![]() ![]() ![]() At the time Liddell fought Belfort, Liddell was still relatively unknown, to the point that Joe Rogan was still calling him "Chuck LYE-dell." He also defeated Vitor Belfort en route to his first title shot. ![]() In such a fashion, Liddell was able to secure early career wins over Jeff Monson and Kevin Randleman. When Chuck Liddell made his UFC debut at UFC 17, he wasn't the knockout artist that he would eventually become, but he was one of the early guys in the UFC to be able to use his strong wrestling background to keep fights on the feet, where he could out-strike his opponents, trading strikes blow-for-blow if necessary. Yet despite the appeal this legend brings, I hope that the history and context of the true events of Chuck Liddell's career aren't lost in the storytelling. In the end, the accumulation of damage sustained over countless battles finally added up to the point where the spell was broken, and Liddell's previously invincible chin finally cracked, and he lost his final fights when his aging body simply could not keep up with his warrior's spirit. In his prime, Dana White said, you could hit Chuck with a steel bar and not knock him out.Īccording to the legend, Liddell used these skills to rule over the division during a golden era of mixed martial arts. To go along with his power, Liddell also boasted a nearly unbreakable chin. Joe Rogan called Liddell a destroyer who would win fights before they even began, because people were afraid of his devastating power. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |