Liddell was asked about his retirement by Fuel TV last weekend after UFC 145 and “The Iceman” clearly seemed content in his current life, welcoming a new daughter recently while keeping his eye on things as both a fan and Zuffa executive.

“It was a hard decision to make…to retire…but it came down to…it wasn’t that I couldn’t compete with guys. I had two problems. I can’t quite take a punch like I used to and I didn’t want to change my style. I mean I could. I could start wrestling and trying to control (opponents), take less chances, but then I still got the chance of getting hit hard,” said Liddell on the subject. “I wanted to go out fighting the way I like to fight – exciting and fun.”

“The only thing that would even make me think about coming back is if they gave me a shot at the title,” he playfully continued before adding a serious note, stating, “I don’t want to come back as a sideshow.”

The 42-year old Liddell lost five of his last six fights including four by way of knockout. However, despite his slide, throughout the bulk of his career he was one of the most feared competitors in the game, holding an overall record of 21-8 with thirteen strike-based stoppages and wins over Tito Ortiz, Wanderlei Silva, and Randy Couture.

Watch the full interview below where he also offers up his assessment on current 205-pound champion Jon Jones:

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

UFC Bad Blood: Liddell vs. Ortiz takes a look at the rivalry between the two men who helped the UFC grow to where it is today.

Right off the bat you can tell the difference between the two men and why they’ve had their differences over the years. Appearing on camera, Ortiz is surrounded by his championship belts and trophies, 500 “Punishment Athletics” banners and signs, in his SUV, and even does part of his interview from a nice boat while fishing. Liddell on the other hand sits nears a fire pit, in the barbershop, and on a massage table for his segments.

Ortiz likes to live the lavish life and loves to promote himself and his brand. Liddell likes to live the simple life.

That’s the common theme throughout the DVD and a big reason why Liddell and Ortiz had a falling out. Ortiz wanted to be an entertainer and Liddell wanted to be a fighter. Then UFC light heavyweight champion, Ortiz didn’t duck top contender Liddell after UFC 40 because he was afraid of him, he didn’t want the fight to happen because he wanted to make more money than what was being offered at the time. Liddell didn’t care about the money, he just wanted to fight and win the title.

When they fought the first time at UFC 47, after Liddell finished Ortiz with strikes, it seemed like the bad blood was over. The two embraced after the fight and buried the hatchet for the time being. But with Ortiz riding a win streak and Liddell holding the title, it was only a matter of time before the two men met again.

UFC 66 was the big money fight Ortiz wanted “Iceman” vs. “Bad Boy” to be. The event was the first ever UFC PPV to crack the one million buy mark and both men walked away with deeper pockets than ever. It wasn’t the performance Ortiz wanted though, as he once again succumbed to the power of Liddell’s fists.

Scheduled to meet a third time following their coaching stints on The Ultimate Fighter, Ortiz pulled out of the fight, which Liddell but expected, but was still pissed off that it happened. The third fight never happened as Liddell retired following a UFC 115 loss to Rich Franklin.

Watching this DVD as a huge Liddell fan, I couldn’t help but be entertained and excited throughout the entire documentary. Tito is Chuck’s greatest rival because of all the trash talking that went on between the two and yet in both fights, Liddell made it look somewhat easy with his sprawl and brawl technique. It was a great reminder of what Chuck looked like when he was in his prime and on his game.

It’s sort of funny watching the DVD now, because the interviews were taped just after Liddell’s retirement. So Tito was still in a bit of a downward spiral career-wise and Chuck was at peace with his career. The funniest thing about it was just hearing the comments from Dana White, who is now on “Team Tito” thanks to him stepping up and saving the UFC 133 main event. It’s also odd hearing Dana speak about when he was an agent for Liddell and Ortiz, dealing with previous UFC management, to know, when he’s UFC management, dealing with so many agents.

Along with the documentary, which includes plenty of behind the scenes footage and interviews, the DVD also includes both of their fights and the UFC 66 Countdown show, which was probably the best countdown show the company had done at the time.

I can’t say there’s anything groundbreaking on this DVD because longtime fans have heard the stories of and about both men over the years, probably more than once. But if you’re looking for a definitive look at the rivalry, you’re not going to find a better source.

UFC Bad Blood: Liddell vs. Ortiz is in stores today, August 30 on DVD and Blu-Ray.

I had that emotional attachment to one fighter, an emotional attachment that I’ll likely never experience again. The fighter who tugged at my heartstrings, like only my beloved Colorado Avalanche can do, was “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell.

Since there is no long-term history in MMA and my dad didn’t force me to cheer for a certain fighter because he suffered through a tough period where a fighter could never win a big fight and he wanted me to suffer through those same periods, I had to fall in love with a fighter the ol’ fashion way. By watching an event and then liking the guy who won the main event because that meant he was the best. Don’t judge my methods of picking of a favorite fighter, everyone single one of you reading this right now who started watching the NBA in the nineties is a Chicago Bulls fan due to Michael Jordan but you gave up on the team after Jordan retired until this season.

The event was UFC 37.5 and the main event was Liddell vs. Vitor Belfort. It was a highly competitive fight but at the end of 15 minutes, Liddell’s arm raised in victory. I was instantly sucked in by Liddell’s performance and look. The Mohawk, the blue shorts, his willingness to stand with a guy who had a highlight reel of KO’s, and of course the big flurry in the third round where he knocked down Belfort really sealed the deal for me. I had found my first favorite fighter. My fighting Peter Forsberg or my MMA Steve Austin, if you will.

From that point on, I made it my mission to keep up with Liddell’s future. When I found out he was fighting at UFC 40, I had to see it. It didn’t hurt that the main event featured Tito Ortiz battling Ken Shamrock, who I followed during his WWF days, but Liddell was the real reason I wanted to see the event. And in true “Iceman” fashion, he delivered. A left kick upside Renato Sobral’s head and that was all she wrote for “Babula.” It was the first Liddell fight where I was rooting for him prior to seeing his arm raised in victory and I felt proud. Like I made the right decision in who I decided to support and God rewarded me by blessing my eyes with a spectacular knockout.

Then God taught me how cruel the sport of MMA can be at UFC 43. It was the first time Liddell challenged for the title (albeit an interim title) and he was facing some old guy named Randy Couture. Little did I know that “old man Couture” was Benjamin Button years before Brad Pitt put me to sleep over the course of two and a half hours. I admit, I cheated on Liddell after this loss. I wanted to back a winner. I had just witnessed Patrick Roy give up the final goal of his career in overtime of game seven in the playoffs a little over a month before Liddell lost to Couture. I couldn’t handle back-to-back disappointments like that. I’m not a Chicago Cubs fan dangit.

I stuck with Liddell though (although Couture did become my second favorite fighter after his UFC 43 victory) and was excited to see him back in action against Ortiz. I know Liddell went over to Japan and beat Alistair Overeem but lost to Quinton Jackson but all those guys in Japan were cheaters so that didn’t really bother me. (In reality, I didn’t keep up with MMA via internet in those days and didn’t know much about the PRIDE organization.) Based on all the build up, I was a little worried. In recent years, Ortiz had been afraid to fight Liddell. Why did he now all of a sudden want to go to war with “The Iceman”? Did he think Liddell was on the downswing after losing two of his last three? Did he know something I didn’t? Last time I saw Liddell, he lost and last time I saw Ortiz, he dominated a guy who I thought was “The World’s Most Dangerous Man.” I was worried, which also struck me as odd. Why was I worried about a guy who I’d never met and only seen fight three times in two years? I was invested though. This Ortiz guy kept running his mouth and I wanted Liddell to shut him up. And shut him up he did. Liddell finished Ortiz with strikes early in the second round and a huge smile came to my face when Liddell did his trademark “arms out yelling” pose while blood trickled down the face of a screaming, almost crying, Ortiz.

After beating Vernon White at UFC 49, the same night Couture regained the UFC Light Heavyweight Title by defeating Belfort, Liddell became a part of my weekly television viewing. Dana White, knowing that Liddell and Couture were my two favorite fighters and knowing that I needed something to watch every Monday after WWE Raw, made Liddell and Couture the coaches on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter and setting up a rematch between the two.

Barely managing to stay up every Monday night after Triple H almost always put me to sleep moments before TUF started, I kept finding some way to watch every episode of TUF 1. Not only was the stuff with Liddell and Couture interesting, but the whole show was new and interesting. Chris Leben’s problems with Josh Koscheck and Bobby Southworth, Diego Sanchez being weird, the fighters switching teams, Sam Hoger stealing things, ect…. It gave me a new look at my two favorites fighters and helped me feel more connected to them.

Of course The Ultimate Fighter 1 culminated in the big Liddell vs. Couture 2 fight at UFC 52 on April 16, 2006, almost six years to the day. My excitement level had never been higher. After seeing these two men for every week on my television set and feeling that God had played a cruel joke on me by allowing Couture to win the first fight (because we all know God plays favorite in MMA), I was ready for Liddell to get redemption, gain the title, and validate my poor reason for making him my favorite fighter. It didn’t take long for Liddell to do just that. One big right hand just over two minutes into the fight and moment later the belt was being strapped around Liddell’s waist for the first time ever. While I wasn’t fighting back tears the way I did when Ray Borque held up the Stanley Cup, I was overcome with joy nonetheless.

With the title in his left hand and the KO power in his right, Liddell looked to defend and I was behind him all the way. I won’t bore you guys with the details of how awesome Liddell’s title run was because I know how boring it is to listen to your friends when all they want to do is brag about how good their team is doing. “That’s great to your team made it to the Conference Finals, Mike. My team is playing golf right now because they only won five of their last 20 games. Congratulations on still being able to care about the playoffs and having some hope, I’m sure Paul Stastny’s handicap has gone down in recent weeks. Maybe he’ll make the PGA Tour next off-season. Now shut up before I punch you in the face.”

Speaking of punching people in the face, that’s exactly what Liddell was doing during his title run. He finished Jeremy Horn, Couture, Sobral, and capped off his title run with a victory over Ortiz in the biggest UFC fight at that time. While the bouts against Horn, Couture, and Sobral were just “another fight” in Liddell’s career and my support of him, the Ortiz fight was personal. Liddell vs. Ortiz was like the Avalanche vs. the Detroit Red Wings for me because Ortiz wouldn’t shut up, even though he lost the first fight. Liddell had a great quote prior to the fight saying, “Look how much he talked after I beat him, imagine if I lost.” Liddell just couldn’t lose this fight. I couldn’t handle Ortiz running his mouth. Sure they’d be 1-1 but this fight was for the title and this fight was when both guys were on big winning streaks and this was the biggest fight in UFC history. UFC 47 was a regular season game between two bitter rivals looking to make a statement. UFC 66 was Game 7 in the playoffs. Proving that he’s as clutch as Joe Sakic, Liddell got the job done in Game 7, finishing Ortiz with strikes in the third round.

With Liddell at his peak of popularity and me heading off to college to waste my parents money, I thought now would be the perfect time to introduce “The Iceman” to my friends. My friends and I are what I like to call, “playful drunks.” When we have a few too many, we like to embarrass ourselves. And what better way to embarrass yourself than fighting with your friends so that when you have to go to class on Monday, you’re all bruised and scratched up and drawing attention to yourself? And thus “Chuck Liddell’n” was born. Not “drunk fighting” and not “lets be stupid and hit each other.” We called it “Chuck Liddell’n” It made sense, right? Who Liddell likes to drink and he likes to fight, so it only made sense that we combine the two. I essentially forced my love for Liddell upon my friends. I didn’t care though, Liddell was on top of the world. The guy had dynamite in his hands and a legendary sprawl. Who could possibly beat him? No one. That’s who. For the record, I was undefeated at “Chuck Liddell’n” and if you dare to challenge me, all you have to do is bring the shots and I’ll show my appreciation by bringing the strikes.

Then it all came crashing down and it hurt inside. I was worried about UFC 71 when Liddell met Jackson for the second time. By this point in my MMA fandom, I had been covering the sport for smaller fights and I studied up on all the history I could. I watched the first fight and saw how “Rampage” roughed up Liddell on the ground. The only thing I took comfort in was how “off” Jackson looked in his UFC debut against Marvin Eastman. If he fought like that against Liddell, I knew Liddell would win. Unfortunately Jackson didn’t fight the same way. Liddell was clipped early and finished. Amazingly, I wasn’t that upset that. Disappointed that after all that hype the fight lasted all of two minutes? Yes. But not upset. Now that I had more MMA knowledge in my brain, I knew how things worked and I knew that Liddell wasn’t invincible.

It was the next fight that upset me. We all know Liddell was given Keith Jardine as essentially a “gimme” fight to get him back on track and set up the big fight with Wanderlei Silva. Jardine had just been destroyed by an unknown Houston Alexander, no way he was going to last two minutes with Liddell. But then two minutes passed. And the first round passed, the second round, and after 15 minutes Jardine was still standing. “What the hell just happened? Liddell doesn’t go to decisions,” I thought. Not only that but since I score fights while watching them, I scored the fight for Jardine. I had Jardine winning and so did two of the three judges. The only person more upset than me was probably Liddell, who was slumped over in the corner while Jardine was being interviewed. Now what?

A few weeks later, UFC made the big announcement. “UFC 79: Liddell vs. Silva.” It was on and I was pumped. But I was also extremely worried. Liddell had lost two straight fights, I knew a third straight might be the end. Now of course Silva had also lost two straight but he had lost to Dan Henderson and Mirko “Cro Cop.” Liddell had lost to Keith freakin’ Jardine. Plus Silva was a murderer. If Liddell couldn’t beat Jardine, how the heck was he going to beat one of the scariest guys in MMA history? I had my faith though. In fact, at this point I was writing for 411MMA and in their event roundtables that features the predictions from all the writers, I was the only person to pick Liddell. That was the way I wanted it though. Liddell & I vs. The World.

Liddell vs. Silva turned out to be my favorite fight of all-time, likely never to be surpassed. It was fifteen minutes that lived up to the hype and at the end of it, when Liddell raised his arms in victory, I got up from my couch and raised my arms with him. “The Iceman” was back. I can’t count how many times I’ve watched this fight since it happened but it’s to the point where I can mute the broadcast and still know exactly what Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan are saying. And while I have UFC 79 on DVD and I have the UFC Unleashed: Liddell vs. Silva special on my DVR, I always watch the original PPV broadcast. I still get goose bumps seeing the “6 Years in the Making” graphic and when Silva is in the ring, the lights go down, and the first thump that starts “Intro” by DMX before the camera cuts to Liddell is one of my favorite “non-fight” moments in MMA.

Liddell’s next fight would be at UFC 88 in Atlanta, Georgia. Seeing as I had never been to a UFC event, that Georgia was only a seven hour drive away, and that Liddell was headlining, there was no way I was going to miss this event. His opponent would be Rashad Evans, a good fighter who was undefeated but also a guy who struggled to beat Michael Bisping, a relatively undersized light heavyweight, and a guy who had the style that Liddell ate for lunch (almost exclusively a wrestler with limited stand up). I was excited to see my MMA hero add another knockout to his list and earn another shot at the belt.

It wasn’t meant to be though. Evans knocked Liddell out cold in one of the most memorable KO’s in UFC history. While I’ve seen the KO a million times thanks to various highlight reels, I’ve never gone back and watched the entire fight. I just can’t do that to myself. I was in the arena, I was ready to cheer with thousands of others when Liddell won, I don’t want to relive what was and what could have been that night. After the event I remember sitting in my hotel room thinking that Liddell should seriously consider retirement. A brutal KO loss to a guy who was pretty much hand picked for him to beat? This seemed even worse than the Jardine loss at the time. In hindsight, seeing as Evans went on to be UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and one of the best light heavyweights in the world while Jardine faded into obscurity until recently, the Evans loss wasn’t so bad. But September 6, 2008 ranks up there with May 31, 2002 (the night Patrick Roy gave up 7 goals in Game 7 to the Red Wings. A victory would have set up an Avalanche vs. Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup finals, which would have allowed me to see the Avalanche play in the finals since I live in North Carolina) in terms of worst sports memories. To add insult to injury, I was hit with a barrage of text messages that read, “Your boy got knocked the F out.” This goes to show you what kind of friends I have.

UFC 97 was rumored to be Liddell’s last fight. Dana White said as much in all the pre-fight hype. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua would be Liddell’s opponent, and while I was worried, Rua had failed to impress in his two UFC fights so I was confident. Liddell didn’t seem himself though. Maybe he came back too quickly from the Evans KO, maybe Rua had finally found his UFC groove, or maybe Liddell was just done. Whatever the case was that night, Liddell just wasn’t “The Iceman.” He was pulling his right hand and he was knocked down and out by a lunging jab. The power and chin seemed to be gone, so what else was left? After that fight, I thought nothing. He had a great run but it was time to call it a career.

For 14 months Liddell did call it a career. He returned at UFC 115 against Rich Franklin, which I was excited for. When he was originally scheduled to have a third bout against Ortiz, I thought it would be an easy victory for Liddell but I didn’t want Ortiz to land that one punch and actually beat, and even worse retire Liddell. Franklin I could deal with though. I’ve always liked Franklin and I thought it was a good style fight for Liddell. I was extra confident. Based on all the reports, we wouldn’t see the same ol’ Liddell who relied almost exclusively on his right hand and was more predictable than a Michael Bay film. I was so confident in Liddell that I even made a friendly wager with fellow 5OZ writer and good friend Adam Tool.

Liddell came out to “Won’t Back Down” by Eminem at UFC 115. Perfect. My favorite fighter walking out to my favorite musical artist? No way this night would end badly. The fight started. Franklin threw a kick and Liddell answered with a kick that looked like it hurt 100 times more than the kick Franklin threw. This was a new Liddell. He was kicking again, he was mixing in takedowns, and the power was there. Sorry “Ace,” tonight just wouldn’t be your night. Then it happened. After seemingly hurting Franklin along the cage, Liddell looked for the kill and ran smack into a right hand that put him out. I just saw on my couch, stunned at what I just saw. I wasn’t sad or even disappointed. I was just stunned that Liddell had looked so good only to be caught with just seconds remaining in the round. To add to my stunnedness, moments later Franklin announced that his left arm had been broken early in the fight. Not only had Liddell looked so good and not only did he lose with just seconds remaining, but he lost to a guy with a broken arm. Why was God so cruel?

After UFC 115 I wrote that I never wanted to see Liddell fight again. It was just getting too painful. He had nothing left to prove and his chin just couldn’t handle the light heavyweight power. I couldn’t take seeing him unconscious; needing extra attention to be revived, and asking, “What happened?” after the fight was over.

On December 29, 2010, exactly 3 years after his epic fight with Silva, Liddell officially announced his retirement. I was happy and even relieved that it was finally over. While MMA retirements seem to be about as official as pro wrestling retirements, I felt in my heart that Liddell was truly done. He’s now married, UFC is probably compensating him well, and he seems happy in life.

It still upsets me when people say things like, “Liddell threw away his legacy” or “I hope (insert fighter here) doesn’t go out like Liddell.” Why wouldn’t a fighter want to go out like Liddell? He went out on his shield, he went out fighting the best, and he went out on the biggest stage. I hope fighters don’t go out like Ken Shamrock, because that’s the worst way to go out. Fighters should be so lucky to go out like Liddell did. And sorry people, but losing three straight fights, even by brutal KO, all to former champions isn’t throwing away a legacy that includes being one of the fighters who helped usher in MMA to the mainstream, becoming the first true crossover MMA star, multiple UFC Light Heavyweight Title defenses, being one of the biggest draws in MMA PPV history, ect….

On August 8, 2009 at UFC 101 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I finally met the man himself. I was sitting in the stands waiting for the event to begin when I saw the infamous Mohawk walk out from the backstage area. Even though I was half way across the arena, I wasn’t going to be denied. I ran across that arena so fast that I’m shocked security didn’t stop me, suspecting me of thievery. I made my way down to the arena floor, waited my turn, and finally handed my hat to Liddell to sign. Of course, my hat was an official “Iceman” hat that I’d worn every day since I got it for my birthday in 2008. After getting an autograph from my favorite fighter, I felt like a kid who just discovered Cinemax. I texted my friends, called my parents, and tweeted to my followers. That hat now hangs in my room and hasn’t been worn since UFC 101.

I still pay tribute to Liddell every week through my writing. My event previews, “The Walk Out” is titled because no one had a more exciting walk out than Liddell. His bouncing to the music and his energy going down the aisle always got me pumped for what I was about to see. And my event reviews, “The After Party” is titled because in every post-fight interview, Liddell always invited people to come party with him at his after party.

There will never be another Chuck Liddell in my MMA life. Sure I have fighters that I like and cheer for but there is no emotional investment. I’m more invested in my prediction record (because that’s why 5OZ pays me the big bucks) than any one fighter. Maybe I’m crazy for getting so attached to a fighter. But is it really any crazier than getting attached to a sports team? I wouldn’t trade my ups and downs with Liddell for anything. Except UFC 88. I’d be happy to cut off my right hand if it meant Liddell KO’d Evans. Don’t worry, I’m over it though.

Nope, mixed martial arts isn’t like other sports. Fighters don’t fight daily, every other day, or weekly. A loss or two could set a fighter back for a year, maybe even longer. A fighter can’t just magically improve over a 3-month period just because he switched training camps and got better training partners. But you can become emotionally attached to fighters and should your heart lead you to a certain fighter, enjoy every moment.

“I want to thank Frank, Lorenzo, and Dana for everything they’ve done for me over the years and for the sport. Most of all, I want to thank my fans, my family,” said an emotional Liddell. “I love this sport and I’m excited going into a new stage in my life and keep promoting the best sport in the world and the sport I love. They’re giving me the opportunity again to keep promoting and keep doing stuff now that I’m retired.”

Liddell’s run in the UFC was well-documented, as he rose to become not only one of the sport’s most dominating, but recognizable, competitors, as well as the company’s 205-pound champion with wins over Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and Renato Sobral.

The 41-year old “Iceman” walks away from Mixed Martial Arts with a 21-8 record in more than a decade of activity. Five of his eight total losses occurred over his last six fights with the one exception being a highly memorable encounter with Wanderlei Silva ironically taking place three years to the day of his retirement. Appropriately, their scrap was named the event’s “Fight of the Night”.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Before I get into the actual “pick em” part of this article let me preclude the breakdown of bouts by saying one of the things about Mixed Martial Arts I’ve always loved is its unpredictable nature. I’ll do my best to steer you in the right direction with a little insight/opinion included in the deal, but readers would be wise to avoid laying down money on my attempts to glimpse into the future. Beyond that, please don’t hesitate to share your own thoughts on any or all of the scheduled fights in the “Comments” section below, and let’s get this show on the road…

PRELIMINARY CARD

Mike Pyle vs. Jesse Lennox

This fight has a “loser leaves town” feel to it, especially in the case of Pyle, so I expect both men to leave it all in the cage on Saturday night and open up the show properly in the process. Pyle is a better grappler with Lennox being the superior striker so the winner should ultimately come down to which of the two will be able to dictate where the fight takes place. I favor Pyle in that equation based on his experience and training partners at Xtreme Couture. He should be well-prepared for anything Lennox brings and have little problem taking him down, if for no other reason to grind out a decision.

Winner – Mike Pyle via Decision

Claude Patrick vs. Ricardo Funch

Patrick should have a ton of support from his fellow Canadians in his UFC debut and will likely send them home happy when things are said and done against Funch. He’s on a ten-fight winning streak with eight of his dubyas coming in the first frame. Funch has been relatively inactive for the last few years, competing only three times since the start of 2008, and will have to rely on Patrick to keep things standing in order to have a decent shot at emerging victor. While Patrick may be known for his submissions he’s also gone three full rounds with the hard-hitting Drew McFedries and has two first-round TKOs on his record as well. I think he’ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Funch if necessary while having a significant advantage on the ground (not to mention a stout guillotine he can use if Funch attempts to shoot in).

Winner – Claude Patrick via Submission Round 1

James Wilks vs. Peter Sobotta

This match-up clearly caters to the international audience brought on by the show’s location as Wilks is originally from England and Sobotta from Germany. Wilks is obviously the bigger name based on winning his division on the ninth season of the Ultimate Fighter but fans shouldn’t discount Sobotta simply because they’ve never heard of him. The 23-year old has a fairly balanced attack and was able to go a full fifteen minutes against respectable veteran Paul Taylor in his UFC debut last June. I’m a bit wary of his year-long hiatus from competition but then again Wilks hasn’t stepped foot in the Octagon since November 2009 so it’s not as if he’s in a much better position where activity is concerned. All that being said, I think Wilks’ stand-up is good enough to bang with Sobotta and his submissions are somewhat slicker so I expect him to get back on the winning track this Saturday.

Winner – James Wilks via Submission Round 2

David Loiseau vs. Mario Miranda

I doubt I’m alone in my excitement regarding Loiseau’s return to the UFC. Though he may not have panned out to be quite the fighter people felt he was 4-5 years ago, “The Crow” is still entertaining to watch and one of the sport’s classier characters. He’s shown an ability to hang with any opponent regardless of their specialty and should be more motivated than ever to get his first win in the Octagon since the late, great Evan Tanner in October 2005. Miranda has solid striking but I don’t think it’s as powerful or diverse as Loiseau’s and he definitely doesn’t have the jiujitsu to finish things on the ground.

Winner – David Loiseau via TKO Round 2

Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman

I have high hopes for this bout in terms of entertainment value. Danzig and Wiman can both bring it in the ring, are experienced competitors, and should be enticed by the proposition of stringing together consecutive wins after each losing a few in a row. I think Danzig’s grappling is better, as is his boxing, but Wiman is more of a threat in terms of kicks and knees. However, I also believe they’re comparable enough that a finishing performance is unlikely. Look for them to constantly engage, even drawing a few “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd, but don’t expect a knockout or submission. In the end I believe Danzig’s overall technique is better and as such he’ll be able to defend on his feet, then take Wiman down and control him long enough in each round to earn the decision win.

Winner – Mac Danzig via Decision

Tyson Griffin vs. Evan Dunham

In this week’s Grappling with Issues I listed this bout as having potential for the biggest upset of the evening for a few reasons. My reasoning is as follows:

“Griffin has struggled to finish opponents in the Octagon, so he leaves a lot of time for his foes to slip in and steal bouts (Sean Sherk and Frank Edgar clearly being the best examples based on their actual success against the Xtreme Couture OG). Dunham is a solid grappler with nice hands and reminds me a bit of a 5’10, stronger, paler version of the 5’6 Griffin. It was hard not to be impressed by his submission of Efrain Escudero at Fight Night 20 last January, and he’s undefeated ten fights into his career, so I won’t be surprised if he walks away with a decision win against Griffin. However, I think a lot of fans will be and I don’t just mean the Zuffa Zombies out there.”

I’m not 100% positive Dunham will win, but there is one thing I am certain of – if either man finishes the other I will be utterly shocked. They’re fairly familiar with each other based on their shared choice of training center and even if they weren’t flying Xtreme Couture’s flag both are relatively skilled in every facet of the game.

Winner – Evan Dunham via Decision

MAIN CARD

Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald

This is by far the most important fight of Condit’s career and that includes his title run in World Extreme Cagefighting. He entered the UFC 14-months ago with a ton of hype behind him, much of it deserved in my opinion, but has been disappointing for the most part since. He’s 1-1 with two split decisions against respectable fighters but hasn’t been close to the same dominating force he was in WEC. A second loss in the Octagon won’t destroy his reputation, especially to an undefeated opponent like the 20-year old MacDonald, but it will definitely bump him a number of spots down the world’s collective rankings and have people questioning whether or not Condit will ever live up to the potential most saw in him. MacDonald, a Canadian, will want to please the crowd in Vancouver, and is facing the biggest “name” in his career, so I suspect he’ll have trained his ass off and won’t be afraid to let it all hang out in the cage. Condit is also fearless in his approach to Mixed Martial Arts, so don’t be surprised if this ends up being a “Fight of the Night” contender. MacDonald can strike and grapple, as can Condit (with an edge in both categories), so I expect there to be a number of evenly matched flurries on their feet and on the mat with the former WEC Welterweight Champion getting the best of his less-experienced adversary enough times to win the judges’ favor.

Winner – Carlos Condit via Decision

Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel

Without a doubt Rothwell will attempt to take Yvel down from the opening bell and work his mat-based attacks in hopes of either ground-and-pounding him or procuring a choke hold. “The Hurricane” has 31 TKOs in 36 career wins, and Rothwell has been rocked a few times over the years, so obviously Yvel’s best bet is to throw strikes while fending off takedown attempts. However, Rothwell is a solid wrestler who can also strike in addition to having above-average submissions for a heavyweight. He should be able to control most of the match’s positions, so unless the Dutchman lands a big shot early in the fight I don’t think “Big Ben” will have a hard time coming away victorious and possibly even end Yvel’s recent run in the UFC as a result.

Winner – Ben Rothwell via TKO Round 3

Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann

I don’t think people are giving Kampmann enough credit in this bout where he chances of success are concerned. Keep in mind his only losses have been by way of knockout while the only strike-based TKO of Thiago’s career came in his shocking upset of Josh Koscheck. Additionally, the Brazilian special forces operative owes eight of his thirteen wins to submissions while the “Hitman” has yet to tap out in nineteen professional fights. Kampmann is well-versed on the ground and is a legitimate striker as well. Both men faced Jacob Volkmann in the last year and where Thiago won a decision the Dane submitted Volkmann in the first round. I’m not a fan of “MMAth” but there’s definitely something to be said when the bouts being compared came in such close proximity to each other (less than 2 months apart). Thiago vs. Kampmann should be a hotly contested fight and is one of the many match-ups on the card worthy of a proverbial coin-flip when it comes to picking a winner. However, the more I think about it the more I feel Kampmann will open some eyes on Saturday night so I’m going to simply put my money where my keyboard-stroking fingers are and say…

Winner – Martin Kampmann via Decision

Pat Barry vs. Mirko Filipovic

I know I’m supposed to be unbiased as a journalist but in full disclosure I have to say Barry is one of my favorite fighters based on both in-ring style and overall character. Fortunately, objectivity won’t need to be shelved in this instance, as I think “Cro Cop” is also an outstanding individual with a list of accomplishments worth respecting and a terrific personality rarely associated with him based on the seriousness with which he approaches fighting. It’s a tough match-up to pick based on their in-ring similarities and knockout power each produces. One kick to the head or a series of shots to the thigh/midsection could end the night for either man, while jiujitsu and wrestling are almost certainly going to be thrown out of the cage-door before it closes and the action begins. I believe Barry will win based on age/athleticism as long as he doesn’t become too emotionally involved in the fight, and thereby distracted, based on his admiration of Filipovic. He’s faster and fresher than “Cro Cop”, and in that regard I think he’ll be first to the punch and ultimately shed a few tears in front of the camera before heading home to his momma.

Winner – Pat Barry via TKO Round 1

Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin

I can see this fight going a number of ways though of course none of them involve submissions. Neither fighter will have to worry about clinching or getting taken down and worked on unless deciding to sneak in a shot or two with hopes of winning a particular round in the mind of a ringside judge. Both men appear to have questionable chins and have made their living with strikes so expect that to be the target of choice for each. However, Franklin mixes in kicks with a great deal of success and would be wise to do so against the “Iceman”. If he stays active, opting for more lateral than forward movement, he has a good chance of taking home a decision or eventually catching Chuck on the button. However, if he spends more than a few seconds exchanging blows at any point or makes the mistake of rushing in there’s a good chance he’ll be put to sleep.

Winner – Chuck Liddell via TKO Round 2

Ortiz will be appearing on the show as a coach for the second time on the heels of his recent defeat at the hands of Forrest Griffin at UFC 106, while Liddell will be returning to the show and the UFC from a hiatus that followed his TKO defeat to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Liddell has been keeping himself busy during his time away from the Octagon with numerous media appearances including a stint on the hit television show “Dancing With The Stars”.

With the “Iceman” returning to The Ultimate Fighter alongside Tito to coach, it seems like a third match between the two is an inevitability.

The former UFC Light Heavyweight champion recently spoke with Sherdog Radio Network’s “Savage Dog Show” and expressed an interest in a possible comeback.

Liddell, who has looked like a shell of his former self, lost his last four out of five fights, three by TKO/KO. His last defeat was at the hands of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 97, which prompted UFC President Dana White, to announce Liddell’s retirement. It appeared to be the end of a legend; even without “The Iceman” never really calling it quits himself.

However, it looks like the Hall of Famer, still has a desire to compete, “I still love fighting. I don’t know what we’re going to come up with. I’m going to start spending a lot of time training guys or get back in there – one of the two.”

If Chuck ultimately decided to make a comeback, he would take fights he’s not interested in, even if it means having to fight Kimbo Slice, “Why would anyone even want to see me fight Kimbo? I have no interest in that fight. Whatever. It is what it is. I guess I’d do it, if that’s who I had to fight to come back.”

He stated his appearance on “DWTS” served a purpose, which helped clear his head of all the questions about retirement, “I needed some time off, ‘Dancing’ actually gave me something to concentrate on and get in shape on. I just want to get back in shape and stay in shape and start training with people and see what I want to do.”

Liddell, who turns 40 years old in December, will likely go back to the drawing board with longtime trainer John Hackleman and decide his next move, “White wants me to look at it, to see how I feel in the gym. I always told him, I want to make that decision in the gym, so I want to get back there and move around with some people and see how I feel. If I feel good, I’m going to keep fighting to come back.”

What's next for Kimbo Slice? Sam Caplan says it should be a showdown with Chuck Liddell.

During a recent interview with Greg Savage of Sherdog.com, UFC President Dana White responded to a question about the promotion’s growing number of shows and whether they have enough marquee talent to headline the shows by saying he has plenty of headliners.

While the UFC has its fair share of stars that can carry a pay-per-view such as B.J. Penn, Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, Brock Lesnar, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture, you can never have too many drawing cards in your deck.

One of the UFC’s biggest drawing cards over the years has been Chuck Liddell. However, with four losses in his last five fights, it is believed his ability to draw buyers to pay-per-view has diminished. However, that’s a perception that has yet to be verified, as we do not know the official amount of buys Liddell’s recent fights have drawn.

But let’s just say the “Iceman” isn’t the star he once was, the reality is that he still remains one of the most recognizable fighters in all of MMA. And now, thanks to his current stint on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, Liddell’s stardom continues to grow while he skills diminish.

While White has made it clear he would prefer that Liddell retire, the UFC Hall of Famer has one more fight left on his current UFC deal. Liddell has confirmed his hiatus from MMA, but has yet to officially announce his retirement from the sport.

Will Liddell ever challenge for the UFC light heavyweight title? Unlikely. But does he still have a few strong PPV buys left in him? If the matchup is right, absolutely.

And what’s the right matchup?

None other than Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson.

During the taping of the eleventh season of The Ultimate Fighter, rumors swirled that Slice had lost early on in the show to former IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson. Initially, the rumors didn’t appear logical because many — myself included — speculated that the UFC and Spike TV would manipulate the show so that Kimbo didn’t fight until the seventh or eighth episode.

The reality is that TUF is really reality — there was no TV magic of any kind performed. Kimbo not only fought early in the season, he fought the tournament’s unofficial number one seed.

Well, maybe I spoke too soon, as there was some magic performed during last night’s show. The magic I am speaking of is none other than Dana White’s marvelous spin job regarding the ending of last night’s fight and his closing comments on Kimbo.

Sorry to use a professional wrestling reference, but White’s 180 degree full fledged flip would have been like Bobby “The Brain” Heenan turning from heel to face and siding with Hulk Hogan — a scenario that never actually transpired.

If I didn’t know any better, it would seem that White has joined Team Kimbo. And why shouldn’t he? Dana is a businessman and Kimbo is a stone cold star. I had the opportunity to work with Kimbo while involved with several CBS and Showtime productions. Kimbo probably wouldn’t recognize me if he saw me, but he left a tremendous impression on me. Despite the playing the role of the thug to perfection in the public eye, the Kimbo I was exposed to behind the scenes was a nice, kind, and gentle soul. The producers of TUF did a marvelous job of showing that side of Kimbo last night.

Kimbo might have lost but the masterful marketing job performed by the UFC and Spike TV last night ensures that he has at least one big UFC fight in him. If Roy Nelson goes on to the finals and ends up winning, there might not be much shame in Kimbo having lost to the winner of TUF’s eleventh season.

Kimbo and Chuck still have some drawing power left in them but their respective shelf-lives could be close to expiration. Both fighters may only have one marketable performance left in them. Timing is everything in life and business and opportunity is knocking on the UFC’s door.

While rumors persist that Kimbo will get at least one official fight under the UFC banner (remember, Dana says a fighter is not a UFC fighter until they make it past TUF), possibly at the TUF finale or at UFC 107, I think the smartest move out there is to automatically pass go and go straight to a PPV headlined by Liddell vs. Kimbo.

That’s right, I want to see Liddell vs. Kimbo and I want to see it in the first quarter of 2010 (Super Bowl weekend anyone?) after Liddell has completed his stint on Dancing with the Stars and after we will know for sure whether Kimbo lost to the eventual winner of TUF 11.

I am sure the MMA purists and hardcores are going to react in unison to my cry for Liddell vs. Kimbo with a collective “Thanks, but no thanks” but Liddell and Kimbo as individual both possess undeniable charisma. Project them on a collision course towards each other and the potential and kinetic energy would provide off the charts measurements.

Remember, Chuck has a loyal fanbase that will continue to follow him despite the fact he’s lost four out of his last five fights. And Kimbo has a fanbase of his own that many MMA hardcores often forget transcends the typical MMA viewer.

MMA is a sport but like any other sport, it is a business. The UFC will be able to put on a lot of great fights in the next 12-14 months, but how many blockbusters do they currently have in the pipeline? Chuck vs. Kimbo is a blockbuster, whether you want to acknowledge that fact or not. Put the two together in the Octagon and people will pay in droves to see the spectacle. It would be the type of spectacle that even the bout’s harshest critics would likely still pay to see.

In the past, the UFC mocked EliteXC for what it considered freak show fight cards built around Kimbo. But the seal has been broken and for better or for worse, the UFC is officially in the Kimbo business. And now that the seal has been broken, you might as well make as much money with him while you can.

While I wouldn’t call Chuck vs. Kimbo a freak show fight, I would call is a sideshow special attraction. But does every fight have to have top ten implications? What’s wrong with out-of-the-box promoting every now and then and having a little fun? When Matt Hughes fought Royce Gracie, was that a bout with title implications? Was it a fight in which the top ten welterweight rankings were going to be impacted, since it was at a catchweight?

The answer to both questions are an obvious no but many of you reading this column bought that PPV. I know I did. And the crazy thing was that there wasn’t a shred of doubt in my mind about who was going to win that fight. Yet I can’t remember a time in which I’ve ever been so excited to see a fight in which I was already certain of the outcome.

I see Liddell vs. Kimbo possessing many of the same attributes that Hughes vs. Gracie fight brought: a fight that was pure fun and entertainment.

A year ago, Chuck vs. Kimbo would have been a tough sell — er, wait, no, it would have been an easy sell. But now, it becomes an even easier sell. Kimbo lost last night but he didn’t completely embarass himself and on some levels, is “UFC certified.” And having lost four out of his last five, Liddell is no longer viewed as the unbeatable force he once was. Believe it or not, because Kimbo has been built up as a big hitter and because many of Chuck’s recent losses have ended via brutal KO, there is going to be a segment of the population that believes Kimbo has a puncher’s chance to beat Chuck.

And if the bout was held at a catchweight of 220 lbs., that makes selling the drama that much easier as Chuck will have to come up in weight and give up a marginal size advantage against Kimbo.

Putting Kimbo on the TUF Finale would be a good move because if you picked the right opponent, you could draw ratings that could rival Tito vs. Ken III. Put him as an undercard attraction on a December PPV, and he will definitely enhance the buys. But the best business move for the UFC is to put Liddell and Kimbo in a headlining bout on PPV and give it the full UFC promotional push complete with commercials, a press tour, countdown shows, and maybe even another run of UFC Primetime.

I’m sure this column is going to generate a lot of response — both positive and negative — but the one question I want you to ask yourself is: would you pay to see Kimbo Slice vs. Chuck Liddell?

This season is set to kick off on Monday, September 21 on ABC.

Liddell has been keeping himself active since his last trip to the Octagon, crossing over to other sports such as golf in a recent charity tournament.

According to “The Iceman” there is no amount of MMA training that could possibly prepare your body for the rigors that are involved with 18 holes of golf.

“It’s working different muscles that maybe I haven’t used before,” explained Liddell. “I did a golf tournament where I had to play 18 holes four days in a row and I hadn’t played that many rounds of golf in my whole life. So I was sore – my back hurt, my ribs were tight.”

The former champ is expecting his fair share of ribbing from both fans and friends alike, but it’s a ribbing he has already mentally prepared himself for. You only live once, just dance!

“I’m gonna go out, be myself, and show what kind of people we do have in this sport,” said Liddell. “I’m sure the reaction will be mixed (among fight fans). My friends are gonna be excited and I’ll never hear the end of it because they’ll make fun of me, but it should be fun and I think everyone will like it.

“I like to dance, but I don’t know how to dance.”

After weeks of debate and speculation as to which two men were most deserving of the nod into the UFC Hall of Fame during the upcoming UFC Fan Expo, this evening UFC president Dana White brought the uncertainty to an end as he announced that Chuck Liddell and the late Charles “Mask” Lewis were to receive the honors on his Twitter page.

“Hey guys, Chuck Liddell and Charles “Mask” Lewis will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame at the UFC Fan Expo this Friday at 6:30 pm,” recently tweeted the UFC president.

Liddell and Lewis were both on a short list of candidates for the honors. Other potential inductees that received a great amount of attention and consideration among the MMA massive included Tito Ortiz, Evan Tanner, Don Frye, Frank Shamrock and others.

It’s no mystery as to how Liddell wound up grabbing one of the recently available spots. “The Iceman” fought twenty two bouts in the octagon, became a UFC light heavyweight champion, defended that title a total of four times and became the most iconic and symbolic fighter in the history of the UFC in the process.

Chuck’s trademark mohawk and the UFC brand will forever be synonymous with one another.

Mask may not have been a professional fighter but there have been few men in the history of this earth that have made the impact on the UFC, and MMA as a whole as Mask, his vision, and his infectious clothing label have. Like it or not, the TapouT brand has been a fundamental part of the growth of this wonderful sport we have grown to love.

If Lewis was ever to be honored by being immortalized next to the men he lived to support, now was the time.

Bravo to the UFC for doing the right thing.

Something tells me that deep down Chuck Liddell wants that one last fight. Liddell is the most popular fighter on the planet and a proud former champion to boot, there’s no way a fighter with his mentality is going to walk away on a sour note like his most recent TKO loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. I just don’t see that sitting very well with Chuck during his many years of life that will follow his retirement from the sport.

It’s fairly safe to say that there are very few fans of the sport that have any type of desire to watch Liddell catching another beatdown on live television. This is the number one reason behind Dana White and many others desire to see the former light heavyweight champ walk away from the sport while he still can.

With that being said, I don’t feel like there would be much if any interest in watching Liddell face off against another top contender in his next fight.

Has Liddell lost his ability to win in the Octagon? Hardly. There are still a handful of fights that the San Luis Obispo slugger still win in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

If anything Chuck should, if he already hasn’t, accept the fact that another title run at this point is just not going to happen. To justify another title shot for “The Iceman” anytime in the future he would need to avenge at least two of his most recent four losses at the very minimum in my estimation. While he has a decent chance of figuring out Keith Jardine in a rematch, I feel like the chances of Chuck obtaining revenge against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Rashad Evans or Shogun are slim to none. Not to say it couldn’t happen, just trying to be as realistic as possible.

So who do you give the legend in his farewell fight? We’ve already established that there is no real point in giving him a legitimate contender to the throne like Luiz Cane or Rich Franklin. I would even be extremely hesitant to sign him up with the likes of Thiago Silva, Brandon Vera or even Ryan Bader. I’m just not so positive that Chuck wins all of those fights, and we want Liddell to leave on a high note in this one.

Who then? Do you announce that Liddell will be squaring off with Houston Alexander, Mark Coleman or Brian Stann. I don’t know of anyone that would be interested in watching those fights, whether “The Iceman” is involved or not.

Enter Kevin Ferguson, aka Kimbo Slice. Kimbo comes into the UFC with his own set of problems. What do you do with him? He’s never going to win the title and I’d be shocked if he gets a second win at the TUF house during season ten. On the other side of the token, there’s a great deal of money to be made with Kimbo, a blind man can see that. So you have to market the man correctly just long enough to make that money from him.

So what do you do with him then? Well let’s just say I’m the UFC. If I was the UFC I would speak with both coaches of The Ultimate Fighter when the cameras were off and guarantee that Kimbo faces someone he can beat in his first fight in the house. I mean someone he can absolutely, without a doubt beat. Kimbo losing in his first fight in the house following his embarrassment to Seth Petruzelli in October would leave the former porn star bodyguard almost completely unmarketable. A loss in his first fight in the house would result in a huge loss of money for all involved.

Let’s skip ahead assuming that Slice gets that all important first victory in the house, does anyone truly believe the former YouTube brawler has a remote chance of defeating Roy “Big Country” Nelson, or even former NFL superstar Marcus Jones? There aren’t many people outside Team Kimbo that will be giving the Bahamian born brawler a realistic chance.

Even worse, what do you do with the cash cow following his stint in the most watched season of The Ultimate Fighter in the shows history? Kimbo will be in the same boat with Liddell in one respect. You can’t give him a legit contender because the chances are very good that he loses the bout handily and I’m not sure if anyone wants to see Kimbo face Cain Velasquez or Gabriel Gonzaga to be quite honest. Is there any question as to who wins those fights? Also much like Liddell, a fight between Kimbo and anyone without a big name just doesn’t sell. It’s not a money maker and isn’t making money the true name of the game as far as the UFC is concerned?

So how do you sell a fight between Chuck and Kimbo? It’s simple, a fight between Chuck and Kimbo sells itself on name power alone. The fight poster with the bearded former street thug staring directly into the eyes of the mohawked legend with the trademark “Pit” tattoo would be among the most popular in the organization’s history.

Then you sell the grudge match factor like crazy. People will eat it up. This is a fight that will have the casual fight fan foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog.

You don’t have to look very hard to track down the brief war of words between Liddell and Slice prior to Kimbo’s dismantling at the hands of Petruzelli at EliteXC: Heat

Liddell struck the first blow in a report that came from The Sun saying,”"Kimbo’s one of those guys who doesn’t have any ground game. He’s training and he’s learning but he’s been built up as such a big star, and that’s the thing that bothers me.

“People talk about him like he’s the next great thing when he really hasn’t done anything. He’s been built up because of the Internet and him beating a bunch of guys on the street… I could make some impressive knockout videos too if you let me walk outside and just punch people and knock them out.”

Of course, it didn’t take long for Kimbo to fire back at the comments made by Liddell, reminding Chuck that he is from the streets.

“We can always take it back to old-school; that’ll work for me,” said Kimbo in a YouTube video response. “But I still got love for all the MMA fighters, but if you keep on rapping man, I’m going to have to zip it close, baby, because I’m getting tired of the talk.

“The next one that has something to say, just see me [directly]. I’ll come to your camp, and that’s real talk.”

Liddell grasped the opportunity to counter Kimbo’s statement shortly after the much talked about video response from Slice by making his feelings on the Internet fighting sensation quite clear during an episode of Rear Naked Radio.

“All I said is fight someone real,” Liddell was quoted as saying during the radio broadcast. “The only guy he lost to in his street-fight things came into the UFC and lost. Fight a guy that is real and fight a guy… who has a few wins in MMA, and then talk about it.

“Before he talks about fighting me, he might want to think about beating somebody that has a winning record. He’s an Internet sensation who beat up guys at Taco Bell. Come on. How hard is that to do?”

Surprisingly, Even UFC President Dana White himself wouldn’t say that a future bout between the two is something that he would completely rule out.

“If he [Kimbo] fought anybody that mattered, I would book that tomorrow,” said White in an April 2008 interview with Deadspin.com.

“The fact is, Kimbo’s not there yet,” continued the outspoken face of the UFC. “He would get destroyed. I heard he just got knocked out by Forrest Griffin last week in a sparring match after a kick to the head

“I’d take him [Kimbo] absolutely seriously — but, again, he hasn’t beat anybody. In this sport, it’s all about ‘Who have you beat right now?’, and he hasn’t beat anybody.”

Being completely honest for a moment, I highly doubt that there is any type of real animosity on either fighters end but that doesn’t change the fact that grudge matches sell tickets, and I would fully expect for both of these showmen to play the bill to a tee.

Interest will also be peaked when it is announced that Liddell will be making the move up to heavyweight for the first time in his career.

As filthy rich as the UFC, White, Liddell and Kimbo already are, you’re kidding yourself if you think that everyone involved isn’t interested in making a little more dough. This fight makes everyone very happy financially.

Let’s throw the money factor right out the window. Let’s just say that Chuck doesn’t care about the money, he’s just in it for the hunger of the competition, he still wants to go out on a win. That’s why this fight makes so much sense for Liddell, he makes one last gigantic payday and leaves the sport with a highlight reel victory. It’s not going to get much better than that for “The Iceman” at this point.

Now that I’ve had a chance to outline all of the reasons why I feel that this fight makes sense, it’s time to take a good hard look at the bout’s two possible conclusions.

The first and by far most likely is that Liddell flattens Kimbo with a trademark right hand, does his symbolic “Pit X” all over the ring and announces his retirement on a good note. I don’t know anyone that doesn’t want to see that.

The other and less likely scenario is that Kimbo catches Chuck and puts him to sleep…..I don’t know anyone that would want to see that outside of Team Kimbo, but what are you going to do.

Kimbo vs. Chuck in 2010, it just makes sense.

In an interview with Fighter’s Only Magazine, UFC President Dana White hinted at the very real possibility of Liddell being one of the two new members going into the UFC’s Hall of Fame.

White would only give a maybe and a possibly when pressed for a more definitive answer. He went on to say he was waiting to see what they were going to do with Liddell and how they were going to do it. White had made an a previous announcement stating that there would be two new inductees at UFC 100 and ever since then rumors have been flying as to who those individuals would be.

Many people have made the case for former middleweight champion the late great Evan Tanner who perished in a California desert last September. Tanner battled through his personal demons and primarily taught himself the skills that would make him a champion and endear him to fans all across the world. Tanner came back from a hiatus in March of 2008 but lost to Yushin Okami in his first fight in almost two years. Three months later Tanner fought a much younger and bigger opponent in Kendall Grove to a split decision in what would be his last hurrah in the octagon. Overall he was 32-8 with victories over Paul Buentello, Heath Herring, Phil Baroni (2), Robbie Lawler and David Terrell.

Charles”Mask” Lewis who was the charismatic founder of the TapouT clothing line that has become synonymous with mixed martial arts is also widely believed to be a favorite for induction. Lewis had a smile that could light up any room that he walked into and gave support to fighters who a lot of other companies would not even consider getting involved with. He always said that he wasn’t concerned with wins or losses but rather the effort that a fighter gave. His tragic death on a California road in March was felt throughout the entire MMA community and his presence cage side will certainly be missed for a long time to come.

Another UFC legend thought to be under consideration is long time welterweight champion Matt Hughes who will take on Matt Serra this Saturday at UFC 98. Hughes who is an incredible 13-4 inside the octagon and has had two separate reigns as the welterweight champion has long been a favorite of Dana White. He has defeated such stars as Georges St. Pierre, B.J. Penn, Frank Trigg (2), Sean Sherk, Royce Gracie, Carlos Newton (2), Dave Menne and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai. If Hughes does retire after his bout with Serra it would make a lot of sense to see him inducted in July.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Godfather Helio Gracie who recently passed away has been talked about as a possible candidate. The father of UFC legend and Hall of Famer Royce Gracie would be an excellent choice for induction. Whomever is bestowed with the honor of being an entrant into the Hall of Fame will certainly be deserving and will join a select group of fighters that include Ken Shamrock, Randy Couture, Dan Severn, Mark Coleman, and Royce Gracie.

Yes, it’s true, he has been on a rollercoaster downhill it seems, in fact he has won just one of his past five fights, a unanimous decision victory over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79.

This patch of losses began when he was dethroned of his title to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 71, Keith Jardine defeated him in a split decision at UFC 76, then “Sugar” Rashad Evans gave him his most devastating loss at UFC 88, and most recently he was finished in the first round when he faced Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 97.

Liddell was on a seven fight win streak since losing to Jackson at Pride: Final Conflict 2003, in these times many considered him the best in his division, and he really helped to bring MMA mainstream to the western audience. He in this time defeated such fighter’s as Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, and Renato Sobral each of whom he beat two times.

Since Chuck has hit bad times it’s been nothing but people ridiculing him to retire. I say let him do it on his own will and when he believes the time has come, and not once in all this talk do people take the time to look at who beat him.

The fighters he has garnered losses to are all considered top people in the division, Evans went on to win the title after their bout, Rampage is number one contender contender for the title, and awaiting the winner of Evans and Lyoto Machida.

Keith Jardine is in my mind a top competitor and is able to compete with anyone in the division, and Shogun just became relevant in most fan’s minds after finally showing the audience why such high praise was made of him prior to his fight with Forest Griffin.

What I am basically coming to is it seems that he is being treated like a stepping stone, and being given such high caliber fights when he is coming off losses.

If you would like to see what one of his former rivals has to say regarding his retirement, on our home page you can watch the “Fun with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson”, where Sam Caplan has a very entertaining interview with the former UFC champ.

He in short states first that “I’m not Chucks manager”, but after some convincing he gives in and shares his thoughts with Caplan. He states “Chuck is loved in the MMA community”, he is a good fighter and that he thinks he can still do it, but “he should take the right fights at the right time, Chuck is a gamer, you know he can get knocked out and come back and fight another tough opponent“ and like any fighter he understands that you need to work your way back up.

Only time will truly tell what he is going to do. If he continues to fight I think he does need to take some time off as it has shown with many fighters that it can do wonders, just look at Couture who retired only to come back and win the title in a division he had not competed in for nearly five years.

I also don’t think he will go brain dead if he has a couple more fights, for all we know maybe he just needs a couple wins to light the fire he once had burning through the light heavyweight division.

White was outspoken about his feelings regarding Liddell’s future immediately after his long-time friend suffered a first round TKO loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and days later still remained adamant about his preference for Liddell’s next career move.

“Chuck Liddell is stupid rich,” White began to tell Inside Fighting. “Chuck Liddell is done. He’s got nothing left to prove. He’s the most famous guy on earth. I love him like a [expletive] brother and I don’t want to see him get hurt. There is no reason for it.”

White continued by expressing his belief that at Liddell’s age, a comeback is simply not likely.

“He’s [expletive] forty years old man,” proclaimed White. “These guys that are fighting now are young, explosive, fast [expletive] kids who are well rounded mixed martial artists. There’s no [expletive] reason for Chuck Liddell to be out there at forty years old still fighting. I don’t want to make a [expletive] nickel off that ever.”

Liddell reportedly has one more fight left on his UFC contract, but it appears that White doesn’t want to leave the choice of whether he should continue to fight in Liddell’s hands.

“Believe me, it will be a [expletive] war if he tries not to retire, believe me,” he said. “I love him. He helped me build this business. We started when he was making five hundred and five hundred. And we had the dream of him becoming a big star and winning the title and making all kinds of money… We did it all man. We [expletive] did it all. We did it. We did it. It’s [expletive] over. He’s forty years old, it is over.”

Chuck Liddell did so much more for MMA than just knocking people out and winning championships. He helped MMA get into the mainstream media.

The invention of The Ultimate Fighter was a stroke of genius but choosing Chuck Liddell as one of the coaches was just as important as the concept of the show itself. With his trademark Mohawk and tattooed head Chuck Liddell was recognized around the world to hard-core, casual and fleeting fans.

With appearances on Entourage and his dedication to helping the sport grow by doing countless interviews Liddell will go down in history as not only a great fighter but a man who did all that he could to popularize the sport that he loves.

Everyone has memories of Liddell whether they are memorable or forgettable. Everyone remembers certain fights of Liddell’s whether they were rooting for him or against him. Here are my three top memories of Chuck Liddell.

1) Chuck Liddell defeats Tito Ortiz via knockout at UFC 47 in April of 2004. Liddell had been chasing Tito for a long time and Tito was hiding behind a supposed friendship that the two had developed while training at Big Bear together. If you read Liddell’s book the two were never close and he knew Tito was afraid of him by the way he dominated him during training sessions. Liddell had already beaten a who’s who of mixed martial artists and was coming off a loss to Quinton Jackson in the semi-finals of a Pride tournament that was supposed to see Chuck match-up with Wanderlei Sliva. You knew Chuck was highly motivated by that loss and was finally getting his opportunity to get his hands on Tito. While the first round was spent feeling each other out Liddell was just biding his time. In the second round Liddell unleashed a flurry of crosses, straights and uppercuts displaying unbelievable hand speed that sent Tito crashing to the canvas and Liddell running around the octagon in celebration.

2) Chuck Liddell defeats Randy Couture via knockout at UFC 52 in February of 2006. This was a rematch of their first fight that took place in June of 2003. Couture utilized his wrestling and frustrated Liddell the whole fight while earning a TKO victory in round 3. The two were opposing coaches on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter and their rematch was highly anticipated. While the fight did not live up to the hype as Liddell knocked out Couture early in the first round, it cemented Liddell as the best light heavyweight in the world. It was sweet revenge for Liddell as he became the first fighter to knock Randy Couture out cold. The two would fight again 10 months later with the same result but this time it ended in the second round as opposed to the first.

3) Chuck Liddell defeats Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision at UFC 79 in December of 2007. This was a fight that everyone wanted to see for years. The two most feared strikers in their weight class had flirted with the idea but it never came to fruition. Now with Silva signed with the UFC everything was falling into place but it almost didn’t happen. Liddell had lost his championship to Rampage Jackson at UFC 71 in May of 2007 and was scheduled to fight Keith Jardine in what was supposed to be a tune-up fight at UFC 76 in September. With Silva sitting cage side with UFC President Dana White, Jardine leg kicked his way to a split decision victory. At some point during the fight Silva asked White if Jardine was really going to win this fight as he saw yet another opportunity going out the window to fight Liddell. Thankfully the UFC put this fight together and these two certainly did not disappoint. They went back and forth never giving up an inch for 15 minutes. Liddell even broke out a spinning back fist and took Silva down a few times in what looks to be the last victory of Liddell’s storied career. If this is the case he couldn’t have won his last fight against a better opponent.

These are my three favorite moments in Liddell’s career. I thoroughly enjoyed all of his fights except the ones where he got knocked out. I will admit I am not the biggest fan of Liddell’s but I respect him and I loved his style. Guns a-blazing’, go for broke and entertain the fans is what he was all about.

It wasn’t just age that caught up with him but the new breed of fighters today are so well versed in so many disciplines and with the way fighters study videos and break down their opponents style and are able to identify certain actions it was just a matter of time that he was going to get passed by.

With that being said he always went all out and a lot of people questioned his life style outside of the octagon but when it came down to it he always trained his heart out for his fights. He cared about his performances and he understood his role and that he was representing not only the UFC but MMA as a whole.

We have been lucky enough to witness one of the greatest fighters of our life time and I am very happy that I was able to watch him compete. He has been a true ambassador for the sport and will continue to help this sport grow in other capacities. Twenty years from now we will all be proud to say that we got to watch the great Chuck Liddell during his heyday as a fighter.

Following last night’s TKO loss to Rua at 4:28 of round 1, White indicated stated during the company’s post-fight press conference at the Bell Centre that Liddell’s fourth defeat in his last five fights has marked the end of an era.

When asked by the Canadian Press’ Neil Davidson about Liddell’s future in the UFC, White didn’t pull any punches.

“… There was no mystery in this,” he said regarding what a loss would mean for Liddell’s future. “My promotion for this fight it’s like watching Jordan’s in his last game… It was the end of an era tonight. Since before we’ve bought this company, (Chuck) has been with me since I got into mixed martial arts. He’s been a loyal friend and partner.”

White, who managed Liddell before him and the Fertitta Brothers formed Zuffa LLC in 2001 and purchased the UFC from the Semaphore Entertainment Group, isn’t about to allow his affinity for the man who help put his company on the map jeopardize his long-term health.

“At the end of the day and I say this all the time, and the media likes to portrary me as a tyrant who terrorizers people, or whatever my title is, but I care about these guys,” he began. “I don’t want to see anyone stick around too long and I don’t want to see anybody get hurt. In the almost 20-year history of the UFC there’s never been a death or a serious injury.”

And to the surprise of no one, White continued by making the proclamation that UFC 97 was the last time fans will get to see Liddell compete.

“You’re never going to see Chuck Liddell on the canvas again, I can tell you that,” pronounced White. “He’s done. Tonight was the end of an era. One of the best greatest in this sport fought his last fight tonight.”

During the press conference, Liddell stopped short of announcing his retirement. He expressed his desire to wait until Monday before thinking about his next move but still conceded that UFC 97 perhaps was his last fight.

If UFC 97 was truly the last fight for Liddell, it will mark the end of a career that saw him accumulate a 21-7 record that saw him successfully defend the UFC light heavyweight title four times. Perhaps the most recnogizable fighter in MMA, Liddell’s storied career includes notable victories over former PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva, former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Randy Couture, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, current Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato “Babalu” Sobral, former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman, and former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.

Liddell told Fighters Only Magazine that he was unfazed by statements made by White which insinuated that Liddell needed to win impressively against former Pride superstar Mauricio “Shogun” Rua next Saturday at UFC 97. The card which will be held in Montreal is headlined by a middleweight championship bout between number one contender Thales Leites and champion Anderson Silva.

White went on record not so long ago as saying that he did not want to see Liddell get hurt and that he not only needed to win against Rua but had to be impressive in doing so otherwise it may be time for Liddell to hang up his gloves. Liddell also went on to say that he was planning on performing as he always has and that he was hopeful that was enough to keep White interested in him as a fighter.

White and Liddell began their relationship long before White was the president of the UFC. White was not only Liddell’s manager but Tito Ortiz‘s as well. The two remain very close and have been synonymous with the success of the UFC. Liddell went on to say that he doesn’t see any reason to worry about any other fight than the one that he has in front of him and that he has a tough opponent and remains focused on his task at hand.

Liddell has lost three of his past four fights with two of them coming by brutal knockout to former light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and current title holder Rashad Evans. He also lost a split decision to Keith Jardine while winning an exciting unanimous decision in an all-out war against Wanderlei Silva.

Rua’s debut in the UFC came with no shortage of excitement nor fanfare but he turned in an unimpressive performance in losing via third round submission to Forrest Griffin. His cardio was virtually non-existent and he showed none of the skills that made him one of the most feared strikers during his days in the Pride organization. He went on the have knee surgery and was out for almost a year and a half. He returned in January of this year and defeated 44 year old Mark Coleman in a sloppy fight that also saw Rua lose steam early in the bout. This fight is very important for him as the UFC has no room for unproductive fighters.

In a new interview with Neil Davidson of the Canadian Press, White goes so far as to essentially put his good friend on notice leading up to Liddell’s co-headlining bout vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua scheduled for UFC 97 on April 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

“I’ve made it very clear to Chuck. Very clear,” White began to tell Davidson. “It’s not about money, it’s not about this, that. Chuck is one of my good friends. Chuck (has) cemented his legacy in the UFC and in the fight game. I’m not even saying if he wins, unless he looks incredibly impressive (in Montreal) – I mean, he’s going to have to go out there and dazzle me, for me to want Chuck to still fight.”

“I love him, and I don’t want to see what I saw in his last fight ever again,” he added.

Once considered the top light heavyweight in the world, Liddell began to see his immense stock drop following a TKO loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at UFC 71 in May of 2007. Jackson needed just one minute and 53 seconds to end Liddell’s four-fight title reign.

In what was perceived as nothing more than a showcase fight to bounce back following the disappointing loss to Jackson, Liddell was matched up with Keith Jardine a little over three months later at UFC 76. However, Jardine proved to be a difficult matchup for Liddell and utilized an array of leg kicks to win an upset split decision victory.

Liddell then rebounded at UFC 79 in December of that same year when he recorded a unanimous decision victory over Wanderlei Silva in a long-awaited dream match between the two 205 pound icons.

Unfortunately, Liddell’s comeback was short lived as he was knocked out in devastating fashion by Rashad Evans at UFC 88 this past September. Despite being 12-0-1 heading into the fight, Evans was still the clear cut underdog but appeared to have scouted Liddell well when he countered one of Liddell’s looping punches en route to a KO stoppage at 1:51 of round 2.

While White is claiming that money is not an issue, public records indicate that Liddell has been receiving a $500,000 guarantee for his past several fights. It is believed that Liddell easily makes over $1 million per fight due to the fact that his contract also includes a clause that entitles him to a percentage of pay-per-view sales.

While Liddell finds himself in a must-win situation, the UFC has matched him up with an opponent who has been just a big of a disappointment as Liddell in recent fights.

Once considered one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, Rua has performed as one of the biggest busts in UFC history since signing a lucrative contract with Zuffa during the final days of the Japan-based PRIDE promotion.

Rua showed poor stamina during his UFC debut at UFC 76 against Forrest Griffin and tapped to a rear naked choke at 4:36 of round 3. Even if Rua had not been finished by Griffin, he was well on his way to suffering a decision defeat.

After requiring multiple knee surgeries, Rua was unable to compete for a year and a half. The 27-year old Brazilian native returned at UFC 93 this past January against 44-year old UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman. Both fighters gassed early in the fight and in spite of Rua’s youth, he was only able to finish Coleman with 24 seconds remaining in the contest.

While UFC officials awarded both fighters a “Fight of the Night” bonus, critics panned the bout and were extremely critical of Rua’s performance during the fight.

While a poor performance by Liddell could signal the end of his UFC career, the same could also likely be said for Rua.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the news on Saturday night from a source close to the bout. UFC President Dana White officially announced the bout during a UFC 93 post-fight press conference.

The final decision was made to book the fight following Rua’s third round TKO victory over Mark Coleman during Saturday’s UFC 93 event in Dublin, Ireland. The victory improved Rua’s overall record to 17-3 and his record while competing for the UFC to 1-1.

The fight vs. Coleman was Rua’s first since a third round submission loss to Forrest Griffin during UFC 76 on September 22, 2007. The former Chute Boxe Academy member was sidelined for nearly a year and a half due to a recurring knee injury that required surgery.

Liddell has lost three of his last four fights and has not competed since being knocked out by Rashad Evans at UFC 88 this past September.

In addition to Liddell vs. Rua, other bouts anticipated for UFC 97 include UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva defending his title vs. Thales Leites, David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman, and Tamdan McCrory vs. Jonathan Goulet.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is on the comeback trail. In his last fight, Liddell suffered a knockout loss to new UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

Now, Liddell is preparing for his return to the Octagon. He had openly spoke about wanting to face Keith Jardine in a rematch. Jardine defeated Liddell by decision in September of 2007.

UFC President Dana White quickly shot down that possibility.

“It will not be Jardine,” said White.

As far as potential opponents for Liddell, White tabbed two fighters as options.

“If (Mauricio Rua) Shogun defeats Mark Coleman in Ireland, it could be Shogun — or it could be Wanderlei (Silva),” said White.

Liddell’s return will take place on March 7 in Columbus, Ohio.