411’s Countdown to UFC 71 Report - Liddell vs. Rampage

Posted by Larry Csonka on 05.24.2007

The final hype show from the UFC for this weekend’s PPV!

Countdown to UFC 71– Liddell vs. Rampage

Liddell vs. Rampage
-Liddell has been on a mission to avenge all of his losses. First Couture, then Horn and now he focuses on Rampage. We see Liddell running. He has a pure passion to fight, and nothing has changed. He wants revenge. Liddell rolls in his Hummer, he thinks if Rampage pushes him it will be exciting and a quick knockout for him.

-Rampage trained on the streets, he doesn't get intimidated. He's going to whoop Chuck's ass. Liddell is ready to go and this is what he has to avenge. He beat Randy in impressive fashion and they dropped Horn, who was his first UFC loss. Rampage is all that is left. Liddell says he can beat him and wants to prove it, Rampage says he will whoop that as.

-They met in PRIDE for fight one, part of a tournament and Liddell KO'd his first round opponent. He then lost to Rampage in round 2. They discuss Rampage's slams, and we see sweet footage of his slams. Rampage says his plan in the first fight was to whoop Liddell's ass. Liddell was a very tough fight, tougher then he anticipated. Rampage says Liddell pissed him off, but was never hurt. Liddell begs to differ and says he just didn't finish. Rampage says Liddell hits hard, no doubt, but he kept throwing. Dana says taking Liddell down is very difficult. Rampage's coach says if you cut off the angles, then Liddell is done. Dana couldn't believe that Liddell was losing the fight. Rampage says Liddell was in trouble a lot in that first round. Dana was horrified. Joe Rogan says Liddell got his ass kicked, plain and simple. Rampage says that round 2 was easier as he was able to take Liddell down. Dana says that was the first time he had seen Liddell dominated that way. Rampage says he just whopped that ass. We see Rampage finishing Liddell in the fight. Dana said Rampage did everything right, a perfect fight that night. People wonder if it was a fluke or if Rampage is just better. Liddell says he had a better day and that the loss was a loss. Dana says Liddell is looking forward to this more than we can imagine. Liddell wants him to be 100% because he wants to beat him at his best to prove his point. Rampage gets paid to whoop ass. Liddell says it will not go to the cards.

-We move to Rampage training at Big Bear, a lot of what we saw in All Access Rampage. His trainer says he is ready in all aspects. Rampage doesn't play around, he has to have someone push him though. That is what makes him so good. He hates training and takes it out on his opponent. His camp is great, he cannot say enough good things about them. The trainer says it will be a bullfight between the two best bulls. POWERBOMB VIDEO~! When Rampage gets hit he wakes up and gets even more pissed. He may be black but he is no punching bag. They discuss how people don't test and go after Chuck, but Rampage will and they all think he has his number, like Liddell has Tito's number. Rampage says Chuck is the best, but not as good as people think.

-Now onto Liddell's camp and training. He is pushing wheel barrels full of boulders! Liddell says he is in the best shape he has been in a while, sore, but he's a fighter, so that is normal. His trainers think there is no way Rampage, or anyone can beat him right now. Liddell trains year-round, it isn't easy, but the rewards are worth it. People think he is a rock star, and he does live the life, but when it is training time he is all business. Camp is tight and they don't let him go out and party. They talk about getting Liddell on the ground, but it is on them to actually do that and keep him down. We see footage of Liddell working off of the ground. Good KO footage follows. He doesn't change training for anyone. He does it all the same because what got you there worked, so changing is ridiculous he feels. Liddell is gearing up for war and is constantly being pushed. The fight will be banging and exciting. Rampage loves takedowns and Liddell loves defending them. That and the willingness to battle standing up is what will promise excitement.

-Liddell fights to win and never worries about losing. Rogan says if he wins, it will be a complete career in a lot of senses. For Rampage, Dana loves his style. He is aggressive and Rogan says he is colorful and charismatic. Rampage says he is going to whoop Chuck's ass! Rampage is only 28 and gave Liddell his last loss, convincingly. Rampage says Dana wanted the fight now, not later. He was ready, but Rampage wanted some tune up. He wanted fans to get to know him. He took the fight because he doesn't give a damn. Rogan says the fight with Eastman was good and Rampage was nervous. But he will be nervous at 71. If he wins against Liddell, his entire life changes. Liddell says he sees this as a challenge, but is not afraid. Liddell wants to be the best and if he beats Rampage he proves that. Rogan says Liddell has no doubt when he fights. Rampage doesn't want broken down Chuck, he wants top of the line Chuck. Liddell wants 100% Rampage as well. They both have a quest, Rampage uses kick your ass style he says, and doesn't like being out there long. ONE BILLION BUYS. These guys are so great. Rampage likes when the ref has to pull him off of a fighter, and hopes for that this weekend. Liddell says he will knock him out.

-Rogan says it will be exciting because of the KO power of both men and Liddell being at the APEX of his career. Couture says if Rampage pushes he can win because he doesn't thing this is a good match up for Liddell, I agree. Dana says this will be wild and he cannot wait. Liddell says he HAS to KO Rampage. Rampage says he will break Liddell and he has to win, because losing is not an option. Couture says it will be an upset, again like we have been seeing.

Josh Burkman vs. Karo Parisyan
-Dana says this is an interesting fight. Parisyan is always putting on great fights, very exciting. He does it all and that makes for a good fight. We get clips of both men and Rogan says Burkman is an animal and is well rounded, with a lot of UFC experience. Rogan says it is a test for both men, and everyone questioned expects a great fight. We see Parisyan's loss to Diego, where he got his ass whooped. Randy says has to go back to square one to get back to the top. We see Fickett bust open Parisyan, and Parisyan then proceed to kick his ass.

-Parisyan doesn't back down from anyone, but a loss to Burkman would be very bad for his career. Parisyan says he doesn't fear him and will use his Judo to his advantage. We see Burkman and his wrestling skills. Dana is curious to see if he will take him to the ground, with the Judo skills of Parisyan. Burkman doesn't want a decision, he wants to finish but doesn't care how. Parisyan say she is nothing special and he will put the heat on him and get the win. Burkman says Parisyan will see how strong he is soon enough. Parisyan says Burkman will have to survive. Burkman says that is crap.

-We see clips of both men in the gym now. Randy says Parisyan doesn't have a great regiment and Parisyan agrees basically. Parisyan seems to be an underachiever to most. Parisyan says he is always doing cardio, he has seen great fighters not succeed because of bad cardio. He has beaten guys with minimal training due to this. He is ready to go to another level. He has been doing training since age 14, and beating men. He has won tournaments left and right and it is just what he does. Throws takes a lot out of a guy when they get tossed. He has thrown everyone he has faced, no one can stop his throws.

-Onto Burkman. He loves being the underdog because it makes him work harder. Randy says he is explosive and very well rounded. Burkman says he is challenged everyday and works hard. He does a ton of cardio and does anything to get ready. He runs, hills, distance, mountains; whatever it takes for him to become a machine. He is going to the top and no one will stop him. He hits the gym about noon, and he does shit like hitting tired with sledgehammers and carrying people up steps. Damn. At night he does his sparring. He gets hungry guys that want top push him and themselves. He gets tired and they attack and that is great preparation. He has broken into the top 10, and he is pissed because he still isn't at the top. The work just begun and Parisyan is next. This is the ultimate, Parisyan says he is in shape and Burkman is in trouble. He wants to make a highlight reel of Burkman.

-We get the final hype video package.

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