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Liddell’s KO Outshone Only by Couture’s Retirement |
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Written by Josh Gross
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Sunday, 05 February 2006 |
 From Sherdog.com
Though headlines from Saturday’s UFC card in Las Vegas will highlight the fact that 42-year-old Randy Couture was knocked out by UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures) in the second round of their highly-anticipated rubber match, any lasting impact will have likely have more to do with Couture’s departure from competition than how he went out.
It’s rare indeed when a star athlete can define the terms under which
he or she calls it a career. And when that athlete brings the sort of
civility and generosity personified by Couture, a man the fight game
has been lucky enough to know these past nine years, it is that much
more extraordinary.
Though recent rumblings from those closest to the only two-division
champion in UFC history should have signaled the inevitably of
tonight’s announcement, it still hit hard when “The Natural” shared
that, in fact, we just witnessed the final time he would lace up
four-ounce gloves in competition.
“That’s it for me,” said Couture in front of a stunned Mandalay Bay
Events Center crowd, which brought in an almost $4 million dollar gate,
a record for mixed martial arts in North America. “I’m ready to do
something else.”
Surely Couture did not intend to retire on his shield, but Liddell, the
current king of the UFC light heavyweight division who could
legitimately be argued as being the best 205-pound fighter in the world
right now, was not so sentimental as to give Couture anything but his
best — and undoubtedly Couture would have been disappointed had it
happened that way.
By no means is Liddell quick of foot, but versus Couture tonight he
appeared every bit as agile as a lightweight. From the opening bell of
the five-round title bout, the 36-year-old San Luis Obispo, Calif.
slugger darted from side to side, creating angles to strike instead of
waiting for Couture to provide them.
This was an improvement even on Liddell’s April 2005 effort when he
knocked Couture out early in the opening round. Similar to the rematch,
Liddell was active with his jab, continually pestering Couture with it
throughout the opening stanza.
Couture refused to slug it out, instead remaining patient, even
apprehensive — a style atypical from the historically assertive tact
employed in virtually all his great performances.
Cautious not to overreach and expose himself to a Liddell right hand —
perhaps the best single weapon in MMA today — the former champion
encountered another problem.
Now comfortable enough against a passive challenger to sit in the
pocket and deliver power shots, Liddell connected on more than one
occasion. After sensing perhaps an early end, the champion sprinted
forward, forcing Couture to improvise out of his defensive posture.
Only when Couture was reminded of Liddell’s power did he turn up the
aggressiveness that served him so well against Belfort, Rizzo,
Randleman, Ortiz and, previously, Liddell. The Greco-Roman wrestler
charged to meet Liddell and powerfully put him on the canvas. But just
as quickly, and with what seemed like minimal effort, Liddell stood and
managed to bloody Couture as the fight went into the break.
Without his familiar corner of Robert Follis, Dan Henderson or Matt Lindland , even Couture’s most ardent supporters had
to realize this was not the same man that dominated Liddell in June
2003.
That Couture was quick and accurate. He beat Liddell to the punch, not
the other way. And he never, ever let “The Iceman” feel remotely
comfortable. But in the seven minutes and six seconds spent together in
the Octagon since the Summer of Couture, this had not been repeated.
The fight moved into round two and a once pro-Couture crowd seemed to
switch allegiances. Chants of “Liddell! Liddell! Liddell!” filled an
arena replete with A-List celebrities and fight fans that paid no less
than $100 per seat — all this, of course, a byproduct of the
Couture-Liddell rivalry.
A classic Liddell looping punch combined with an uppercut signaled a
return to action. Tracing the pattern of the eight-sided cage — though
not in one direction and not at one speed — Liddell’s lethal right hand
again did the trick when he dropped a counter punch over a Couture left
hook.
“We knew Randy was gonna try to lay back and come real hard, make me
over commit,” said the victorious Liddell, who with the win tonight
made his second title defense. “So I just kind of moved around and was
trying to take my shots. But if you let me stand in front of you that
long, sooner or later we’ll catch one, put you down.”
The impact of fist meeting jaw meant that for the second time in his
career (both against Liddell) the “The Natural” was involuntarily put
to the canvas. Without hesitation Liddell brought four damaging right
hands down on the crumpled veteran and referee John McCarthy moved in
1:28 of the second period to save him from unnecessary punishment.
Couture’s breadth shines far beyond his misleading 14-8-0 record. The
Team Quest co-founder, who saw divorce drive him from his longtime
surroundings of Gresham, Oregon to Las Vegas one year ago, has long
been considered an ambassador for mixed marital arts in the U.S.
His mild-mannered, well-spoken approach was a refreshing reprieve from
the contrived saber rattling offered by a number of the sport’s younger
participants. And though he had many wonderful moments in the Octagon,
it will be his selflessness and humility — both in and out of
competition — that will be missed most.
As the focus shifts away from Couture and onto the current and future
generations of mixed martial artists, which he was so instrumental in
influencing, Liddell’s accomplishment should not be overlooked.
Winning the rubber match finishes an important chapter in Liddell’s
career, one that illustrated his skill and desire as champion. There
appear to be few surprises in his future, as potential challengers seem
all to be familiar faces.
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