411 Fighter Profile: Chuck Liddell
Posted by Ryan Seymour on 09.02.2008
The man with dynamites on his fists - Chuck Liddell faces off against Rashad Evans this week at UFC 88: Breakthrough. Before he fights Evans, have a look back at his MMA career and see what made Chuck Liddell the icon he is today, as well as watching some crushing KO victories.
Chuck Liddell
Nickname: "The IceMan" Record: 21-5 Weight: 205lbs Height: 6'2 (188 cm) Hometown:Santa Barbara, California Ranking #3 Light Heavyweight Association: The Pit Organizations: UFC (current), IFC, PRIDE Accomplishments: Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Introduction
Chuck Liddell, the most famous MMA fighter in the world. Whenever MMA is highlighted and shown on major news stations, this is the fighter they love to show. A fighter who is lethal with his hands, coming away with 14 wins via knockout. Chuck Liddell is one of few fighters who has also had a go at acting, Liddell has been featured in TV shows (such as Entourage) and also films (such as Cradle 2 the Grave, Bobby Z and Blade). Also Liddell is the only UFC fighter to have a DVD dedicated to his fighting career as well as also having his own book. Chuck Liddell can be put in the same category as fighters like Royce Gracie, Matt Hughes and Randy Couture as true legends in the sport, who will forever be remembered.
Early Life
Chuck Liddell was born on December 17th , 1969 and is currently 38 years old. At a young age, Liddell was involved with contact sports such as karate and wrestling. Chuck Liddell became a Division 1 wrestler and began learning jiu-jitsu before starting his journey into his MMA career. Chuck started his career in the big leagues, making his MMA debut against Noe Hernandez at UFC 17: Redemption. Chuck would suffer his first loss to extreme MMA veteran Jeremy Horn, Liddell didn't tap while Horn had him in a rear naked choke, so in turn Liddell passed out.
Chuck Liddell has been so marketable for a few reasons. One reason is that Chuck is able to finish his fights in highlight knockout fashion, which always excites the fans. Also Chuck has been able to have some very intense rivalries within his MMA career. Firstly Chuck Liddell faced former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture in three good battles – With Liddell coming out with two wins and one loss. One of the most hyped up rivalries Chuck Liddell has had is with former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' Tito Ortiz. Ortiz and Liddell were involved in heated talks inside and outside the octagon, many believe that Tito Ortiz kept ducking Liddell and was afraid to face him – Liddell beat Ortiz in both fights they had. As already stated Jeremy Horn gave Liddell his first MMA loss and the two fought in a very interesting rematch where Liddell was able to get revenge and beat Jeremy Horn.
Quinton Jackson shocked the world when he defeated Chuck Liddell in PRIDE. Many believed that Chuck was a great chance to win the PRIDE Middleweight Tournament but ‘Rampage' put a stop to that. After the demise of PRIDE, Jackson made the move to the UFC and faced Liddell in a rematch four years later. Like the first meeting Liddell wasn't able to stop Rampage and Rampage took the UFC Light Heavyweight Title of Chuck Liddell. In Chuck Liddell's last fight to date, Liddell faced of against Wanderlei Silva, the two were meant to meet numerous times before but deals fell through. Liddell and Silva faced of against each other at UFC 79: Nemesis and in a incredible fight, Liddell was able to win by unanimous decision.
MMA Career
Win, Noe Hernandez, Decision UFC 17: Redemption, Mobile, Alabama, United States, 05.15.98 Win, Jose Landi-Jons, Decision IVC 6 - The Challenge, Brazil, 08.23.98 Loss, Jeremy Horn, TKO, Round 1, 12:00 UFC 19: Ultimate Young Guns, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, United States, 03.05.99 Win, Kenneth Williams, Submission, Round 1, 3:10 NG 11 - Neutral Grounds 11, 03.31.99 Win, Paul Jones, TKO, Round 1, 3:53 UFC 22: Only One Can be Champion, Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States, 09.24.99 Win, Steve Heath, KO, Round 2, 5:39 Win, Jeff Monson, Decision UFC 29: Defense of the Belts, Tokyo, Japan, 12.06.00
Win, Kevin Randleman, KO, Round 1, 1:18 UFC 31: Locked and Loaded, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States, 05.04.01
Win, Guy Mezger, KO, Round 2, 2:21 PRIDE 14: Clash of The Titans, Yokohama, Japan, 05.27.01 Win, Murilo Bustamante, Decision UFC 33: Victory in Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, 09.28.01 Win, Amar Suloev, Decision UFC 35: Throwdown, Uncasville, Connecticut, 01.11.02 Win, Vitor Belfort, Deicsion UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets, Las Vegas, Nevada, 06.22.02 Win, Renato Sobral, KO, Round 1, 2:25 UFC 40: Vendetta, Las Vegas, Nevada, 02.15.03 Loss, Randy Couture, TKO, Round 3, 2:39 – For the Interim UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 43: Meltdown, Las Vegas, Nevada, 06.06.03
Win, Alistair Overeem, KO, Round 1, 3:09 PRIDE: Total Elimination 2003, Saitama, Japan, 08.10.03 Loss, Quinton ‘Rampage' Jackson, TKO, Round 2, 3:10 PRIDE: Final Conflict 2003,Tokyo, Japan 11.09.03
Win, Tito Ortiz, KO, Round 2, 0:38 UFC 47: Its On!, Las Vegas, Nevada, 04.02.04
Win, Vernon White, KO, Round 1, 4:05 UFC 49: Unfinished Business, Las Vegas, Nevada, 08.21.04
Win, Randy Couture, KO, Round 1, 2:06 – Won UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 52: Liddell vs. Couture II, Las Vegas, Nevada, 04.16.05
Win, Jeremy Horn, TKO, Round 4, 2:46 – Retains UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 54: Boiling Point, Las Vegas, Nevada, 08.20.05
Win, Randy Couture, KO, Round 2, 1:28 – Retains UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture III, Las Vegas, Nevada, 02.04.06 Win, Renato Sobral, TKO, Round 1, 1:35 – Retains UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral, Las Vegas, Nevada, 08.26.06
Win, Tito Ortiz, TKO, Round 3, 3:59 – Retains UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz, Las Vegas, Nevada, 12.30.06
Loss, Quinton ‘Rampage' Jackson, KO, Round 1, 1:53 – Defeated For UFC Light Heavyweight Title UFC 71: Liddell vs., Jackson, Las Vegas, Nevada, 05.26.07 Loss, Keith Jardine, Decision UFC 76: Knockout, Anaheim, California, 09.22.07 Win, Wanderlei Silva, Decision UFC 79: Nemesis, Las Vegas, Nevada, 12.29.07
The Future
After being on top of the UFC ladder for so long and then falling of, it seems a while since we have seen the dominating Chuck ‘The IceMan' Liddell. Word is that Chuck Liddell is only one fight of getting a title shot against a fighter he trained on TUF 1, the champion Forrest Griffin. To get a shot at Forrest Griffin, Liddell will have to go through another ultimate fighter winner – Rashad Evans. Evans is still undefeated and is ten years younger then the former UFC champion Chuck Liddell. Something that is in Liddell's favor is Liddell has gone well against other established wrestlers such as Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture and Kevin Randleman. The fight this week against Rashad Evans will really show where Chuck Liddell is in his career and if he has the stuff to become champion once again. It is amazing to think that Liddell was involved in the very first season of The Ultimate Fighter and helped the show become what it is today – and now two ultimate fighter contestants stand in his way of reclaiming the UFC Light Heavyweight Title.
