pony, and that trick no longer poses an element of surprise. Forrest on the other hand comes in and capitalizes on his opponents weaknesses.
I do give Sugar Rashad a ton of credit for his recent knockout over Chuck Liddell and must admit I was one of many to under-estimate him in that fight. With that being said, I just don’t see Rashad having any chance at all to beat Forrest Griffin. The sheer size and reach advantage alone make this an easy stand up battle for Forrest. Lot’s of leg kicks in the near future for Rashad’s tree trunk like thighs. Rampage’s wrestling game couldn’t stop Forrest’s sprawl, so can Rashad’s? Doubtful in my eyes. Can Rashad really stand for 5 rounds doing all that pointless, show-boating upper body movement or will he too gas? I am predicting a 5 round war with Forrest winning by decision yet again.
Bottom-line, a champion doesn’t have to be dominant like Anderson Silva to have a successful title reign. A champion needs to come into a fight with a game-plan specifically tailored to the fighter he is stepping into the octagon with. What will work best in that specific fight. Unfortunately for Chuck Liddell he is just too one dimensional a fighter and his weaknesses have now been exposed for the world to see.
Notice I didn’t even bother discussing the potential Liddell vs Griffin match-up either. I thought it was pointless as it won’t be taking place.
Clearly the game plan of Greg Jackson was a big part of the success. They planned to counter-strike, baited Chuck before the fight, and then let him become the aggressor leaving himself open.
Props to Rashad, although for some reason he has always been hard to cheer for … really hard to identify why, and it is definatly not because of Matt Hughes comment. There is now no doubt that he has really worked hard to make himself into a excellent MMA fighter and deserves a shot.
Stunning and brutal knock-out.
I say give him RICH FRANKLIN they are both done…
I think we all need to take a deep breath… and exhale… again… and exhale… This wasn’t Chuck’s first loss and it probably won’t be his last. It seems like every time an icon loses a match, he’s done… that’s it… it’s over… Hang up the gloves. Step aside and let a younger guy take over. Liddell left his guard down by his waist, which he has done many times before and got away with it and Evans threw an overhand right… which he practiced over and over — not a lucky punch by any means… and down went Chuck. He didn’t die… He just got caught and knocked out. Chuck will be back and his guard will be up. If he hits Rashad or Jardine or anybody else with a solid right, they’ll go down. Whomever he fights next will have to be looking for that inevitable right… It’s coming.
Don’t sell Rashad short. The guy is 17-0-1. Yes he got lucky against Ortiz because Herb Dean took a point away when Ortiz grabbed the fence. That’s Herb Dean, a good ref, but always making a big mistake. As it turned out, Dean’s knee-jerk decision to take a point away changed the outcome of the fight and ultimately took a victory away from Ortiz and took a defeat away from Evans. Fighters grab the fence all the time. It happens in virtually every fight, but in this one big fight, Dean decided to do something. That’s the difference between luck and strategy… Rashad got lucky against Ortiz, he used strategy against Liddell.
Liddell will look at the film of the fight. He and Hackleford will see the right coming over Chuck’s guard and a light bulb will come on. They’ll decide Chuck needs to carry his hands a little higher. Chuck will fight again… maybe against Kongo or maybe a rematch with Jardine, but whoever it is will reap the right hand of the Iceman. He’ll work his way back up and contend again.
What we don’t know is exactly how good are Rashad Evans and Forrest Griffin. We’ll soon know how good one of them is… so will he reign supreme until somebody knocks him out? If that happens, there will be those voices… He’s too old… The game has passed him by… He should step aside…
But then we look to the side and what do we see? Randy Couture as the heavyweight champion at 45 years of age… At least 2 fights removed from getting knocked out by… Chuck Liddell… Still bringing it even after those same voices… He’s too old… The game has passed him by… He should step aside…
Chuck has lost 3 of his last 4. One of those was to Rampage Jackson who beat Chuck before. Rampage seems to have Chuck’s number just like Chuck has Couture’s number… One loss was to keith Jardine. Did Chuck look past Jardine? Was his concentration on that fight? It didn’t look like old age lost that fight in a split decision, it looked like lack of preperation lost it… And the third loss was a devasting knock out to Rashad Evans. Evans camp realized that Liddell kept his hands too low and if they could get Liddell to chase Evans he could throw that overhand right and put Liddell down. It worked. If hours of study and planning and training can be considered luck, then Rashad was very lucky. It’s been said that luck is when ppreperation meets opportunity. It’s also been said that the harder one works, the luckier one gets. Chuck Liddell just needs to work a little harder on the preperation and he’ll be fine.
Relax and enjoy the game. Chuck will step down and hang up the gloves someday. Until then, just enjoy the competition. He got caught. He’s still a factor if he wants to be.
Good post
Eric you are a wise dude, it is true. continue to the do the same trick and the kids will learn your techinique. it is time for these older fighters to know when to give it up, it can become dangerous for them.
… He’s too old… The game has passed him by… He should step aside…
If it was up to guys that say that junk, nobody would have more than 1 loss…
Three things you must do to limit your chances of being knocked out. Never through an uppercut from outside, never rock back on your heels, and never keep your chin pointed up. All three of these things Chuck was doing when he got knocked out. I love to watch the guy but I bought the last fight of his fight that I will but at $44.95
Another good post…Larry I think the next one you buy he will be a bonus not the reason itself.
I find it funny that people say Chuck would beat Forrest… keeping in mind a week ago everyone was saying Chuck would destroy Rashad. Slow learners.
People say stuff… We all say stuff. Fighters decide who’s right and who’s wrong. Rashad Evans is over-rated… Chuck Liddell is over the hill… Anderson Silva is unbeatable at any weight class… Statemnets like that are almost always proven to be wrong. Guys like Randy Couture… over the hill… and Forrest Griffin… over-rated keep proving them wrong over and over, but we keep saying them. I guess that’s all part of the enjoyment… We get to sat whatever we want and the fighters will still be the ones the decide who’s right and who’s wrong.
Chuck is NOT DONE! He is a fighter who got KO…..what is it? A BIG f-ing deal? Sure it was KO of the year but that is no reason be a quitter. We as fans should know better than to think Chuck would quit because of this! That is ridiculous. Everyone who thinks Chuck is retiring because of one vicious loss needs to do the following:
Get up and go look yourself in a mirror.
Slap your face really hard 5 times.
Hammer fist your own balls 3 times.
Smash your head through a wall.
Then come back here and start your thought process over.
Great post, i enjoyed reading it and you were dead on abuot what you said. as a matter of fact, the only reason i think he even beat wandy is b/c wandy was lloking more to just put on a great fight for the fans since the matchup was hyped up for so many years, therefore he didn’t mind going at chuck.
rashad on the other hand was looking to solidify himself as one of the great and no matter what anyone may say about him, no one has EVER ko’d chuck THAT BAD, not even rampage!!!
Eric,
Good article. I am glad you brought boxing into it. That is all I was posting yesterday….
I come from a family of boxers and they critique the F–K out of Chuck. Many of us here fail to realize Chuck is the face of MMA to most people who do not follow the sport closely like those of us here. I’ve gone round for round in arguments over MMA and Boxing but at the end of the day…..football/rugby…….transgender/transsexual……APPLES AND ORANGES! They are two completely different sports. Unfortunately for Chuck, he was approached by Rashad who fought like a boxer making Chuck’s style useless and too vulnerable for attack. Seriously……Chuck needs to move up. I know many disagree but what is he going to do in the LHW division now? Hammill? Bonnar? Irvin? Give me a break…..HE’s the ICEMAN!
Chuck lost saturday night,that’s a fact. But i still think Chuck can beat Evans every time the face eachother. Chuck should just take his training more seriously and not underestimate his opponents. chuck i think has 3 more years at least left in him. He will be back,for sure.
Rashad Evans is over-rated… He is… by some. Some think he’s the Ali of MMA. Maybe he is, but even Ali lost a few times. Some think he’s under-rated… and he is… I didn’t give him any chance against Chuck Liddell. I was still thinking of Rashad Evans as that guy that won TUF with all his flaws. He’s been working since then. His trainers have brought him along slowly and now he’s the #1 contender. He deserves it. Is Chuck Liddell over the hill? Some say he is, but Randy Couture might have something else to say. The number of a fighter’s age isn’t what defines him, it’s how he fights back from adversity that defines him. Chuck’s loss to Rashad doesn’t define whether or not he’s over the hill, how Chuck fight’s back will determine whether he’s over the hill or not.
I agree DolfanG but….
He hasn’t bounced back well lately. He refused to change anything about his fighting style, despite losing 2 out of 3. The Jardine loss was exactly what Rogan intimated during the PPV. The beginning of fighters learning how to defeat him, by training together and exploiting the same weakness.
Now after that fight, there is a template. Watch the Jardine and Evans fights and find the similarities. Let the great counter-puncher become mediocre when forced to come forward. Frustrate him by not playing into the same game plan he has had for nearly 10 years.
Can he change? More importantly, will he change? He hasn’t been willing to yet. And if he doesn’t, this article is 100% accurate.
Liddell has been so successful for so long that he probably didn’t feel the need to change anything. He has to realize that he needs to keep his guard up and make the other fighter come to him. A split decision loss means nothing. It proves nothing. A one-punch knock-out means a heck of a lot. Liddell will be back… with a vengence and with his gueard up and waiting for his opponent to come to him.
I probably sound like a Chuck Liddell fan, but believe me, I’m not. I’m not against him either. I’m just a schmuck with a keyboard that likes to watch MMS, but I’ll also tell you what I see and what I think. Maybe I’m wrong… we’ll see…
its amazing how one loss admittedly a devastating one and everyone says your done. i still think that chuck would beat a lot of lhws out there and would have a good chance against griffin. sometimes fighters get hit and kod it happens. i still think most people would go with chuck if he was matched with a lot of the lhw division.
No, his Wanderlei fight determined that he was not over the hill, until he stepped in the ring with Rashad Evans.
MMA… stoopid keyboard
Dolfan,
I agree with all of that. Evans is NO ALI! Not by any means. MMA is still yet to have an Ali in it’s modern day era. I felt in this match Evans was being underrated and I was happy to be one of the odd men out saying he would likely win. I do not think Rashad should approach Griffin the same way by any means……Griffin is not going to stand and attempt exchanges like Chuck did. Rashad’s KO punch to Chuck would KO anyone. The difference in a fight with Griffin is, Rashad will have to push the pace A LOT more to be able to land anything and take control. In my opinion, Griffin is a much tougher challenge for Rahsad than Liddell or Ortiz because of his style of fighting. I would prefer Griffin win but it would be pretty badass if Evans won and stayed undefeated for a long time as champ.
wow… Liddell was not over the hill after the Silva fight, but he is after the Evans fight? Is that what you just said?
Belly,
My finger hurts…..I’m not sure I can type much more…..I must be done.
Personally, I don’t like undefeated fighters. I don’t think they learn any humility without adversity. I can’t stand a person with no humility. I think you learn much more from your mistakes than you do from your successes.
All I’m saying is that if Liddell does not change his fighting style after this loss, then he WILL be done because there is now a perfect template to defeat him.
1. Say enough before the fight to get his ire up
1a. Calling him washed up and Grandpa will likely do this
2. Do not push forward and play into his strengths
3. Let the frustration from 1 and 2 burn him for a round
4. Wait for the mistake and be prepared to capitalize
Now clearly there will be variations. My favorite would be to hang back and leg kick the hell out of him for 5 rounds. We’ve seen titles won like that, haven’t we?
has chuck changed? nope
does he need to? yup
will he leave behind “the pit”? NOPE
hes a extremely loyal good hearted guy, which could be part of his downfall from glory… he needs to expand his skill set, or just use the skills he has…
but alas its hard to teach an old dog new tricks, or even get an old dog to listen to something new…
chuck is a great fighter, but in order for his carrer to move foreward he will have to become an amazing fighter who can do it all…
if chuck had shot in taken an leg, gone for some GNP or submisson rashad would have been confused and lost not knowing what to do or where this came from… but that didnt happen and prolly wont ever happen… i think chuck needs to retire with honor and make “the pit” a gym worth training at again, maybe bring in some people to round out fighters
I don’t think he needs to change his fighting style. I just think he needs to eliminate the mistakes. He didn’t lose because he’s a puncher, he lost because he didn’t use ANY defense and had no respect for his opponents abilities. If he keeps his guard up and forces his opponent to fight his fight, he’ll be fine. Evans had a plan to make Liddell chase him. Liddell has to be able to see that and turn things around. And he has to keep his gurad up…
DBiz,
Look how Jardine beat him…..hung back with kicks to the legs and ribs. Evans by won by countering with boxing. Chuck can easily be beat by a faster opponent who counters. You are exactly right about not pushing foward when fighting Chuck. Chuck is a one trick pony who lives and dies by that right hand of his. Take that away and he is in BIG trouble.
guard… stoopid keyboard
Dolfan,
I think you’re right but the problem is Chuck’s ooponents who are faster than he is……Chuck has problems pushing the pace against them and seems to get frustrated to the point he keeps his right hand cocked back while flailing his left around defenseless leaving him in danger.
I should not have called Chuck a one trick pony. He is well rounded but doesn’t show it too often or at all. I feel I disrespected him and apologize. I’m just frustrated with his thought process in a fight. he showed no respect to Evans or Jardine and look what happened.
i was there and chuck just didn’t look healthy to me,he looked like an old man in weigh ins,very skinny and fragile,i feel that he wasn’t up for this fight in one way or the other.maybe not mentally i’m not sure what it was,i think he should take a year off and find a new camp and come back next year with a vengance!
Exactly KOuch… he has to eliminate those mistakes. Defense is as important as offense. Chuck has massive offense, but he had no defense and look what happened. You’re right… he has to keep his guard up and use his hands to not just punch with, but to defend with too.
Rashad is a better wrestler than he is a boxer. Chuck was right to box him, but he has to defend too.
I wonder what Chuck is doing right now… Sitting around with an icebag on that eye? It’ll take a little while for this to pass… On the other hand Rashad is probably looking at films of Forrest Griffin and trying to find his weaknesses. What are Griffin’s weaknesses? he boxed well against some guys and submitted Rua… How should Evans attack Griffin?
Dolfan,
Really….. I cannot wait to see Chuck’s next fight. If we look at his last 3 fights, he does not look like a fighter on the rise as much as he seems a GREAT from the past. His fight with Wandy was great…..don’t get me wrong. I am just looking at the upcoming/younger talent in regards to Chuck and at this point he has proven to preform terribly against the upcoming, newer and younger talent. I do not see Chuck changing either. He has had a successful career and there is no doubt that he is past his prime. Not saying he cannot stay around and F some people up….he’s just not the Chuck we once knew.
All the posts here today were great, especially DolfanG. Well said. When you keep your hands down the way Chuck does you eat big shots. I had to cook dinner yesterday, why? Well my wife bet on Evans, while I said Liddell would knock him out.
Apperently she knows MMA better than I do. What humiliation.
KOuch,
I think he can be as good as he ever was if he cleans up his act. he got sloppy and it cosy him. He’s still a heck of a puncher and he still has that sprawl and he still has his jiu-jitsu. He just has to defend. he fought a great fight against Silva. he throughly beat Silva. The funny thing to me is I don’t see anybody saying that Silva is washed up. Chuck is fine. he still can have years ahead of him. He just has to clean up his act in the ring.
timcat,
I feel your pain… and so does Chuck.
Dolfan,
Forrest has the incredible ability to take a massive ass whoopin, not quit, put up a great fight and smile after he has had the life beat out of him. He is the Man Kind, Mic Foley, Cactus Jack of MMA. I would think Evans should go for the takedown then G&P. Then I second guess that because of the massive beating Forrest is capable of taking and staying concious. If I were Evans, I would approach Forrest in the 1st rd the same way as Chuck to feel him out unless Griffin got aggressive and starts pushing the pace. Evans should go for consistant take downs, throw a few blows and hurry back up to his feet. As good as a wrestler as Evans is, I feel he is in more danger on the ground with Griffin than on their feet. Evans has proven to have KO power in his kicks and punches. Forrest has been KO before and i see no reason why Evans cannot do the same. Take downs and control will be Evans key to victory. Forrest is scrappy and can take a lot of punsihment. After his submission on Shogun, nothing would surpirse me with Griffin. I hope he wins.
Based on how Jardine beat him….no way does he beat Griffin without changing something. Griffin will just chop his leg off with kicks.
He is a pure counter-puncher. That isn’t a bad thing. The low and loose hands help him there because it makes him appear open and makes his opponents make a mistake to attack.
When he is forced to attack, he doesn’t bring the hands up. It isn’t a mistake, it is a style deficiency.
style deficiency….. I like that.
I have to admit, I am a Forrest fan. I laughed when I saw he was going to fight Shogun. Why would they put Forrest griffin in against Shogun Rua? Forrest would have absolutely no chance of being able to compete against a guy of Shogun’s abilities. Shogun could beat Forrest with one leg and one hand, but Forrest proved me wrong. I like the guy. Before one of his fights he made the statement, “I don’t know… I’ll get punched in the mouth and figure it out.” And he’s been doing it ever since.
I believe… and I hesitate to say this after Saturday night… but I think Forrest will win. I don’t know how he’ll win, but I think he’ll win. I think Forrest is a little more rounded in his game and he can take so much punishment and keep on coming. Evans, though, apparantly can stop a man with one punch… I won’t underestimate Evans again. He’s a tough guy and he can do some damage. I think the secret to beating Evans will be found in the tapes of the Ortiz and bisping fights.
I think for Forrest to beat Evans he has to take it to the ground, control the fight and attempt as many submissions as possible. I said before, Evans is a great wrestler but Forrest has the upperhand on the ground. He takes away any possiblity of Evans landing a ONE shot ending strike. Ground control and submission attempts. Evans is not to be stood up with in this fight. Exchanging strikes with Evans will lead Griffin into doom and his reign as champion will be short lived…then everyone will call him a fluke and piss me off.
WAS ANYONE WONDERING WHAT WAS WITH THE SHIRT RASHAD WAS WEARING… I DON’T KNOW IF ANYONE KNOW WHO THAT WAS… IT WAS ACTUALL BILL GATES MUG SHOT WHEN HE GOT PULLED OVER AND ARRESTED HERE IN NEW MEXICO… JUST THOUGHT I’D LET YOU ALL KNOW…
I HAVEN’T BEEN COMMENTING FOR A LONG TIME AND I AM REALLY UPSET WITH THE FIGHT… MAN THAT BROKE MY HEART. I HATE TO SEE HIM LOSE LIKE THAT SPECIALLY AFTER WE ALL THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA WALK THROUGH HIM… MAN RASHAD IS ALWAYS THE UNDERDOG WHO MAKES EVERYONE EAT THERE WORDS… I JUST HATE HIS ATTITUDE AND THE WAY HE ACTS… IF HE CHANGES ALL THAT I WILL BEGIN TO LIKE HIM. HE COULD DOMINATE I REALLY THINK SO…
LOL I was wondering who that was on his shirt, I couldn’t really make it out because i was sitting farther back at a bar, but i thought it was Jeffrey Dahmer or some serial killer lol.
http://www.geckoandfly.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/gates_mug_shot.jpg
WATCH HERE IT IS…
Power is the last thing to go. Chuck is 1-4 in his last 4 but you have to respect him for going for the big fights.
What I mean is He could have asked for Hammil or someone early in their career or gotten ahold of somebody on short notice just to get some work in.
I agree completely Dietrich. He is still asking for tough fights. Sadly, he may be just about done winning them, especially if he runs across fighters that can be patient.
Liddell vs Machida. UFC 102: Back Dat Ass Up
I think Evans had the perfect game plan, stay away and he will walk into one, or in his case upercut into one. Liddell probably can still draw, but we will see. Moving up is not an option, if he can’t hang with the smaller guys, then a monster like Lesnar would kill him.
DROP DOWN TO MW… NOW BRING ON ANDERSON
I think he could stop Machida but its the tougher fight again. I would rather see him fight Rich Franklin and test him to see if he should stay at 205. If he (Chuck) lost he might rethink his career at that point. If he gets Machida next and bests him you could argue that he has shown an ability to correct the problem and should get a rematch with Evans who could possibly be a title holder at that point.
Its really too bad, because its an end of an era and Chucks didn’t seem like it was ever gonna end when he had that belt. I just hope for his sake that he doesn’t turn out to be the next Ken Shamrock and not know when to quit
Right on Timcat HW is not an option with Brock out there. Nevada and Zuffa need the SHW division now!
Brock is too big to fight some of these guys…
way too big. I saw that come fight time he weighs about 280-285, wow. Couture I don’t think has ever faced anyone that size,EVER. Liddell, I don’t think wants Anderson Silva right this moment either. With the way he holds his hands Anderson would tee off on him and it would be a real short night of work.
chuck can not move to heavyweight…he can not compete at lhw…he is pretty much done…he has officially become a stepping stone for fighters…
Anybody know Dana ?I could run a profitable SHW division right now…Without Brock…
With Brock anyone could…
I do
For real?
Dude, wow. I never gave Rashad evans a chance but DAMNNN!!! He knocked him the F&%K out DUDe!!!!
Having said that, Chuck is pretty much done. There’s no way he’s going to make it back. He’ll have to beat atleast 3 guys this time and it just aint going to happen.
The reason Chuck lost is that he is a one dimensional fighter. His opponents knows how to beat him because he is just a kick boxer nowadays and he is not implementing one of his strength which is wrestling. He needs to train more and change his game plan or train to other camp for awhile coz he only have 2-3 fights left in him. Young fighters are wise and are well rounded now so in order for Chuck to stay and reclaim the title, he needs to change his gameplan and style.
i am stunned, hats off to evans, but I honestly thought chuck would win. Still, he had his top years, and now maybe he’s just gotta face up to the fact he’s getting beaten slowly. Altho Wandy win was great tho, gotta be honest !!
Good luck chuck in whatever you do next mate !!
Chuck lost. That’s what happens when you don’t defend yourself and he didn’t. He kept his hands down and out to his sides. It looked like he didn’t expect Evans to even throw a punch. He took everything for granted. he didn’t loose because he’s a puncher. That’s a pretty effective way to win a fight. It was lack of defense and underestimating his opponent. Chuck will correct those things and he’ll be back. He still has 5 or 6 good years left in him if he wants to commit to it… maybe he doesn’t want to.
The guy is only 38 years old. George Foreman was 45 when he won his title back… Couture is 45 now. It’s not the end for Chuck unless he wants it to be.
It gets difficult with all the requests for time. It has too. And Antonio B. can’t possibly handle all that needs to be dealt with…
A title shot is still possible by the end of 09. He’s like one of those NFl potential wildcard teams that doesn’t control their own destiny in week 14 though…
I think the Griffin/Evans fight will be a good fight. I have underestimated both of these guys in the past. I have no idea who might win at this point… Before the Griffin/Rua fight if you would have told me that Griffin would beat Rua and Jackson and Evans would beat Liddell, I would have thought you were nuts, but to then tell me that they would be fighting for the championship… that would have been insane… and look at them now.
About the SHW division comment. I am sick of hearing these stories about how Zuffa/Dana W. doesn’t have the energy to handle everything that needs to be handled ,for example the CNBC doc.There is alot of money made (and a lot more to be made) and I know there are alot of people like myself that want a shot at participating in the company end even from the ground up. It beats the H*** out of a cubicle I am sure.
Forrest v Rashad
At this point do you beat against the champ or the streak?IDK
Dude chuck is finished! Accept it! Couture is 45 but, he’s a healthy and athletic 45 who live his life that way, not just when he fights. He’s in great shape. Chuck lidell looks older and moves like he’s older than randy couture, so those who are comparing randy’s age to chuck, are crazy.
Rashad evans is going to have some problems for forrest but forrest is a well rounded and smart figbhter, so it should be a good one.
****TO ALL THE RASHAD HATERS AND CHUCK NUT-HUGGERS***
i think it’s funny how people say rashad is over-rrated. let’s look at the facts…
1. people say he would’ve lost to tito had tito not grabbed the fence. however, one could also make the argument that had tito not grabbed the fence, he would’ve been slammed even harder and might have possibly been finished by rashad that round.
2. we all know rashad is an incredible wrestler, has very good GnP, is a SMART fighter, and even has power in his kicks. so the only question was “does he have KO power in his punches?”. ask chuck that question now.
3. to come out against chuck like that after he looked so horrible against bisping was incredible. the only thing he really has left to prove is that he can handle a high level juijitsu fighter.
to summarize, he can wrestle, has power in his kicks and punches, is smart in his gameplans, is undefeated after facing quality fighters, and let’s not forget, KNOCKED CHUCK LIDELL SENSELESS!!!
anyone wanna explain to me now how rashad is overrated.
***i am not a rashad fan by the way. i can’t be a fan of someone who goes out there and rubs his nipples before the fight, sorry. i just think the guy deserves his due credit AS A FIGHTER.
Kelvin,
Do you think his ritual is a psychological thing? Isn’t that his degree?
Kelvin…
(while aplauding) Well said dude, well said.
I am not a rashad evans fan. I actually can’t stand that dude. I am one of many he silenced. I totally agree with you dude. He’s definately proven that he’s not overrated (i honestly thought he was HELLA overrated by the way) and that he’s got a solid chance @ being the lhw champ. I don’t think anyone can deny that. Even if you’re like me, and can’t stand that dude. (he was f%&kin dancing and grabbing his nipples dudeLOL WTF??)
Also, i TOTALLY agree about the tito fight.
HE MUST HAVE BEEN ON THEM BLUE PILLS (EX) RUBBING HIS NIPS… NOT COOL NOT COOL.
I AGREE WITH YOU KELVIN. HE REALLY SHUT ME UP. I THOUGHT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DUE TO A KO BY CHUCK… IM FROM NEW MEXICO AND PERSONALLY I CAN’T STAND RASHAD I DON’T LIKE HIS ATTITUDE. MATT HUGHES WAS RIGHT ON THE TUF. BUT NONE THE LESS THE GUY IS A STUD. IF HE STAYS WITH JACKSONS HE WILL BE THE CHAMP… I WAS NEVER SAYING HE WAS OVERRATED. BEFORE THE CHUCK FIGHT HE WAS UNDERRATED OBVIOUSLY. I JUST HOPE IT DOESN’T GO TO HIS HEAD NOW… HE NEEDS TO KEEP HIS HEAD SCREWED ON TIGHT
What the hell was chuck liddell doing Saturday night??? We all know that he doesn’t have much of a chin and despite that important fact, he left himself wide open consistently throughout that fight. He’s always loading his right hand, holding it way to low & his left isn’t doing much better. A real striker/boxer would destroy him fast by going right up the middle on him. Also, why in the hell was he stalking Evans allover the ring when he damn well knows that he’s an effective counter puncher, especially in this fight because he’s the bigger guy with the longer reach. You only win these types of fights when you stick to what works best by forcing your opponent to fight your kind of fight. Rashad Evans wins simply because of that. Smart gameplan & nice overhand right haymaker = viscious knockout. Excellent strategy!!!
Nice blue pill ref…As long as we don’t have UFC fighters throwing Footballs through tires between rounds everything will be fine…
Boxing is different from MMA. He won because boxing can be fabricated. Its money win or lose its money in boxing.
You idiots said the same thing about Rashad not having a chance in hell to beat Chuck. Now its done and you seen the outcome. He, Rashad will beat Forrest and be the LHW champ.
Rashad must stay humble with his win saturday if he dont, Griffin will rip him apart.
The last time I checked Forrest doesn’t finish fights how do you suppose he will rip him apart maybe leg kicks. I’m still not sold on Forrest if he crushes Rashad ill give him more respect. I don’t however see that happening.
TURK MAN…. YOU NEED TO RELAX AND TAKE A BREATHER… COME ON I’LL DO IT WITH YOU BREATHE IN…….. NO BREATHE OUT…. GOOD JOB ONE MORE TIME….
Melvin “Marvelous” Manhoef is a beast!!!
Ha Ha YZFOXRACING I’m Chillin. Just letting the (Bandwagon) Chuck fans know they, including 80% of MMA fans didn’t give him [Rashad] a 20% of winning how will Forrest beat him. Forrest is only good for a decision victory and I kind of like the guy.
kelvin, rashad isn’t over-rated, however, even Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson. All the stars were lined up on both nights.
I’m a big TUF fan, so a championship fight with Forrest would be awesome. It should be broadcast on Spike TV, for all time sake.
I would like to see Rashad vs. Wanderli.
Chuck is NOT done.unless he decides not to learn from what he screwed up .He needs a few changes.Remember he’s done that before and come back and kicked ass!Evans AND HIS CAMP fought a smart fight,Chuck carried his hands low and tried a upper cut in the kill zone with a strong guy still early in the fight. Reminds me of the body shot tried on Rampage with the same results.Chuck needs help.Teach him some strategy, defence, and to carry his gloves like Forests ear muffs and he will eat everyone at 205 at least for a while longer.
IMO Wanderlei wins.Similar height…Clinch would notbe a problem for Silva…
LOL TURK I DON’T MEAN ANYTHING BY IT. IM JUST SAYING. I DIDN’T GIVE RASHAD ANY CHANCE IN HIS FIGHT WITH THE ICEMAN. AND I’LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT I WAS WRONG. HE SHOVED MY WORDS DOWN MY THROAT.
who would have though forrest and rashad would be fighting for the lhw title?!!?!!?
I WOULD ROOT FOR FORREST… BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WITH RASHAD… I LIKE FORREST AS A CHAMP
TO MANY TO READ SO I WILL JUST COMMENT,
it really makes me laugh that people are talking about chuck is done, the guy got caught with one hell of a punch that would knock any body out. 1st round rashard look poor an it looked like just a matter of time b4 he got knocked out but then all of a sudden he throws a bomb which luckley for him hit right on the chin, forrest is guna skool evens in there fight no question, chuck is not done hes got a good 2 years left in him i think his next fight will be against jardine maybe in january
YZ,
Regardless of who Rashad has fought and whatever went down during those fights to get him a win doesn’t matter anymore. He is undefeated with two of the best KO’s most of us have ever seen. The Tito point deduction is a non sense arguement now. As I see it, Tito could NOT finish and CHEATED by holding the cage. A well deserved win by Rashad for going the distance with the former LHW champion. Then after Saturday’s KO and win over another former LHW champion leaves little to be doubted from Rashad Evans. Matt Hughes even took back his words on the TUF2 season and said, “Rashad is a very good fighter…. I was wrong.” MATT HUGHES said that! Admitted he was WRONG! WOW.
I also liked on TUF2 when Melvin Guillard was bragging about his KO victories and Rashad suggested being more humble. Despite Rashad’s fighting style of flashy movements, I believe he is a very humble guy.
I PERSONALLY DON’T THINK HES DONE. BUT I DON’T THINK HE’LL BE CHAMP AGAIN. BUT HE STILL AS ALOT IN HIM. LIKE JOHNBOY SAID HE GOT CAUGHT BY A PUNCH THAT WOULD PUT ANYBODY TO SLEEP… BUT CHUCK WILL GO BACK TO TRAINING AND WORK ON KEEP HIS HANDS UP. AND HE’LL BE FINE. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HIM BACK…
NO KOUCH YOU MISS UNDERSTOOD ME. NEVER DID I SAY HE WASN’T A GOOD FIGHTER… HE IS A REALLY GOOD FIGHTER I JUST DON’T LIKE HIS SHOWBODING. IM SURE ITS THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD TO GET A KO LIKE THAT BUT SHOW SOME RESPECT AND SAVE THE SHOWBODING FOR LATER IN THE LOCKER ROOM…
I understood you. I was afraid it would come across that way though…..my bad. I was just replying to you cause you were the most recent post at the time.
It’s kind of funny how people think that Rashad is STILL being under-estimated. That was Saturday… Today, not so much. And you haters should also get off the backs of the Liddell fans. What’s wrong with being a fan of Chuck Liddell? He got knocked out… it’s fighting… it happens. It’s not the end of the world… it’s not the end of Liddell… it’s just the end of that fight. He’ll be back. He still has time. Liddell beats Silva and people are ready to give him Griffin’s belt. He loses to Evans and those same people are ready to pull his ticket. Over-reacting seems to be a common thread running through this whole thing. How about this… Liddell lost to Evans and now Evans will challenge for the title. Liddell will have to win a few more fights to get back to where he was. It would be really cool if we could leave it like that without having to chide Liddell’s fans, without having to put Liddell in an old folks home and without giving Rashad Griffin’s belt before they even fight.
Dolfan,
Rashad is the BEST fighter EVER! EVER EVER! Probably FOREVER! He is GREAT! Griffin should give the title up right now and Chuck should become a figure skater. That is the only way any of this makes sense to me.
JOHNBOY AND WHOEVER IS STILL IN DENILE,
Dear Dudes,
I regret to inform you that saturday night’s fight between “sugar” vs “ice” did not go according to “plan”. Though many of us expected a different outcome, it does not change the fact that we witnessed the rise of a young underdog, and the fall of a legend. Chuck the iceman lidell was said to be only one victory away from a deserved title shot, but after this devastating loss, a future title shot is almost as certain as me CUTTING MY BALLS OFF AND EATING THEM FOR DINNER…NOT GONNA HAPPEN!! So seriously dudes, accept that lidell is pretty much done and just enjoy the other sick fighters like thiago silva, shogun, rampage, wanderlei,griffin. and so on.
This has been a special message from yours Truly
Hugh Jazzkok!
To Quote Johnboy:
“TO MANY TO READ SO I WILL JUST COMMENT,”
WOW!!! On my UFC Fantasy I did pick Rashad to win, but to win by Unanimous Decision. I felt he was faster and stronger than Chuck, but never did I see Chuck getting KOed like that. I gained a new respect for Rashad Sat. night, he looked good the whole fight. I’m not a big fan of Rashad with his cocky ass attitude. But he was a class act in the post fight interview with Joe Rogan. CANT WAIT TO SEE CHUCK COME BACK STRONGER THAN EVER!!!!
Is Rashad the greatest fighter ever?… Not yet… maybe some day, but not today. He got a \huge victory by knocking out The Iceman. That doesn’t mean he’s the most powerful puncher in the history of MMA. Lately, when it comes to making matches for championship fights the UFC has been known to jump the shark. Putting Lesnar in against Couture for example. This time it’s going the way it’s supposed to go. Evans beat the number one contender and he became the number one contender. Evans will take on Griffin for the belt. That’s the way it’s supposed to go. This time the UFC got it right.
KOuch… very funny… I’m sure you know what I mean… All of the exagerations… Evans is the best… Liddell is done… all that crap… Just let it play out.
KOuch, I believe it was either you od Dietrich that siad Liddell might be ready to contend for a titlew shot by the end of next year if he gets some help. I agree with that. He’ll have to win a couple of fights and then hope a couple of other guys get beat. If that happens, He’ll get another shot in late 2009 or early 2010.
all chuck needs is 3 good wins then his name will get him a shot, people need to just sit back and look at fights like gsp serra etc the ice man got caught sh!t happens chuck is still one of the top mma fighters in the world an i still belive he will be back, as for rashard yeah hes a good fighter but i belive it was a lucky punch that put chuck to sleep, also for u bisping haters do u have more respect for him for going 3 rounds and loseing a split wiv evens?? if not get off chucks back he got caught happes to the best
I’m sorry to all of you that believe liddell is completely done, but… not unless he wants to be done.
Griffin is in Extreme Coutures camp and his coach is Randy Couture and for sure they will figure out how rip rashad evans apart.
Dolfan, i don’t know if you caught my special bulletin bro, but what you’re saying just sounds like wishfull thinking. Why is it so hard to accpet that chuck will need to fight atleast 3 more times before a title shot and those fights will have to be top guys. It aint gonna happen dude. I don’t like rashad or chuck, i’m just neutraly speaking the truth. But hey dude, if you still have hope for “the ice man” then whatever dude that’s kool.
I still don’t like bisping and I still say Hamill beat him fair and square. That should have been an unnamimous decision… it was obvious.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE IN THE LONG RUN… IF HE WINS HIS NEXT 3 FIGHTS HE WILL GET THE SHOT. I LIKE JARDINE IN JAN. MAYBE MACHIDA IN MAY…
IF THEY GIVE CHUCK, ANDERSON SILVA. AND CHUCK WINS. DO YOU THINK THAT WILL PUT NEXT IN LINE OR NO
Jazz… I’m not a Liddell fan. I’m just looking at what goes on. There are only a handful of serious contenders for LHW. If Liddell beats at least 2 of them and the others will have to fight with each other which means they’ll weed each other out, then it’s possible that it could come down to Liddell and maybe one other guy to fight to get a title fight. It’s a likely scenerio. The only way Liddell is through, is if he quits.
And if Rashad Evans wins against Forrest you have to see whos next in line. He may request Dana to coach Ultimate fighter so that he can hold onto the belt for a long time.
Machida-elusive wise fighter boring at times but intelligent strategy hard to solve
Thiago Silva-Wild wild fighter coming before from the famous Chute Box and now training in ATT
Of course, it’s all prefaced on Liddell winning his next couple of fights against quality guys. Let him fight bisping and see where they both are and move on from there…
WHY WOULD HE FIGHT BISPING.
Bottom line now is that Chuck has to train hard and well for his next fight not only train but work his ass out. He has to train with other camps and train other MMA discipline in this wild sport you have to be well rounded.
Rashad good job and good luck to your next fight against Forrest. whoever wins must be prepared against Lyoto Machida, Thiago Silva and Rampage coz they are the logical contenders as of the moment. I will not include Wandy coz he needs to win 2 more, he sells tickets but its not the case.
yeah the iceman is not done i hope he will be back mma will not be the same for me as im a big chuck fan
on another note i smell hendo vs bisping if the count gets past leban that would be a stand up war an a massive win for the count on his quest to become the champ
JOHNBOY…. NICE MATCH UP. NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT… BISPING/HENDO…. THATS AN AWESOME MATCH…
Chuck need to learn from this and move on to better himself, im not a chuck fan or Evans fan
but if Chuck wants to fight in the UFC he has to change some things in his game
Hendo vs Marquardt
winner gets title shot
Lidell vs Thiago Silva
Shogun steps in, fights Machida
I agree with the article. Chuck needs to keep his hands up. I don’t think he’s declining that much. It’s bad habits that are catching up to him. I think those habits can be corrected. The question is will he make those corrections. I don’t think he will so no more UFC LHW title.
looks on the card, an would be a great match. but it would suprise me now if bisping got knocked out not that i think the count is rubbish cos u no i rate him high wiv a tiny bit of english playing apart;) but ive learnt that any body can beat any body in mma i didnt used to think that, i used to think there was a line somewhere but evens knocking out the iceman like that has made me realise anyone can beat any1 one there day, i really hope cote beats silva now haha
Yup Hendo against Marquardt for the title shot
Johnboy
i would be disturbed if cote beat silva. I mean you’ve got silva who’s running through top guys like they’re nothing, here comes a guy who beat “da spyder grove” and he’s the one to beat silva?? That would be wierd cote as the champ, mmmm doesn’t sound accurate to me.
Chuck has turned into the latest version of “Iron” Mike Tyson. Once Evander figured out how to box Tyson, the mystique was gone. Sure he still had serious punching power, but once you knew how to fight him, his frustration would lead to his demise and quite possibly your ear being chewed off. Chuck was figured out by Jardine and Evans… anyone who would employ those techniques, leg kicks and elusiveness has a great shot at beating him. Unless of course if your Wandy Silva, who loves a brawl, forget the consequences!
dont know if it was mentioned but from 1999-2003 liddle had a 4 year ten fight win streak until he face randy couture the man whose place he was supposed to to take at the top of the mma world. and even though for the last five years peolpe have been saying rany is done he keeps comming back to prove us all wrong. this may in fact be the end for chuck and if so he has an exelent career to look back on. but if history and our own innacurate predictions tell us anythigh the ice man could come back win the belt maybe even from evens and add to his already iconic legacy.
Chuck’s run back to the Title via the help of others
Version 1.0
IF Chuck was offered and IF he took the hard fight with Machida and IF he won by a fashion similar to how he lost Saturday and IF Evans bests Forrest and IF Dana’s is in a good Mood with how the Randy Fedor love story plays out Then maybe he gets a rematch with the new champ…
Somebody tackle Version 2.0 I am busy counting IF’s…:)
Hendo-Bisbing sounds good BTW
Bottom Line-Chuck is signed to push Bud light.He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
BTW Just a fan of great fights no hero worship here…
mmmmmmmmm but if….
then? if , could happen
What if Dietrich gets paid by the if? If that were to happen and if he made enough money at it to pay his bills and if he was tired of his regular job, would he quit thast and keep ifin’?
It looks like Chuck is have’n a power nap
No just playing
obviously rashad isn’t the greatest fighter out there…yet. could he be on the way, possibly. he’s certainly taken a huge step by KO’ing chuck.
what people fail to realize is that MMA is evolving. it’s ignorant to say that legends like wanderlei, chuck, matt hughes, etc. cannot be beaten by these younger, more complete fighters.
don’t get me wrong, i think all those guys are great and still have plenty of fight left in them, but they will never, i repeat…NEVER be as dominant as before.
chuck defended his title 7 straight times…now he’s lost 3 of his last 4.
wanderlei has lost 3 of his last 4.
matt hughes was the MOST dominant champ ever, now he’s lost 3 of his last 4.
my point, these fighters from the show are for real and are obviously (for the most part) more complete.
Ahhhhh how fickle the MMA community is… Chuck is a legend through & through. I hate to be the bringer of not so informative news, but anyone can beat anyone with a hard shot at anytime. Just the way things go in this game we all love. Does Chuck still hit hard? Can he still fight for 3 rounds at a blistering pace? Does he still have the mental tools for the cage? Yes, yes, yes, & yes to any other questions you will ask doubting him. I realize your only as good as your last fight in the game, but all the “champs” named in the article have all lost at one pint in their career. “Its not how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up!” Chuck def needs to go to the drawing board & make some adjustments, but do any of you really think he’s done for good? Or better yet, if he was to fight Rashad (I’m boring & just squeak out %90 of ny fights) 10 times, do you not believe Chuck would win 7-8 times? Maybe I’m just watching different fights when the UFC comes on, cause anyone that really thinks Jardine won that fight prob rode that same short bus to school that judged the Matt Brown fight the other night. I hope Chuck gets back on his horse & gives everyone a little piece of humble pie!
Yeah I know Fedor hasn’t lost, but who’s counting! He’s a different breed of human…
eirik,
way to quote rocky balboa on your “its not how many times you get hit…” speech. and while it’s true that all champs lose at 1 point in their career, lidell hasn’t got beat once, but THREE TIMES IN HIS LAST 4 FIGHTS. STOP LIVIN IN THE PAST…when someone is done, THEY’RE DONE. chuck isn’t an all around fighter like randy is and i don’t care what he or his trainers say, there’s no “gameplan” when he fights. HE DOES THE SAME THING EVERYTIME. randy came back in his forties and adapted to his opponents.
chuck lidell’s fights have been pretty boring the last 4 or 5 times. i agree you know what hes gonna do. As the world of MMA has evolved. Chuck hasn’t.
thats what i thought he will be pretty good but he wont be champ ever again
I agree that everybody has known what the Iceman was going to do, Randy Couture said it himself before the fight, but it has worked for Liddell. Maybe it won’t work anymore and maybe he will have to do things a little differently, but that doesn’t mean he’s washed up. He’s not too old at 37 or 38 to compete. Why do you think the younger guys are more well rounded just because they’re younger? Chuck is a well rounded fighter, he just hasn’t shown it because what he was doing was working. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it… It looks like now it just might be broke. Chuck has a ground game. You’ll probably see it soon.
ya he need to go to that like his ufc debut where he used his wrestling
T3,
Really? You thought the Wanderlei Silva was boring? I thought it was a great fight by both fighters. I know Dana loved it, but you thought it was boring?… I didn’t agree with the judges that Jardine won their fight either. I thought Liddell did enough to win and he was the better fighter in the ring that night. I think they were surprised that Jardine didn’t get knocked out and scored him higher than they should have because of that. Liddell got beat by Jackson… again… Was he washed up after the first time they fought and Jackson won? Then why after this fight? Before that was the Tito fight. Regardless of what you may think about Tito and his performance, Liddell’s performance was outstanding.
“kelvin says:
eirik,
way to quote rocky balboa on your “its not how many times you get hit…†speech. and while it’s true that all champs lose at 1 point in their career, lidell hasn’t got beat once, but THREE TIMES IN HIS LAST 4 FIGHTS. STOP LIVIN IN THE PAST…when someone is done, THEY’RE DONE. chuck isn’t an all around fighter like randy is and i don’t care what he or his trainers say, there’s no “gameplan†when he fights. HE DOES THE SAME THING EVERYTIME. randy came back in his forties and adapted to his opponents”——————————————–
Kelvin,
Funny how you didn’t address any of the points, or issues I brought up, but instead just decided to mock one of the quotes… That was original! Yeah he lost 3 of his last 4 fights… Maybe you didnt see the Jardine fight, or maybe you just keep wanting to ignore the fact that the other 2 fights were one shot ko’s. He wasn’t dominated. He got caught slipping. So once again read my post & answer the questons I presented, & then tell me why he cant be a top contender again one day soon. Oh & let me guess… You were the 1 out of 10 people that actually thought Rashad was gonna win?
Eirik, I so totally agree with you, I could’nt have said it better….. sometimes you gotta change things up to keep up.
eirik,
1-sorry, i wasn’t aware you HAD a point other than complaining about the MMA community and their opinions towards lidell.
2-no, i didn’t think rashad would win although i did say IF there was an upset that night, that would be the fight it would’ve happened in.
3-yes, i did see the jardine fight and unless you’re looking through the eyes of a biased iceman fan, you’re crazy for thinking chuck should’ve won that fight. the on controversial thing about that fight is that one of the judges actually thought chuck won the fight, but that’s history.
4-the point is pretty much what everyone has been saying, which is if lidell doesn’t change, THEN he’s done. he’s made his career on KO’ing other fighters so do we really see him changing his style? if he is serious about getting the belt back, maybe yes. if he’s just looking to put on an exciting stand-up brawl for the fans and being the same old chuck, probably not.
no need to get upset, everyone’s entitled to their opinion, even if you’re wrong.
Jardine won all the way, did you count how many kicks Jardine landed unanswered?
let me restate that. it was mediocre. you knew what was going to happen after the first round. its just my opinion i like it when people mix it up. throw some submissions in there. show some skill. not back a dude in the corner and throw punches without knocking him out. i bet wandy was throwing harder punches while leaning on the cage.. just not very exciting to me.. Zendo would have upset karo if karo wouldn’t have backed out. that was the match i was looking forward to.
Hey Kelvin,
Sorry if you, or anyone thought I was complaining about the MMA community. I am part of that community, so I am def not complaining about it. I also didn’t want my response to you to make it seem like I was mad. I was confused as to why you didn’t comment on anything besides for the quote. I’m not a “biased iceman fan” either. I think Chuck has the tools to get back on the right track, if he finally comes to the realization that he cant just get punched in the face by 215lb fighters & always survive. He needs to start adapting a better game plan, & implementing it. Just baffles me all the time how as soon as someone loses a couple (ok 3) fights “they’re done.” Your right though were all entitled to our opinions, & I’m sorry once again if I came across as trying to act otherwise. BTW- I’m a biased Josh Barnett supporter… Peace & I’m out!