News

• July 30, 2010

  UFC Fan Expo: August 27-28, 2010 - John B. Hynes Convention Center - Boston, MA

  
  

  2010 Event

  UFC^® Fan Expo™ is pleased to announce that we’re coming to Boston for the very first time! With the largest collection of UFC^®, WEC^®, former Pride^®, and Hall of Fame fighters plus exciting Special Events, Training & Development Sessions, and The Octagon^®, you won't want to miss the first-ever UFC^® Fan Expo™ Boston 2010, happening in conjunction with the highly-anticipated and long awaited, Boston Pay Per View Fight Card!

  The full list of participants is as follows; UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson, WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, Carlos Condit, Clay Guida, Cole Miller, Efrain Escudero, Gabriel Gonzaga, Jon Jones, Josh Grispi, Kurt Pellegrino, Matt Hamill, Martin Kampmann, Pat Barry, Roy Nelson, Thiago Alves, Anthony Johnson, Ricardo Almeida, Renzo Gracie, and former WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber.

  Tickets are on sale now! The Boston 2010 event will take place August 27-28 at the John B. Hynes Convention Center. VIP Packages and tickets to Training & Development Sessions are coming soon. Be sure to check back periodically for important news and updates or sign up to receive our official newsletter.

  
  

  Ticket Prices*

  Friday Ticket: $30
  Saturday Ticket: $35
  2 Day Ticket: $50
  Training & Development Sessions: $100 p/session
  * Please Note: Ticket pricing will increase onsite. Don't wait, buy your tickets now and save!

  Show Hours

  Friday, August 27: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
  Saturday, August 28: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

   

  Source: UFC Fan Expo

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• July 28, 2010

  Chuck Liddell still thinking things over but would be more than happy to shut Ortiz up again

  MMABay spoke EXCLUSIVELY to former UFC light heavyweight champion, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell this past weekend about his plans following the knockout loss to Rich Franklin last month in Vancouver, Canada, as well as tackling the issue of his long-time nemesis, Tito Ortiz.

  Speaking via the telephone to MMABay.co.uk, Liddell said about his fight with Franklin:

  “Well obviously I was disappointed with the outcome. I thought I was doing real well right up until the point I got caught. A few seconds more and I don’t think he would have answered the bell for the second round. I didn’t do anything I normally wouldn’t do, I thought I had him hurt and I went after him. That’s the way I am, that’s the way I fight and I don’t think that’s ever going to change. Whether it should or not, I don’t think it will ever change.”

  “I’ve been taking some time to hang out and when I get back from this trip I’ll talk to my camp, my guys and talk to Dana, we’ll see. I’ve told Dana the same thing, I’m not ready to talk about it much, I wanna go have some time, and he’s kinda ‘OK, let me know what your decision is when you get back and we’ll talk’.”

  When asked about the comments from Dana White where he clearly indicated he’d release Liddell from his UFC contract if he ever wanted to fight again, Chuck said:

  “Well that’s what he’s saying, if that’s what he wants to do. We’ll talk (about it) when we talk. If I decide to fight again and he doesn’t want me to fight then that’s what he’ll do. I haven’t really paid attention to the comments in the press too much. When I talk to Dana I’ll talk directly to Dana because it’s personal.”

  We then asked “The Iceman” for his thoughts on his long standing rival, Tito Ortiz and whether that was still a fight that interests him at this stage of his career.

  “You know, I don’t like the guy, I’ve knocked him out twice. I really don’t think I have anything left to do with the guy. I was gonna fight him for the show but I’ve really got nothing left for that guy. He hasn’t showed anything different that what he’s done before. I don’t know what I have left to prove with him.”

  “I don’t think you’ll ever shut him up (laughs), he’ll just keep going, but I’ll be more than happy if Dana wants to shut him up again, only for a little bit of course.”

  Finally, on the upcoming heavyweight tilt between Randy Couture and James Toney at UFC 118 in August, Liddell commented:

  “I don’t know how intrigued I am with it. I see Randy taking him down right away and beating him up down on the ground. I don’t think it’ll be much of a problem for him, or at least it shouldn’t be. I’m not really that interested in that fight. That’s the only chance James has (to catch Randy with a punch coming in), to catch him with a lucky punch coming in, but I doubt it. I don’t see it happening.”

  Liddell has lost five of his last six bouts inside the octagon, with his sole win coming over Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79 in December 2007. Is this really the end of the line for “The Iceman” or will he rise from the ashes to take on Ortiz one last time? Check back tomorrow for the full audio of the interview.

   

  By Michael Pepper. (Follow me on Twitter)

  Source: MMA Bay

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• July 27, 2010

  Chuck Liddell teams up with British fight film '12'

  BRITISH FIGHT FILM ‘12’ TEAMS UP WITH FIGHTERS INC'S UK SUPER SEMINAR TOUR WITH UFC HALL OF FAMER AND INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED CHUCK “THE ICEMAN” LIDDELL
  
  Action Extreme are pleased to announce Fighters Inc's UK Super Seminar tour with Chuck "The Iceman” Liddell was in association with the much talked about British fight film ‘12’, hailed for some of the most realistic and brutal fight scenes ever seen on film.

  Fighters Inc and Chuck Liddell have been touring the UK, kicking off on the 16th July in Bournemouth and offered those lucky enough to have secured a place on the Super Seminar a unique opportunity to meet, train and talk with the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, getting fighting tips straight from the man that was the face of the UFC for many years. The sport's first breakout star, he is considered the face of Mixed Martial Arts to millions of fans worldwide.

  
  At the end of each seminar, UFC Hall of famer, Chuck Liddell awarded 12 free copies of the 12 DVD to 12 lucky practitioners from each seminar who showed what it takes to go Toe2Toe in the cage.
  
  12 follows the story of twelve fighters, brought together to compete in an illegal underground tournament for the prize of £500,000. The fighters come from a variety of backgrounds, each hand-picked for a gruelling no-holds barred competition, intended to push each fighter to their physical and psychological limits. Each fighter has their own reasons for competing and each give everything they have to take the prize... but there can be only one winner!
  
  From critically acclaimed director, Chee Keong Cheung, 12 is a no-holds-barred British fight film that’s been taking the world by storm. The film features a cast of home-grown Martial Arts Champions and action stars, including Mark Strange (Batman Begins, The Medallion), 3 times World Kickboxing Champion Nathan Lewis (Fight School, Kick Ass) and Joey Ansah (The Bourne Ultimatum). Co-starring Danny John-Jules (Blade 2, Red Dwarf), the film’s heart-stopping action sequences are delivered in full force by renowned fight choreographer, David Forman (Clash of the Titans, Batman Begins).

  
  photo by Adam Crowther / Fightshop.com

  12 has been the subject of much discussion throughout the film, Martial Arts and MMA community and has attracted a great deal of support. British UFC Stars Michael “The Count” Bisping and Ultimate Fighter winner Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson, both gave the film a big thumbs up at a recent red carpet screening, impressed with the action packed British independent film.
  
  12 is a title unlike any other and places British filmmaking on the map of a genre previously dominated by Hollywood and Hong Kong. The film marks a new turn in the action genre and comes straight from this exciting, up-and-coming filmmaking team. 12 sets a new standard for physical action cinema and is a must-see for genre fans everywhere!
  
  12 is OUT NOW on DVD.
  
  www.12dvd.co.uk

   

  Source: Full Mount

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• July 20, 2010

  Iceman Special Appearance at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas August 6

  Don't miss Chuck at the Steel Cage Match in Frisco, Texas at the Dr. Pepper Arena on August 6th!

   

  

   

  

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• July 19, 2010

  The Iceman visits the Airmen at the U.S. Air Force Base in Elmendorf, Alaska

  Chuck spent time supporting the troops at the U.S. Air Force Base in Alaska, shaking hands and signing autographs.

   

   

   

  Click here to see the photos!

   

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• July 19, 2010

  Full Mount at the Chuck Liddell Seminar, Coventry

   

  In the centre of an unassuming sports hall in Coventry, a huddle of several dozen bodies stood crowded yet focused. The members of oval group wore a mixture of gloves, shin pads, rash guards, kickboxing trousers, shorts and shin guards; yet they had temporarily halted the practicing their punches against each other to listen to the wisdom of one man.

  Stood in the centre of the mass of cluster of martial artists stood Chuck Liddell, former UFC light heavyweight champion, UFC Hall of Famer and known as a man with one of the most dangerous overhand right's in the world. He demonstrated punching on his partner in a manner that only Chuck could, the unmistakable way he throws his fists that swarms his opponent. The students absorbed his demonstration of a combination followed by a single leg pick up and then all broke to practice themselves.

  A gym in the back end of Coventry is not the most likely place to find The Iceman, but many had made the journey to train with the former champ as part of the Fighters Inc group of Super Seminars around the UK. With stop offs including Sheffield, London, Bournemouth and Cork; Liddell had seen many of bright lights of the UK's finest cities. Fighters Inc., who have been working with Liddell since 2006, have promised to bring more fighters from the international scene to the UK to teach at various locations across the UK.

  While the pairs drilled their pummelling-to-elbow technique, the veteran came round to give small refinements to their form and often shared his favourite variations that have worked for him in the cage. Every time he parted with some advice to a couple, a group would form around him, listening in or maybe just enjoying be near to the genuine article; painted blue toe nails and all.

  The seminar closed out with a Q&A session for the fans to ask Chuck anything they wanted. The obvious queries were raised about when he would make his return and who against, but all Liddell could say is that he didn't know when, or where, or with who, but he wanted to fight again soon. Although suggestions were thrown out about Ortiz, Chuck threw them aside stating how Tito never wanted to fight him and the whole series of The Ultimate Fighter with him scheduled to fight The Huntington Beach Bad Boy was all a farce due to Tito planning to not fight in the first place.

  The final question and most interesting was a request to hear Chuck's thoughts on Paul Daley being thrown out of the UFC; Chuck had to pick his words wisely in front of the UK audience. He made it clear that he didn't support any of Daley's actions, stating the cheap shot after the bell was not professional, stating that "you are going to do that just because you couldn't hurt him in the three rounds? He didn't even hurt him after the bell! He had three rounds to figure out how to beat him."

  After the applause of thanks, the fans formed an orderly queue in order to get their hero to sign books, shake his hand and get a photo. Greeting every patient enthusiast with a smile, it was clear that Chuck really did get a thrill from his supporters. Although some have questioned whether his career is finished, it is clear that no matter what choice Chuck makes for his next step he will always have the love of his fans.

  Find out more about Chuck Liddell's 2010 UK seminar tour

  Source: Full Mount

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• July 5, 2010

  After Meeting With Dana White, Chuck Liddell Still Undecided on Future

  LAS VEGAS -- Despite a recent dinner meeting between UFC president Dana White and ex-champion Chuck Liddell, the future of the "Iceman" remains uncertain.
  
  While White is on the record saying Liddell will never again fight in the Octagon, Liddell may still harbor some hopes about continuing to fight, if not in the UFC, then elsewhere. It's just not a decision that has yet to be reached.
  
  "It's always cool hanging out with my friend, but Chuck's having a hard time with this thing," White said. "He told me tonight the show open messed him up, watching [UFC 116] open. This guy's in this longer than me. He's been around forever and loves the sport. All I'm hoping is that he makes the right decision.

  "I'm hoping he's going to retire," White continued.
  
  After taking off 14 months between fights, Liddell suffered his third straight knockout loss, this time at the hands of Rich Franklin at UFC 115.
  
  Once one of the most dominant champions in MMA, Liddell has dropped five of his last six overall.
  
  While White once criticized Liddell's trainer John Hackleman for what he believed to be unnecessary influence to continue, he now says that Hackleman and the rest of Liddell's coaching staff is neutral on the issue and that everyone knows Liddell has to make up his own mind on the matter.
  
  "Their feeling is the same," he said. "These are guys that care about him and have been around him a long time. They're willing to back him and support him any way he wants. They're being friends."

   

  Source: MMA Fighting

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• July 3, 2010

  Chuck Liddell - Air Force Reserve Special Appearances

   

  

   

  Source: Air Force Reserve

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• July 2, 2010

  Train with Chuck Liddell on his UK Super Seminar Tour

  Want to have your chance to train with UFC Hall of Famer Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell?

  Fighters Inc are proud to announce that The Iceman will be touring a number of towns and cities near you as he embarks on his UK Super Seminar Tour in July.

  You will be able to meet, train and talk with the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, getting fighting tips straight from the man that was the face of the UFC for many years. Perhaps you want to learn Chuck's famous over right hand or his sprawl and brawl techniques, he will be on hand to show you how it's done.

  

  You will be able to join the seminar on the following dates:

  Bournemouth
  Seminar in association with Bulldog Ultimate Training Academy
  Friday 16th July 2010
  Call - 01202-294233

  Essex
  Seminar in association with The MMA Clinic
  Thursday 22nd July 2010
  Call - 0207 226 4731

  London
  Seminar in association with Urban Kings
  Saturday 17th July 2010
  Call - 07961 867501

  Yorkshire
  Seminar in association with CNC Promotions
  Friday 23rd July 2010
  Call - 07939 262880

  Coventry
  Seminar in association with Way of the Spiritual Warrior
  Sunday 18th July 2010
  Call - 024 76 331239

  Sheffield
  Seminar in association with The Marsden's BJJ Self Defence Network
  Saturday 24th July 2010
  Call - 07702 801695

  Cork City, Ireland
  Seminar in Association with The Boxing Clinic
  Tuesday 20th July 2010
  Call - 021-4840627

  London
  An Evening with Chuck Liddell in association with The River Bar, Greenwich
  Sunday 25th July 2010
  Call - 0208 853 4404

  Call now to book your space to train with a legend!

   

  Source: Full Mount

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• 

  June 26, 2010

  Chuck Liddell UFC 115 Interview

  Chuck Liddell, UFC Hall of Famer and former Light Heavyweight champion, is without a doubt one of the greatest fighters to ever enter the UFC. On June 12th, at UFC 115, making his 15th Main Event appearance, Liddell will once again step into the Octagon for the first-ever UFC event in Vancouver, Canada. His opponent: former champion and future UFC Hall of Famer Rich Franklin.
  
  While many believe Liddell is at the end of his career, he is ready to prove to the world that there is plenty of fight left in the Iceman. After a second stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, a tough training camp and feeling in the best shape of his life, Liddell is ready to get back to action. While getting ready for his upcoming fight, Liddell took a few minutes to speak with AskMen.

  

   

  chuck liddell on mma and coaching

  AskMen (AM): What made you want to get into the sport of fighting?
  
  Chuck Liddell (CL): I've been fighting since I was a kid. I started doing martial arts since I was 12, and then I went into wrestling in College. After I met John Hackleman I started getting really serious about it, and after a few amateur fights I got an invite to the UFC and have been in love with it ever since.
   
  AM: What has been the most satisfying fight of your career?
  
  CL: I think the biggest one for me would be the second time I fought Randy Couture because I had finally gotten the title that I was trying to get for so long. It was also big for me because, at the same time, I also avenged my loss to Randy, and had beaten a great opponent.
  
  AM: This is your seond stint on The Ultimate Fighter; does the coaching get easier the second time around?
  
  CL: It was definitely different. I felt more comfortable in the role with the people I was surrounded with, but all in all it was pretty good. I enjoyed coming back for a second time, but I also liked the first season I coached because I liked my opponent the first time better than the second time.

  chuck liddell on tito ortiz

  AM: How did you feel when you heard Tito Ortiz had to pull out of the fight?
  
  CL: I was expecting it from day one; I never thought he would fight me. A couple of days into it he was saying that he wouldn't fight me unless he was 100% healthy. I just called Dana White and asked him if Ortiz was going to fight me because I just didn't believe Ortiz was going to step into the Octagon with me. When Ortiz said he wasn't going to fight until he got surgery on his neck, then I knew it wasn't going to happen. I'm not upset about him getting injured, that kind of stuff happens; it's the nature of the sport. The only thing that upsets me about the whole thing is that if Ortiz knew he was hurt -- and couldn't fight before we started the show -- then he should never have gone through the whole process of coaching and promoting a fight when he had no intention of going through with it.
   
  AM: Do you genuinely dislike Tito Ortiz?
  
  CL: I do genuinely dislike Tito Ortiz and I don't have anything to prove to him. I beat him twice and I settled everything with him. I don't have to talk to him; I don't have to deal with him; hell, I don't even have to be in the same room with him.

  chuck liddell on fighting and training

  AM: You haven’t fought since UFC 97 - how much will something like ring rust affect you?
  
  CL: I've never experienced it so I don't know, but I'll let you know after the fight if it affected me or not. I'm not worried about it -- I'm healthy, I feel great and I've been through a couple of tough training camps, so I feel good about this fight.
  
  AM: In what areas do you think you excel against Franklin?
  
  CL: I plan on being better in all areas of the fight.
  
  AM: What’s the one thing you like to do when working out that you feel gives you the most benefits?
  
  CL: My favorite thing to do is sparring, but to be honest, you have to do a bit of everything to get the most benefit.
  
  AM: What advice would you have for someone who wants to get into competitive MMA?
  
  CL: Train hard, get good coaching and don't forget that its mixed martial arts. Don't get tied into one style of fighting and focus on multiple disciplines. For example, if you’re great at BJJ that doesn't mean you don't need to know wrestling and it definitely won't help you in the striking department. I mean, look at Demian Maia, this guy is a world-class BJJ specialist, one of the best in the world, but he has next to no striking game and couldn't stand and trade in his last fight.

  chuck liddell on life

  AM: Can you tell us a bit about your role in the movie Passion Play?
  
  CL: I just play a character that is supposed to be a sort of assassin, but it was a lot of fun working on the movie and seeing someone as talented as Mickey Rourke in action. Just doing lines with him, I was in awe and would almost forget my lines at how good he is.
  
  AM: Since this is AskMen, we just want to ask you a scenario-based question for our readers: Let’s say you are in a bar and you’re faced with an unruly person - when is it time to stop being nice and start getting physical?
  
  CL: I've never found that getting physical is ever the best response in a bar. You just have to make sure you keep your distance, and if it gets to a point where it gets aggressive then the best thing to do is go get a bouncer and get the situation resolved intelligently. I'll always try to go the safest route, but once someone strikes you or puts their hands on you then it's on, at least for me.

   

  Source: AskMen.com

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• June 23, 2010

  AFC brings Chuck Liddell to Alaska

  

  When AFC owner Sarah Johnston posts who would you like to see make a special appearance at an AFC event, fans might want to take her seriously.
  
  What turned out to be a major announcement for the MMA world this morning, “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell will be cageside July 14 for AFC 73: Best of the Best 6 – AFC 6th Anniversary show to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.
  
  Johnston spoke later in the day about how they were able to invite one of the greatest UFC legends to Alaska. “About three months ago we started talking about bringing up a big fighter. I got contacted by the Air Force Reserve stating they were looking at sponsoring some events around Anchorage. I talked about somehow bringing up a UFC fighter. Friday it was approved.”
  
  I asked her how she felt when he agreed to be at the show. “I was actually excited for Alaska, that we got somebody of that caliber to come up here. I thought it would be really cool to share that with Alaska.”
  
  As for the implications of his arrival she said, “I hope that it solidifies the organization and brings fans that haven’t been there before. Chuck is a multifaceted celebrity. He appeals to a lot of different households. I think he’s a really good spokesperson for the sport and I think it will get the fans excited.”
  
  Beyond creating buzz and filling seats in the Sullivan Arena, Liddell is widely known as a close friend of UFC President Dana White and news of the event will likely filter back to the largest MMA company in the world.

  “He’s going to have his eyes open,” she said. “He has his own gym as well, The Pit. They’re always looking for the next best thing. Chuck’s a great coach, you never know. He’s probably always on the lookout.”
  
  Whether or not the lineup will be affected by his visit she said, “It’s not going to change the lineup. We’re going to put together the best event that we can.”
  
  The main event boasts a heavyweight battle between well-rounded challenger Bryc Palmer facing longtime champion Brian Ryan. The co-main event will feature a rematch of rising stars Jesse Cruz and Terrence Mitchell, this time for the featherweight belt.
  
  With an already stacked card, Liddell’s visit will only serve to make the event that much more memorable. “I truly think it will be one of the best events of the year. There’s two title fights and a great undercard. I think it will be one of best events of the year and I hope people enjoy themselves.”

  Source: Examiner.com

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• June 22, 2010

  Lipton Brisk and Chuck Liddell

  Earlier this month, Lipton Brisk released a digital short story entitled The Way of the Brisk: The Untold Story featuring UFC legend Chuck Liddell.

  Payout Perspective:

  The segment is really quite well-done and the perfect example of what we talk about here at MMAPayout.com all the time: the actual marketing or sponsorship activation directed towards an MMA audience must utilize elements of the MMA lifestyle or culture to truly be effective. This is something that seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how little it really happens (to my constant frustration!).

  In this case, Lipton has taken elements of its brand – the very successful puppet concept from the 90s and early 2000s – and applied it to one of the most popular fighters in UFC history. It has Chuck doing what he does best, but in a humorous setting.

  I tend to think that if you’re going to use MMA in your marketing material it either has to be funny or an association drawn to the hard work, dedication, and intensity that MMA requires. There really isn’t a market for advertisements that involve the hardcore fighting elements of the sport and typically anything in that direction is just going to limit your exposure; there are still a lot of people “disgusted” by the very sight of MMA and if you use the hardcore stuff, you’re immediately limiting your reach.

  Humor and hard work are safe and stable concepts to work with – everyone gets them. If done right, a marketing team can even get a response out of non-MMA fans with MMA-related advertising along these lines.

  Source: MMA Payout

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• 

  June 21, 2010

  Liddell undecided on retirement

   

  

  LAS VEGAS – Chuck Liddell says his fighting career isn’t over yet, despite yet another knockout loss in his last fight.

  Liddell, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion and the most popular fighter in the promotion’s history, said Saturday during “The Ultimate Fighter Finale” at the Palms Casino that he was pleased with his performance against Rich Franklin in the main event of UFC 115 on June 12 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.

  Liddell, 40, was knocked out by a counter shot from Franklin with five seconds left in the first round. It was Liddell’s third loss in a row and fifth in his last six matches. He’s been knocked out in four of them.

  After being finished by Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 97 in Montreal on April 18, 2009, UFC president Dana White said Liddell was through fighting. But Liddell wanted to fight and talked White, his former manager and close friend, into giving him another shot.

  Liddell did a stint on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and didn’t so much as hit mitts for six months. He came into the Franklin fight in the best shape he had been in for many years. He was doing well in the fight until he overcommitted on a right hand and Franklin blasted him with a perfectly placed counter shot that knocked him cold.

  He said he had the stitches removed from his upper lip and his left eyebrow on Friday and, other than a still very black left eye, looked good. The cut on his lip came from the final punch, while the cut on his left eyebrow came as a result of a clash of heads with Franklin during a takedown.

  Liddell said he feels fine and is mulling his options.

  “I’m still working on evaluating,” Liddell said. “I thought I did great before I was caught. I have to look at it some more and think about it. I think I looked good and I definitely was in great shape. I could have kept that pace up for another four rounds, without a doubt.”

  Liddell said he has few regrets. He noted that the reason he became so popular as a fighter was his aggressive style, one in which he constantly was looking for the knockout. Little changed in the fight against Franklin and Liddell likely would have won the first round on the judges’ cards if the round had been completed.

  Had he been more under control and not firing so wildly, he would not have been out of position and wouldn’t have been hit with the shot that knocked him out. That, though, isn’t Liddell’s style.

  “It’s hard to beat that [aggressiveness] out of me, because that’s who I am and that’s who I’ve been for a long, long time,” Liddell said. “People like watching me because of the way I fight, so it’s hard to get me not to fight that way.”

  Liddell said he hadn’t spoken to White, though they did exchange text messages. He said he has spent time with his children and his girlfriend, Heidi Northcott, since returning from Vancouver.

  He didn’t put a timetable on a decision, but said he’s going to take his time and make the best decision.

  “There’s a lot still to think about,” Liddell said. “I felt pretty good and I think showed I can compete. I’m not going to rush and I’ll do what I think is best. I’m just not at a point to make that decision yet.”

  Source: Yahoo Sports

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• June 18, 2010

  Looking back on the career of Chuck Liddell part four - Liddell's five greatest fights

  By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
  
  

  The career of Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell, in all estimation, came to an end on Saturday night in Vancouver at UFC 115. In this five part series, we'll take a look back at one of the greatest light heavyweight fighters in the sport's young history.
  
  With a career record of 21-8 over 12 years as a professional fighter, Chuck Liddell certainly has no shortage of great performances over his career. The former Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer introduced a whole new era of fans to the sport with his time coaching on The Ultimate Fighter, leading to the first true boom period for mixed martial arts in North America, subsequently coinciding with his Title reign.
  
  After looking back on his career this week, I wanted to present what I feel are Liddell's five greatest fights, both in terms of his in cage/ring performance as well as for their impact on his career and the sport of MMA. With that out of the way, here are my top five Chuck Liddell fights:
  
  5. Chuck Liddell vs. Renato "Babalu" Sobral I (UFC 40: Vendetta, Nov. 22, 2002)
  
  This fight is on here for a couple of reasons. First, it's perhaps Liddell's most memorable highlight reel knockout, and two, it was a victory over an extremely experienced and formidable opponent that earned him his first shot at UFC gold.
  
  Sobral entered UFC 40 with a 20-4 record, and though he had lost two of his previous three fights entering the Octagon with Liddell in Las Vegas that night, those last two losses came to Fedor Emelianenko and a still very dangerous Kevin Randleman by decision.
  
  Liddell beat Sobral to the punch for the first couple of minutes, avoiding takedown attempts and generally doing more in the fight. After throwing a few punches as Babalu tried to engage, Liddell threw up a high kick that cracked Sobral on the chin, sending him to the canvas. He jumped down with a couple of blows before referee "Big" John McCarthy tackled him off to stop the fight.
  
  The win was his 10th straight and next up was an Interim Light Heavyweight Title bout against Randy Couture.
  
  4. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz I (UFC 47: It's On, April 2, 2004)
  
  At the time this was the most highly anticipated non-title fight in UFC history. It was a fight that should have happened over a year earlier, when Ortiz was still Champion and Liddell had earned a title shot, but due to "injury" Ortiz had been holding out for some time and Liddell was plugged into the fight with Couture. Though he lost that fight, and dropped another in Japan to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Liddell returned to the Octagon to finally face Ortiz.
  
  Tito had lost his Title to Couture in 2003, and the fight with Liddell was a long time coming after years of accusations that he had been ducking "The Iceman."
  
  The first round of the fight didn't feature a whole lot of action, but the significant offense came from Liddell in the final seconds, as he landed a number of blows on Tito against the cage that had the crowd roaring. It didn't take long in the second for Liddell to continue the assault, and he unleashed a huge flurry of blows against the cage to put Tito out and pick up his biggest victory to date.
  
  3. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz II (UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz II, December 30, 2006)
  
  The second meeting between Liddell and Ortiz gets placed a notch higher because, while Liddell's first victory was the more impressive and quicker victory of the two fights, the second one had a Title on the line and set the record for pay-per-view buys for an MMA fight at 1.05 million.
  
  In fact, the fight itself is of little consequence to the importance this bout brought to the UFC, Liddell and MMA in general. It ended in very similar fashion to the first fight, with Liddell landing blows against the cage and forcing the stoppage with a flurry, but what came after is what propelled Liddell and the sport into the mainstream.
  
  The fight got initial exposure on ESPN, but Liddell's win brought an even bigger level of popularity, exposing him to the masses in a way never seen in the sport in the U.S. Because of this fight, his next bout with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson got even more mainstream press, and though that fight began the downfall of his career, this fight was Liddell's peak as a mainstream star and Champion.
  
  2. Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva (UFC 79: Nemesis, December 29, 2007)
  
  Perhaps the single most enjoyable fight of Liddell's career, it was another bout a longtime in the making. Both he and Wanderlei Silva were the cream of the crop of the division in their respective organizations in 2005, Liddell in the UFC and Silva in Pride, but the two had never faced off before.
  
  The UFC actually tried to put the fight together before this event, bringing Wanderlei into the cage to announce that the fight was coming before it initially fell through. It was a dream fight for MMA fans everywhere, and the war the two engaged in left no one disappointed.
  
  For 15 minutes both fighters left it all in the Octagon, landing brutal combinations and taking punishment from the other fighter. While both the first and third rounds provided their fair share of action, the second round was one of the single most enjoyable rounds of MMA action I've ever seen.
  
  The unfortunate side note to the fight is that both fighters were past their respective prime in the bout, though for Wanderlei he's attempting to find a new resurgence in the middleweight division, but this will always be remembered as the last great Chuck Liddell performance, as it will in all likelihood go down as "The Iceman's" final victory.
  
  But none of that matter in regards to the memories that fans will always have of this fight. It brought an answer to the question of what would happen in a fight between the two highly regarded 205 lb. fighters, and it left a lasting impression on fans everywhere.
  
  1. Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture II (UFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell II, April 16, 2005)
  
  With the conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter's first season, the two coaches faced off in a rematch of a bout that had only a fifth of the viewers the rematch would attain. The breakout pay-per-view for the UFC was only the beginning of the massive uptick in business the organization would see over the next number of years, but it was a clear sign that they had something in The Ultimate Fighter.
  
  The first time the two faced off, Couture was able to out-box Liddell and kept him off-guard with an effective grappling game before finishing him off in the third round, but Liddell entered the rematch an improved fighter, and he blasted Couture with a right hand that put "The Natural" out just over two minutes into the fight.
  
  This fight showed a dramatic turnaround from their first bout, and Liddell's Title victory set him up for all of the popularity that came his way while he held the belt for the next 25 months. This win was the most important of his career, and in what was at the time the biggest fight of his career, Liddell came out on top in a big way, leaving an impression on UFC fans everywhere.
  
  Though he completed his career on an unfortunate downturn, Liddell will always be remembered for being at the forefront of the UFC's explosion into the mainstream and the UFC's first true superstar. All of these fights were a part of his story, and he gave fans even more memorable and enjoyable moments throughout his career.

  Source: MMA Torch

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• June 17, 2010

  Hackleman on Liddell's future

  John Hackleman paused. Emotion shook his voice, which is perpetually hoarse after "18 million reminders over 20 years" for Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell to keep his hands up.

  "You can't make someone quit," Hackleman said in the aftermath of Liddell's stoppage loss over the weekend in Vancouver, his fourth such result in three years. "But definitely when I looked down at him in the cage, my stomach ... it just didn't feel good."

  Much of the discussion heading into Liddell's main event slot at UFC 115 against Rich Franklin centered on the 40-year-old former UFC light heavyweight champion's ability to take a punch. The shot that put him down Saturday was particularly nasty because of the angle -- a hooking right straight that caught Liddell at his nose and pushed down to his mouth, opening a wide gash on his upper lip that required a plastic surgeon's touch -- but it didn't appear especially heavy. Yet Hackleman said he still hasn't seen enough carnage inflicted on his close friend to ask him to walk away.

  Prior to the bout the 50-year-old trainer told SI.com that if a pattern emerged where Liddell was continually getting hurt, he would tell his charge it was time to get out. The pair haven't had a chance to discuss what's next, said Hackleman, though that will happen for the first time this weekend in Las Vegas, where they'll join forces for the finale of The Ultimate Fighter reality show on Spike TV.

  Liddell did not respond to SI.com when asked about his future plans.

  "I don't think there's too much to talk about," Hackleman said. "I think we both know what he's going to do. I won't speak for him like Dana [White] did. I'll just say I'd rather he not do it anymore."

  But if Liddell (21-8) chooses to fight again? If the UFC president relents and allows "The Iceman" in the Octagon even though twice saying he wouldn't? Hackleman swore to be by his man's side. He wouldn't like it. But he couldn't imagine walking away from Liddell. Not now. Not ever.

  "If he's gotta do it I'd rather be there looking after him than someone else," the trainer said. "I don't think it will come to that. I think he's good right now. I think he's in a good place and obviously wishes he won. But he's a very successful guy that's accomplished a lot in and out of the cage, and he doesn't really need this anymore in any way. I don't think he has anything to prove."

  Repeatedly alluding to Liddell's "warrior mentality" -- "The thing that made him the most famous, richest, most exciting superstar in the sport also can come back and haunt him" -- Hackleman said after Liddell hurt Franklin with his still-heavy punches, "all the game planning went out the window and the warrior in him took over. He dropped his hands, took his chin up and started swinging for the fences. That's the way he went in and that's the way he went out. That's just him."

  "Looking down at him cut like that, broke my heart," said the trainer, fighting off tears.

  
  

  Source: Sports Illustrated

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• June 16, 2010

  Mike Goldberg Reflects On Chuck Liddell's Career And Likely Retirement

   

  Long-time UFC color commentator Mike Goldberg recently appeared on TapouT Radio to offer his take on Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell's recent loss to Rich Franklin and to express what he thinks Liddell has meant for MMA and what implications his probable retirement holds.

  "It's more than sad, it's the end of an era," said Goldberg of Liddell's latest knockout loss, transcribed by Fighter's Only. "He was the face, the guy on the cover of every magazine, every homepage. He was the guy that everyone wanted to interview when this thing went on a major rise. Randy [Couture] and Rich [Franklin] and Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, all great fighters and personalities, but undoubtedly Chuck is the most recognizable athlete in MMA history and the poster boy for the UFC."

  Goldberg believes that Liddell, while certainly saddened by his loss, will leave the sport (if he actually retires) secure in the knowledge that he went out in true Chuck Liddell fashion.

  "So it is sad but he walks away a very wealthy man, he is still a very healthy man and with everything that has changed in his life over the last year I think he walks away a happy man," Goldberg said. "Not happy that he lost, not happy that he was knocked out in his last three but happy that he did it right and what happened, happened."

  Goldberg is looking at the loss as positively as possible and says that even though it was sad to see Liddell fall, it was for the best that the loss came at the hands of Rich Franklin--a respectful former champion who understands the implications of most likely retiring one of the most recognizable MMA fighters on the planet.

  "As hard as it was to see that match up of two great people, great fighters - one Hall of Famer and one Hall of Famer-to-be--I would much rather see [the loss] come at the hands of Rich Franklin than some up-and-comer who wouldn't understand or respect or put in perspective that knockout and what the final punch thrown against Chuck Liddell means," said Goldberg. "Rich Franklin knows that and he embraces it and understands it."

  After all, losing to Franklin is a much easier pill to swallow than losing to rival and originally-scheduled-opponent Tito Ortiz.

  "I am glad that [the end] came at the hands of a classy guy like Rich Franklin," said Goldberg. "If you are Chuck you would much rather have it come from Rich than Tito. I don't know that Tito would have landed one but Chuck would not want to wake up every morning saying 'Whoa, Tito put me into retirement'."

  Source: Fight Line

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• June 12, 2010

  Chuck Liddell, Rich Franklin ready

  

  Photo by AP

  UFC fighters Chuck Liddell, left, and Rich Franklin shake hands during the weigh-in for UFC 115 in Vancouver.

  Living legends Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin will square off tonight at UFC 115 in Vancouver with the winner hoping to make one last run at the light heavyweight title.

  The 40-year-old Liddell, just 1-4 in his last five fights, hasn’t stepped into the Octagon in more than a year and was thought to be done. The “Iceman” even was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last July.

  But the former light heavyweight champion still had the itch and motivation to fight and was subsequently placed as a coach in Spike TV’s “The Ultimate Fighter 11” against rival Tito Ortiz. The two then were supposed to fight.

  Ortiz, however, pulled out with a back injury, and in stepped former middleweight champion Franklin. Though there’s no heated rivalry between the two, Liddell (21-7) said he remained motivated.

  “I respect Rich and I think he’s a bigger challenge than Tito for sure,” Liddell said. “So that motivates you more to get in the gym, and I’ve got to be prepared for him. I’m in great shape. I came in to camp in shape. We kind of did a minicamp during the show.”

  For the 35-year-old Franklin (27-5), a win will vault him up in the light heavyweight picture for the first time.

  “It’s always the goal,” Franklin said of becoming a champion again. “I have a great opportunity here fighting Chuck, but you know eventually these are the kind of things you want in the past and look toward the title.”

  Source: Boston Herald

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• June 5, 2010

  Liddell: Franklin More of a Challenge Than Ortiz

  Saturday, June 05, 2010 by Loretta Hunt (lhunt@sherdog.com) 24872 With the prospect of knocking out former friend and current rival Tito Ortiz up in smoke, former light heavyweight champion Chuck LiddellRich Franklin at UFC 115 on June 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Luckily, Liddell could fall back on his lifelong love affair with competition. “I respect Rich and I think he’s a bigger challenger for sure, so that motivates you more to get into the gym and I’ve gotta be prepared,” Liddell said of changing tracks for former middleweight champion Franklin during a Friday teleconference call. “I’ve got to show up ready to go or I’ll pay for it.” Franklin -- who touts wins over standouts like Evan Tanner, Yushin Okami, Travis Lutter and Wanderlei Silva Liddell said he has UFC President and close friend Dana White to thank for his improved shape. White made a bet with Liddell last September that the fighter couldn’t lose his excess weight before his debut on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Liddell got down to the 214-pound cut-off. Then, he stayed there. Liddell said consistency with his training and diet since November following his exit from the TV show has kept him in superior condition. And although Liddell has back-to-back knockout losses and the longest layoff of his career (14 months) stacked against him when he returns the Octagon in mid June, the former accountant said he isn’t concerned. “My timing’s on. I’m in great shape. I’m ready to go,” said Liddell, who’s lost four of his last five bouts. “I’ll let you know after the fight if I thought I had ring rust. I don’t see it being a problem. I think that’s psychological for some guys.” Liddell, who was temporarily “retired” by White following his first-round knockout loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 97 in April 2009, still wants a third match with Ortiz. Liddell handily beat Ortiz on two separate occasions in 2004 and 2006, but has made the third meeting with the former training partner a personal vendetta. Ortiz, 34, who withdrew from the bout to undergo neck fusion surgery in March, hopes to return to the promotion in October or November. Liddell said he’s stated his case to White that Ortiz should have to face him when he returns to the UFC. Beyond his burning rivalry with Ortiz, Liddell said he’d evaluate his next career step after his June 12 bout with Franklin. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there,” said Liddell. “At the end of the fight, I’ll decide what I want to do next. I’m planning on making another run at the title -- that’s what I want to do, so we’ll see what happens.” had to rely on other motivations to keep his fire lit in preparation for his headlining bout against -- told the media Friday that he thought he might have an advantage over the 40-year-old legend in the later rounds until he saw a recent picture of Liddell’s improved physique. The picture, which surfaced online a few weeks ago, shows the slimmer and more defined Liddell than in recent memory, flanked by his training team.

  Source: Sherdog

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• June 4, 2010

  UFC 115 conference call with Liddell, Franklin, Barry, Cro Cop

  

  UFC legend Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, along with upcoming opponent Rich “Ace” Franklin, Pat Barry, and Mirko Cro Cop fielded questions from the media today on a “UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin” conference call.

  Liddell talked about what boxing coach Howard Davis Jr. has brought to his game, his training, and if he plans to continue fighting win or lose following UFC 115.

  Franklin discussed what it means to him to have the opportunity to get in the Octagon with “The Iceman”, and also talked about Liddell’s conditioning level. Franklin also shared his thoughts on returning to the 205 lbs. division.

  Cro Cop discussed his opponent Barry, and what it will be like to fight another formidable striker. This is Cro Cop’s last fight on his UFC contract and he talked about what his plans are following the June 12 bout.

  Animated as ever, Barry talked about the great respect he holds for Cro Cop. He grew up with posters of Cro Cop on his wall and considers him one of his heroes.  He considers this fight a childhood dream, and also made it clear he would like Cro Cop’s autograph.

  “UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin” takes place Saturday, June 12, at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and will air live on Pay-Per-View at the normal time of 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET.

  UFC 115 conference call (audio):

  ShareThis

  Source: Pro MMA Now

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• June 4, 2010

  Chuck Liddell Plans to KO Rich Franklin, Wants Tito Ortiz in Return From Surgery

  After nearly 14 months away from fighting and a series of camps designed to bring him back in pristine condition, legendary UFC star Chuck Liddell is set to return to the octagon at UFC 115 in Vancouver.
  
  Though Liddell (21-7) returned with the expectation of fighting Tito Ortiz at the conclusion of the currently airing season of The Ultimate Fighter, an injury knocked Ortiz out, leaving an opening filled by former middleweight champion Rich Franklin.
  
  In an interview with MMA Fighting, the 40-year-old Liddell spoke about the Ortiz fallout, facing Franklin, changing his lifestyle and whether his June 12 fight is a must-win affair.
  
  Mike Chiappetta: We've seen some pictures of you lately that your girlfriend posted on her Twitter page and you look to be in incredible shape. Is this the best physical shape you've been in in a long time?
  
  Chuck Liddell: It's the best shape I've been in for a while, yeah. I was sort of in shape since Dancing with the Stars, since I made that bet with Dana to get down in weight in September. In November, I started training camp to get ready to coach the show. I wanted to be in shape for the guys when I got there. I did kind of a mini-camp for seven weeks. I kept training and working out and went right back into camp after it ended. I made some changes and it's put me in the best shape I've been in in a long time.
  
  When's the last time you were in shape like this?
  It's been a while. I don't know for sure, but it's been a while. I'd say since back to the days when I had to be ready to fight any time. Back then a few years ago, you never knew if someone was going to fall out and you'd have to take a last-minute fight, so you always kind of stayed in shape.
  
  What are you weighing right now?
  About 216, 217.
  
  Is that weight-wise normally what you're at this close to a fight?
  I had been hoping to be 218 this week. I've been down under 220 for three weeks now. In the past, I got my weight up in the offseason and worked most of camp trying to get my weight down and get in shape. In training, I was doing everything I should do when I was there, but spent a little too much time putting on weight and not doing things I should have done when I wasn't training.
  
  What did you do differently diet or workout wise to get in this kind of shape?
  Quite a few things. The first thing was watching what I eat. Eating healthier the whole time. I cut my weight down and tried to keep it down for this. I started making a lot better choices with my meals and keeping my weight under control. I've been working a lot harder in the offseason, started doing fitness and resistance stuff.
  
  Did you do it with a fitness expert or nutritionist?
  I did it mostly on my own. My girlfriend helped me quite a bit. She likes eating healthy and eating clean, so that helped a lot. But it was really changing my lifestyle. I treated it like camp getting ready for The Ultimate Fighter, so I stopped drinking and got in shape to coach the guys. It was like a minicamp training them and then I went into my own camp, so it's sort of been like one long camp.
  
  Being in this shape has to give you a lot of confidence for the fight. It's one less thing to worry about.
  Yeah, I feel great. One of things is that I realize I didn't spend as much of my training camp just trying to get in shape; I spent it trying to get better at things and working on new things and getting my game to flow better. Working on my timing and concentrating on the things I need to be concentrating on instead of just getting in shape and getting through the workout.
  
  What does your body feel like overall after the time off?
  I think the time away was very good for me. Both mentally and physically I'm back into it. I spent a lot of the time off working out and lifting. I didn't hit mitts until December. We did some jiu-jitsu but I wasn't striking at all until December, so when I came back, it felt good. It made me hungry. I wanted to get back in there and learn more.
  
  Your old foe Rampage Jackson just came back from a 14-month layoff and he said he didn't want to think about ring rust beforehand but later said that he experienced it during his fight. Your layoff is also going to be 14 months from fight to fight. What are your thoughts on that?
  I'm not worried, and I'm not going to worry about it. My timing is on, my training is on, so I can't see that affecting me in the fight. I don't think it's going to make a difference. Like I said, being in shape the whole time, it's not like I'm cutting a bunch of weight. I didn't take a year off and get fat. I've been in shape for a long time. I didn't start my camp at 250. I started at 224.
  
  This fight was supposed to be you against Tito. He said on a recent episode of TUF that after his last fight, he was having headaches and numbness in his hands, etc. It seemed like he knew something was wrong even before taking the fight with you. Did you get that feeling while on the set with him?
  I knew he was going to back out. I knew it the first week we were there. I heard him say something like, 'I have to be 100 percent if I fight Chuck.' That just hit me wrong. I called Dana that day and said, 'It sounds like he's not going to fight me. What's going on?' Dana told me, 'He signed the bout agreement, so don't worry about it.'
  
  Then a week-and-a-half later, I was told, 'He may need to get neck surgery before he fights you.' This was like 1 1/2 weeks in. I said, 'What the hell is he doing here then? Why didn't he get checked before he did this?' I called Dana again, and again, he said, 'He signed the bout agreement, so don't worry.' And then he did exactly what I thought he was going to do. He was just trying to get on TV, get his Punishment clothing line out there, and then walk away.
  
  You guys were on the set together for five weeks. Did he give any outward indication of being hurt? Did he seem like he was in pain?
  I never saw him in pain, but I wasn't really around him enough to say. Luckily on the show I didn't have to deal too much with him. I'd see him for the fights and see him here or there, so I didn't have to see him that much.
  
  Tito's fought only three times since the start of 2007 and now he's facing more time away after serious surgery. Do you think he should retire?
  That's his decision, so whatever he wants to do. All I have to say about it is if he's going to come back to UFC, he owes me a fight. Dana shouldn't let him handpick his opponent. He should have to fight me.
  
  So you still want to fight him? At one point you weren't too excited about another fight with him.
  I got nothing to prove. I knocked him out twice, I'll knock him out again, but I just don't want him to screw me like that and do the show, get the advertising he wants and then walk away from it and then come back and still get a fight and get paid. If he's coming back, he should have to fight me. I put up with him for six weeks.
  
  Did Dana say that would be the case if and when Tito comes back?
  He hasn't said. I told him, and he said, 'I hear you.' He knows what I'm saying, but he didn't necessarily agree to it.
  
  Obviously, the possibility of fighting Tito gave you a lot of motivation and drive. You don't have any hatred for Rich Franklin, so is there any difficulty to continue to drive yourself the way you've been doing?
  For a couple days it throws you, because it's such a big change going from fighting someone I really want to hurt to someone I have a lot of respect for. I better be in shape and ready to go. You're not going to get away with stuff with this guy. It's not going to be good to show up out of shape. He's always in shape. It motivates me in a different way, but just as much if not more so just because of his abilities.
  
  You have continued to train with [American Top Team boxing trainer] Howard Davis for a while along with your usual trainer John Hackleman. Are we going to see you bringing a different boxing style to the cage?
  John brought him in for a reason. We're known for power, heavy punches. That's what we do. Howard is a stick-and-move kind of guy. Defense, don't get hit, get in, tie him up, get out. So I'm trying to add some of that to game. Work on my defense, move a little more. It's a good mix between what we do and what he does.
  
  You previously said you feel like facing Tito is sort of a tune-up fight for you. With the long break would that have been a better situation for you than fighting someone like Rich? Because it seems like you don't view Tito as much of a challenge as Rich is.
  I'm not worried about it. I'm in shape and ready to go. If Rich wants to push, I'll push him as far as he wants to go.
  
  What about the change in style? Rich is a southpaw and well-rounded. Tito is orthodox and is very reliant on his wrestling and ground game.
  I had plenty of time to adapt and prepare for Rich. It's not a factor.
  
  Do you think Rich will try to take you down?
  I don't expect it. I don't expect it to be part of his plan, but I'm planning on hitting him enough to want to take me down.
  
  On The Ultimate Fighter at one point this season, you said if you can't beat Tito you should retire. Do you feel the same about this fight? Is it do or die for you?
  This fight isn't that kind of fight. This guy is a quality opponent and a tough guy. I am planning to knock him out. But I don't have that kind of feeling towards it.
  
  You and Rich were champs at the same time a few years ago. I talked to Rich recently, and he mentioned that the possibility of fighting you was something he thought about. Did you ever think about facing Rich?
  No, I never really thought about it once he moved down to 185, but at 205 I thought it was a possibility, and now it's happening.
  
  What about after this fight? Are there any rematches you'd like before you retire, or is there one guy that's on your hit list?
  The Tito fight I'm not really worried about. I really don't care. It's just one that if he comes back, he should have to fight me. But I don't really care about facing Tito again after I've already beaten him twice. Rematches, though? I'd like to avenge all my losses if I could. But whatever is the next step moving towards a title shot, that's what I want. That's where I want to get.

  Source: MMA Fighting

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• 

  June 4, 2010

  The Ultimate Fighter 11 - "He Knew All Along"

  Chuck's dream of knocking out Tito for a third time has disappeared, and he reacts the only way he knows how.

   

  .TUF_embedded_video a .TUF_embedded_video a:hover

  TUF 1110: Exclusive - He Knew All Along

  UltimateFighter.com

  See More: TUF 11 • Chuck Liddell • John Hackleman • Kris McCray

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• 

  May 30, 2010

  Chuck Liddell is first MMA fighter to be honored at Madame Tussauds

  

  Sam Morris

  By Robin Leach (contact)

  Friday, May 28, 2010 | 9:33 a.m.

  

  Vic Bonadonna/MGM Grand

  SkySkrape, Chuck Liddell, Scott Epstein, Punkass and Jake Shields at the Tapout MAGIC after-party at the MGM Grand's Studio 54 on Feb. 17, 2010.

  

  Danny Mahoney/XS

  Chuck Liddell at XS in the Encore.

  UFC legend Chuck Liddell will be immortalized in wax this morning by Madame Tussauds Las Vegas at the UFC Fan Expo at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The 40-year-old athlete becomes the first MMA star to be inducted into the famed collection located at the front of The Venetian.

  Thousands of fans will watch as the 6-foot fighter with the most feared right hand in the sport is inducted into the museum. After the Fan Expo ends tomorrow, Chuck’s wax double will be moved to the museum and placed on display inside a UFC Octagon along with his UFC championship belt and trunks.

  Chuck will make an appearance July 1 to see his figure for the first time at a VIP party and statue unveiling ceremony at Madame Tussauds.

  Chuck began his martial arts career at age 12 and has become a superstar athlete famous for his seven-fight win streak in which he was pitted against popular MMA stars including Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz. He’s been a part of UFC for more than a decade, and his star power helped make it the fastest-growing sports organization.

  In addition to guest appearances on many TV shows including HBO’s Entourage and Season 9’s Dancing With the Stars, our hometown hero also has appeared on numerous magazine covers. Chuck was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last year in recognition of his status as one of MMA’s biggest stars.

  Since it opened a decade ago as one of the first locations outside London, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas has attracted nearly 5 million visitors. Chuck joins more than 100 figures each costing an average of $300,000 to create. Other recent debut figures in Las Vegas included Snoop Dogg, Kathy Griffin and President Obama.

  In other UFC weekend news, fight announcer Bruce Buffer and UFC fighters Kenny Florian, Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo, Joseph Benavidez and Junior Dos Santos dined last night at Tender Steakhouse in the Luxor.

  Signing autographs today at Mandalay Bay Convention Center for the Fan Fest will be Forest Griffin and 26 other MMA stars, while tomorrow, Randy Couture, Wanderlei Silva and Frank Mir are among the 30 fighters meeting with fans.

  After the match between Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans at UFC 114 tomorrow night at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Rashad will host his post-fight party at Tabu Ultra Lounge, and Forrest Griffin, Josh Koscheck and Cain Velasquez will host at Studio 54. Both nightspots are at MGM Grand.

  Source: Las Vegas Sun

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• May 27, 2010

  Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell Signature Paintball Marker Auction #3

  Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell's Limited Ice Series Signature paintball marker auction #3 on Ebay starting June 9th!

  Auction #  180512704898

  For more information go to www.fireandicepaintballemporium.com

   

  

   

  Source: Fire & Ice Paintball Emporium

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• May 21, 2010

  Chuck Liddell and Girlfriend Attend Maxim Hot 100 Party

  

  MMA legend Chuck Liddell and his girlfriend Heidi Northcott hit the red carpet for the 2010 Maxim Hot 100 Party held at L.A.’s Paramount Studios

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• May 15, 2010

  Exclusive: Chuck Liddell, a Jiu-Jitsu lover

  

  Chuck in a photo by Josh Hedges

  Chuck Liddell will face Rich Franklin at the June-12 UFC 115 show, and is one of the featured fighters in this month’s issue of Brazil’s NOCAUTE magazine. At 40 years of age, the “Iceman” shrugged off the retirement proposed by Dana White and, despite his being a striker from a kenpo background, he holds Jiu-Jitsu in high regard. Check out a bit of the conversation Chuck had with our correspondent Nalty Jr.

  “The one who mentioned retirement was Dana White. He’s the one who started all that talk. I just gave my body a rest. I’ve been fighting for so many I needed a break. But now the Iceman’s back,” says Liddell.

  The former UFC champion is better known for his knockouts. However, he has shown his appreciation for the gentle art and its representatives.

  “I while back I would train in the gi. I started Jiu-Jitsu in 1997 and every day I learn something new and try to get better,” says the purple belt.

  “I like striking but, if you don’t have good Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling, you won’t be a good striker. I liked Ronaldo Jacaré’s fight against Matt Lindland at Strikeforce. His Jiu-Jitsu is impressive. He’s the kind of fighter I like to watch,” he says in finishing.

  Source: GracieMag

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• May 15, 2010

  UFC and Fathom Announce UFC 115 To Be Shown in Theaters

   

  

   

  The UFC and NCM Fathom have announced that they will team up for a second live event broadcast. 

   

  UFC 115 in Vancouver, British Columbia will be shown live in more than 330 movie theaters nationwide. The sold-out UFC 115 event featuring a main event of Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin will be broadcast in HD on June 12 at 10pm ET/7pm PT.

   

  Tickets for the live event in Vancouver sold out in less than 30 minutes, setting a record for the fastest sell-out in UFC history.

   

  Fight fans can catch all the action in their local theaters by purchasing tickets at Fathom’s website and at presenting theater box offices.

   

  Visit the NCM Fathom website for a complete list of theater locations, prices, and to get tickets.

   

  In a statement from the UFC and Fathom released today, UFC president Dana White said, “Our fans have told us they were thrilled to have UFC 111 in movie theatres. They loved watching it with other fans and the whole experience of seeing UFC in hi-def on the big screen."

   

  He continued, "Now fans can see UFC 115 with Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin, plus Mirko Cro Cop vs. Pat Barry and Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann in theatres on Saturday, June 12 live from the sold-out GM Place in Vancouver."

   

  UFC and Fathom announced an agreement in February to present live UFC events on the big screen in high-definition throughout 2010 beginning with “UFC 111: St- Pierre vs. Hardy” which took place on March 27. 

   

  A survey of fans attending UFC 111 in theaters overwhelmingly felt seeing the event in theaters was a great experience and better than they had expected. Fans also indicated that the value was excellent compared to watching UFC 111 in other venues.

   

  With many Vancouver fight fans left ticket-less following the fast sell-out of UFC 115, this could be a great way to catch what is shaping up to be a great card from the leading MMA promotion.

   

  Lacking divisional importance, the main event should be a strong draw as both Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell still draw the crowds and deliver entertaining fights.

   

  Mirko Cro Cop vs. Pat Barry is an explosive heavyweight duel that shouldn’t last long and Paulo Thiago will be looking to cement his claim to the UFC welterweight title with a win over Martin Kampmann.

   

  Rounding off the main card, Gilbert Yvel and Ben Rothwell will be fighting to stay in the UFC as they are both coming off losses. Whilst Carlos Condit will be looking to regain his WEC form against Rory MacDonald.

   

  Fight fans should also set the PVR’s and recorders because Spike TV have announced that they will be broadcasting two preliminary fights from UFC 115. One of which will be a main card-worthy tilt between Tyson Griffin and Evan Dunham.

  Source: Bleacher Report

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• May 1, 2010

  UFC Undisputed 2010 playable demo download

  The UFC Undisputed 2010 playable demo for PSN and Xbox Live is now available! Visit the Undisputed Community for all the details on how you can be the first to receive a free code to download it! [Link to: http://community.ufcundisputed.com/]

   

  

   

  Source: UFC Undisputed 2010

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• April 30, 2010

  Chuck Liddell On Tito Ortiz's Withdrawal And Rich Franklin As An Opponent

  Former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion and MMA legend Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell was motivated, after four losses in five fights, to make his return to the Octagon against long-time rival Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz.

  The two were coaches opposite one another on the currently airing season of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show and during taping Ortiz did and said just enough to fire up Liddell and make the fight personal. So it was with unsurprised disappointment that Liddell met the news of Ortiz's withdrawal from the fight due to injury. "The Iceman" recently spoke with Men's Fitness about not fighting Ortiz and about his new replacement opponent, Rich Franklin.

  "I still really want to knock him out," Liddell said of Ortiz. "After the sh** he said on the show [The Ultimate Fighter] I really wanted to [fight]. He ran his mouth and now I get to say 'I told you so' to Dana [White, the UFC president]. I told Dana that he wouldn't fight me and that he was just going to use this to get on TV."

  As to whether or not a third bout between the two will ever again materialize, Liddell is indifferent.

  "I don't care," said Liddell. "Honestly. I mean I've already knocked him out twice. All I want is, if he decides to come back to the UFC, that he should have to fight me to get back in."

  With his new opponent, former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich "Ace" Franklin, likely offering a step up in competition from Ortiz, Liddell is taking his training seriously in hopes to beat Franklin and get back on track to recapture the Light-Heavyweight championship.

  "My training is ramping up, getting harder and harder," said Liddell. "I had to switch to southpaw though, because he's a southpaw."

  Liddell also offered some insight on adapting his training to a new opponent.

  "Other than the fact that Franklin's a southpaw, there's not much of a difference," said Liddell. "I've had to work on my all-round game because he's decent at everything. Him taking me down is not really a big threat, so if it goes to the ground it's because I decided it should, but he is a much better striker than Tito."

  Liddell and Franklin are both coming off of tough losses; Franklin against Vitor Belfort and Liddell against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Both of their last wins were close, hard fought decisions over MMA veteran Wanderlei Silva. This matchup is an even one, between two former champions who may have seen better days. Franklin is only five years younger than Liddell but "The Iceman" has truly showed his age in his last performances. In his quick knockout losses to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Rashad Evans and Mauricio Rua, Liddell looked to be loose with his technique and a step or two shy from keeping up with the younger men. This match against Franklin will prove once and for all if Liddell can shore up his weaknesses and evolve enough to compete with the current breed of MMA hyper-athletes.

  Source: FightLine.com

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• April 27, 2010

  UFC 115 Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin sells out faster than any event in the history of UFC

   

  The UFC 115 pay-per-event in Vancouver, featuring Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin , sold out in just thirty minutes, the fastest sellout in UFC history. Dana White thanked the fans on his Twitter page. "Vancouver sold out in 30 mins!!!! Thank you Vancouver we worked hard on getting it ...

  Source:

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• April 27, 2010

  Chuck Liddell Criticizes Both Silva and Maia for Their UFC 112 Performances, Talks Retirement

   

  Chuck Liddell will be a guest on Monday's edition of The Daily Line (6 PM ET). Here is a little taste of what "The Iceman" had to say on the show.
  
  Above, Liddell talked about Anderson Silva's performance at UFC 112. Interestingly enough, Liddell criticized both Silva and Demian Maia for their performances at UFC 112.
  
  Below, Liddell talks about why he has no interest in retiring just yet.

   

  Source: Versus

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• April 25, 2010

  Chuck Liddell and Rich Franklin talk about their UFC Light Heavyweight title runs:

  

   

  Chuck Liddell - "I want to make another run at the title," said Liddell. "I'm guessing it will take another couple fights, I'm going to have to beat a couple more guys, and then hopefully a title shot after that."

  Rich Franklin - "The UFC has repeatedly told me that they aren't interested in seeing me fight at 185 any more. Because of that, I moved up to 205. It all comes down to the fact that they didn't want to do a Franklin-Silva III," said Franklin. ..."Ultimately I would be stuck fighting in that weight class without ever being able to fight for a title again, which would make no sense since that is the whole reason we do this and the goal we work towards as fighters."

  Source: Bloody Elbow

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• April 25, 2010

   

  Working Out with Chuck Liddell, DeMarcus Ware and Jerricho Cotchery

  By Dean Stattmann
  

  
  On Wednesday, April 14 I headed up to the Reebok Sports Club/NY in Manhattan to attend a Reebok media event for the brand's latest shoe - the ZigTech. UFC light heavyweight hall-of-famer Chuck Liddell was in attendance, along with Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware and New York Jets wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery. The plan was that I - along with the rest of the sporting/fitness media in tow - would participate in a workout custom-designed by these athletes. Naturally, I jumped on the opportunity.
  
  When I arrived at the club, I was given a key with a number on it and directed to the locker room. After finding the locker with my number on it, I opened it up to find - amongst other goodies - shorts, a T-shirt and a brand new pair of Zigs. Sweet.
  
  I geared up and made my way to the elevator that would take me to the indoor basketball court on the sixth floor. Now, the thought of working out on its own gets me amped, so you can imagine how I felt being seconds away from training with one of the greatest fighters in the world (UFC > NFL, sorry).
  
  
  I entered the gym to find DeMarcus - and special guest, actor Liam Hemsworth - shooting hoops as the last of the media folk trickled in. After shooting around for about 15 minutes (including an impressive three-pointer by the Iceman), followed by a group warm-up with resistance bands, tri-state area trainer David Jack brought the crowd in and laid down the plan. Three athletes (plus Liam). Four stations. Thirty seconds each. Two rotations.
   
  I have to admit, I was expecting the workout to last slightly longer than four minutes - okay, a lot longer than four minutes - but approached the circuit with maximum drive anyway. Seriously, I love working out.
  
  My group began at Jerricho's station, where we worked on agility. Standing side by side - arm's length apart - my team sprinted forward, right, back and left in randomized, explosive bursts, keeping all eyes on the wide receiver for hints of the next move. This is a great drill for a position that requires you to change direction on a dime and I wish I could have spent more time doing it, but almost right away we were off to the next station.
  
  Next up was Chuck, and now realizing what 30 seconds felt like, I wasted no time getting to the other side of the gym. This station, adapted from the fighter's own regimen, consisted of shadowboxing with intermittent high knees and ground sprawls. We didn't receive any direction in terms of how to throw a proper punch or how to deliver a knee with good form, which admittedly took away slightly from the exercise, but by this point it was clear that we weren't here to sweat. Nonetheless, as brief as it was, this was my first taste of MMA training and it definitely made me want more.
  
  
  When our thirty seconds were up, we moved on to Liam's corner of the gym for the "endurance" part of the circuit. This was basically a fast-paced mini-circuit of push-ups, mountain climbers and burpees. A big fan of all of the above, I blazed through the movements and got ready for the last station with DeMarcus.
  
  Using a typical football three-point stance as the starting position for this exercise, we practiced lunging forward from a dead stop, trying to improve quickness with every rep. We did this a couple times on each leg until our time was up and it was time to return to the first station for another round. Rinse. Repeat.
  
  Overall, while it wasn't the most taxing workout, it was a great opportunity to meet the athletes and discuss the ins and outs of their respective training regimens. It always amazes me how hard these guys train and getting a chance to see them in action was a privilege. And as for the Zigtechs, well, I'm not sure I've ever worn a more comfortable (or colorful) athletic shoe in my life. It's not a lifting shoe; there's far too much "springiness" in the base. But for running, cross-training and pretty much anything else that isn't compromised by shock-absorbent footwear, the Zigs are where it's at.
  
  Click here to check out my post-workout interview with Chuck Liddell, where he talks about The Ultimate Fighter, UFC115 and his greatest moment in the Octagon.

  

  
  

  Source: Men's Fitness

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• April 23, 2010

  Chuck Liddell

  The Iceman on his diet, reality TV, and upcoming fight

  by Dean Stattmann

  From appearing in TV shows and movies to taking on some of the toughest badasses in the UFC, there's not much that legendary fighter Chuck Liddell can't handle. It's no wonder tickets

  

  for his upcoming UFC 115 event with Rich Franklin sold out in a record-setting 30 minutes after going on sale.

  Fortunately, Men's Fitness was able to catch up with The Iceman recently at the Reebok Sports Club in New York City to get his thoughts on The Ultimate Fighter

  

  , UFC 115 and his best moment in the Octagon.

  

  You've been spending a lot of time in New York promoting for UFC and now helping Reebok demo their latest shoe. Do you like spending time in the city?
  I love it. I always have a good time out here. My grandpa is from Brooklyn and my grandma is from Syracuse so I used to come down here quite a bit.

  You're coaching a team on this season of Spike's hit show The Ultimate Fighter. Are you guys still filming?
  No, it's all done except for the finale. It was cool. I'm not a big fan of reality shows but I liked working with the guys. It taught me a lot about teaching. We're working with guys that are already pretty good at what they do, so if they don't understand what to do then I'm not teaching them right. It also taught me a lot about what I do. It reminds you of the way you fight. You have to learn your own details before you can teach them. And especially at this level, with these types of guys, that's what you need to teach them. They know most of the basic moves, but you need to teach them the details. The details are what make a difference. To teach the details you have to pay attention to what you're doing. I used to have that problem with a couple of moves I used to do, so it's a good learning process, for them and for me.

  You're getting ready to fight Rich Franklin in UFC 115. What are you doing to prepare?
  It's everything. My training is ramping up, getting harder and harder, but I've been in shape for a while so now we're picking it up. I had to switch to southpaw though, because he's a southpaw.

  You were supposed to fight Tito Ortiz, but now obviously that's not happening. Have you had to adapt your training for the new card?
  There's not much of a difference other than the fact that he's a southpaw. I've got to get ready because he's good everywhere. He's decent at everything. But he's not really a big threat to take me down, so if it goes to the ground it's because I decided it should. But he is a much better striker than Tito.

  A lot of people are upset that you won't be fighting Tito. How do you feel?
  I called it. After the shit he said on the show I really wanted to [fight]. I still really want to knock him out. It is what it is. He ran his mouth and now I get to say 'I told you so' to Dana. I told him that he wouldn't fight me and that he was just going to use this to get on TV.

  Do you still hope to fight him one day?
  I don't care. Honestly. I mean I've already knocked him out twice. All I want though is, if he decides to come back to the UFC, he should have to fight me to get back in. If he wants to fight in the UFC he has to get past me first. Just call me and let me take care of it.

  A lot of people are interested now in getting into MMA, but it's such a mixed medium that it can be hard to find a starting point. What's your advice for starting up?
  You can actually find a lot of gyms that do teach mixed martial arts. But it's just like with any martial art — you've got to look at the coaches, go watch some classes, see how people treat each other and how the coaches treat the students. Pay attention to the details.

  What's your diet like right now?
  I eat a balanced diet. I actually have a guy who cooks for me at home. It's 40/30/30 — so 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat. It's healthy. It's clean. It's real simple. When I'm training at home I have five meals for the day that I just heat up. It's all planned and that's what I eat. There are enough calories in there for me for the day, and each week as my weight goes up and down we'll add or lose calories.

  Lastly, what is your best memory from inside the Octagon?
  You know, it's hard to say. I've had a lot of good ones and I've had a lot of bad ones. Any time I've lost has been devastating to me, but the best would probably have to be when I beat Randy for the first time. I had already lost to him and I came back with a first round knockout for the title. It was the biggest Pay Per View that the UFC had had at the time by far and it was just a big day for me. That was my best moment inside the Octagon.

  Chuck Liddell takes on Rich Franklin in UFC 115 on June 12, 2010, at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

  Source: Men's Fitness

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• April 22, 2010

  Introducing the Chuck Liddell "Iceman" Victory

  Chuck's opening a sporting goods store to be operated by his family, he wanted some signature Victories to be included with his personal product line that will featured in the stores grand opening.

  

   

   

  Source: Pain4Glory.com

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• April 21, 2010

  Chuck Liddell Signature Series Paintball Gun - "Victory"

   

  Chuck Liddell and Zach Long showing off one of the rare (only 25 made). Chuck Liddell Victory markers.

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• 

  April 16, 2010

  Chuck Liddell to open sports store

   

  

  Fans of mixed martial arts champion Chuck Liddell can now browse lines of sports supplements and mixed martial arts clothing in what he has dubbed a “fan headquarters” in San Luis Obispo.

  Called Ultimate Iceman, the store will display memorabilia signed by the former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, as well as awards such as trophies and the gold-plated “mantlers” he received for being named Most Dangerous Man at the Spike TV 2007 Guy’s Choice Awards.

  Liddell, who owns the store, will attend the grand opening at 588 California Blvd. at noon Saturday to sign autographs for the first 100 fans.

  Store manager Natalie Poor said that Liddell will make appearances at the store whenever possible but noted that during the past few years, he has been busy with activities such as training for the ABC TV competition show “Dancing with the Stars” and now for a fight against Rich Franklin in the June Ultimate Fighting Championship main event in Vancouver.

  In his absence, Liddell has relied on his sister Laurelai Wallis of Los Alamos and brother Dan Liddell of San Luis Obispo to organize the business, marketing and sales of his sports supplements, which he designed and debuted in 2009 with local retailer MG Sports Supplements.

  The siblings have been instrumental in opening the store, Poor said.

  “He likes to work closely with people who have his best interests in mind,” she added.

  The location, which has a retail area of about 300 square feet, will have fewer than five employees.

  Liddell, 40, lives in San Luis Obispo and is a member of the UFC and Cal Poly halls of fame. He wrestled at Cal Poly from 1988 to 1993.

  Source: SanLuisEpispo.com

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• April 15, 2010

  Chuck Liddell Says 'He's In The Best Shape Of His Life'

  

  Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell looks to rebound from his second round TKO loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua nearly a year ago when he faces former UFC middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin in the main event of UFC 115 on Saturday, June 12, 2010.

  "These are two UFC legends, and they give everything they have in every second of a fight," said UFC President Dana White. "Both of these guys are looking to get back to the top of the light heavyweight division. Liddell and Franklin at 205 pounds is going to be a war, and I can't wait to do our first UFC event ever in Vancouver."

  One of the most popular fighters in UFC history, Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell has faced the best and beaten the best. With 10 knockouts in the UFC, and seven consecutive at one point, Liddell is considered one of the greatest strikers in UFC history. With wins over Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort, he is looking to once again reach the pinnacle of the light heavyweight division.

  "I'm ready for this fight, I'm in the best shape of my life, and I can't wait to get back in the Octagon," said Liddell. "I can't tell the fans what happens in the Ultimate Fighter 11, you have to watch the show, but I'll tell you how this is gonna end, I'm knocking Rich out."

  UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin takes place on June 12, 2010 from General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

  Source: FightLine.com

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• April 15, 2010

  "Ultimate Iceman" Store Grand Opening Set For April 17

  Chuck Liddell’s recently announced match up with Rich Franklin is just short of two months away. But for the fans unable to check out the former UFC light heavyweight champion in Vancouver this summer, on April 17, Liddell will be meeting up with fans for the grand opening of his store “Ultimate Iceman”.

  This coming Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. the public will be able to check out Liddell’s new store and sample Liddell’s newest supplements, along with the ability to enter a contest to win his next fight shorts.

  However, the first 100 people get the real treat, as Liddell, along with The Pit Fight Team and TapouT Crew, will be signing autographs for the early arrivals.

  The address for the grand opening is 588 California Blvd. in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Join Liddell and company for a day of give-away’s and autographs, as he opens up the “Ultimate Iceman” store to the public and all of his West Coast fans.

  

  Source: Heavy.com

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• 

  April 14, 2010

  Exciting interview: UFC's Chuck Liddell talks Reebok ZigTech, his MMA future and the Apple iPad. Yes

  

  I had myself a bit of a field trip yesterday, going over to Reebok’s fancy gym on Columbus Avenue in New York to try out their new ZigTech shoes. The name alone implies, well, tech, which would explain my presence there. Bonus: I got to interview former UFC light heavyweight Chuck Liddell. Truly an awesome day.

  Let’s talk a little about the shoes first: you cannot eat them. I know they look absolutely delicious, but I have confirmed that they are not, in fact, edible. Sorry.

  Their raison d’être is that zigzag line you see alongside the bottom. The idea is to transfer the energy that would otherwise be lost as you place your heel onto the ground toward the front of your foot, giving you, quite literally, an extra spring in your step. I have been waiting some 30 hours to write that last sentence.

  Reebok had us do some light exercise drills to get a “feel” for the shoes, and I didn’t injure myself or any of my colleagues in the process, so that’s a plus. I’m not exactly a “shoe expert” or anything, but they didn’t feel heavy or awkwardly weighted or anything like that. Presumably with additional training I’ll be able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound!

  The shoes are available now for around $100, which is about the average price you can expect to pay for these type of shoes.

  Most importantly, I did, in fact, get to interview Chuck Liddell at the event. It was pretty amazing, and I’m very happy that I finally got to see the mohawk in person.

  Without further ado…

  CrunchGear: What do you make of the new Reebok ZigTechs? Have you been using them for a while? They seemed pretty cool for the hour we used them this morning.

  Chuck Liddell: I’ve been using them for a while, yeah. They’re really cool. I have a bunch of shoes, actually. My girl was making fun of me because of how many shoes I have. I really like ‘em. They’re comfortable, they seem to be working, seem to be helping me move.

  

  CG: Do you use a lot of hi-tech items in your training, or are you more a back-to-basics kind of guy?

  Liddell: Define hi-tech.

  CG: I don’t know. It’s like, you watch TV late at night and there’s so many fancy devices and gizmos out there that promise to make you Superman overnight or whatever…

  Liddell: We do a lot of old school stuff. Old school, new school… I mean, it depends on how you want to see it. For us, we’re trying to emphasize the explosive, explosive power over time, you know? I don’t care how much I can lift in one shot. I want to be able to pop, to be able to knock a guy out in less than five minutes. When he [the opponent] catches one of them, I want it to be able to put him to sleep. It’s a different kind of thing.

  CG: We’re a tech site, so I guess I have to ask a couple of tech questions…

  Liddell: Tech? Well I’m probably not gonna be too helpful there…

  CG: Do you have an iPhone? That’s pretty much the extent of it as far as I’m concerned.

  Lidell: I have an iPad.

  CG: Oh, do you?! Really? Do you like it?

  Liddell: Yeah, actually, we’ve been using it quite a bit. ["We'' refers to Chuck and his girlfriend, who was sitting next to him. You'll recall that they were in that Reebook viral video exercising in the nude.] We have it up here somewhere.

  CG [to his girlfriend, who's now jumped into the conversation]: Oh, really? I just asked him if he has an iPhone or an iPad, and he’s the first person I’ve met that actually has an iPad. So it’s weird, not exactly the first person you’d expect to have one.

  Liddell’s girlfriend: Yeah, we have it…

  CG: What’s your favorite App? Do you guys watch Netflix or whatever on it?

  Liddell’s girlfriend: Yeah, we just did! [laughs]

  Liddell: Hey, you’re pretty good! [laughs]

  CG: Wow, OK.

  Liddell’s girlfriend: Oh, my gosh!

  OK, let’s stop the interview for a second to explain what just happened here. As we were all laughing at the absurdity of me guessing exactly how they use the iPad, the little table we were sitting at collapsed. Yes, collapsed, like a house made of hay. Hence Liddell’s girlfriend gasping “Oh, my gosh!” Luckily I was able to catch the table before it fell all the way to the ground, thus preventing a terrible tragedy. Here’s the audio of that part, simply for the lulz…

  Audio: I think the table’s broken…

  About a minute or two goes by while the table is fixed. I am a hero; clearly I should try out for The Ultimate Fighter next year.

  CG: Wow, so you have an iPad, that’s amazing. Did you wait in line for it or do you have connections somewhere?

  Liddell: I had a friend pick it up.

  CG: Oh, I see. OK, well… I see you’re on the Twitter. Is that really you on there, or is it a manager or publicist or whatever?

  Liddell: Yup, that’s me.

  CG: OK, so fans can be all, “Hey, what’s up?” and that’s you on the other end of the line.

  Liddell: I answer a lot of questions on there, but sometimes they’re pretty dumb. They’ll ask real personal questions, you know, like, “Hey, where do your kids go to school?”

  CG: What a horrible question…

  Liddell: Yeah, you know? Or, “What happened to that girl you dated from Bakersfield?” Do I really want to cover that in public? No.

  CG: Right. I did see a bunch of people asking you about Tito and your thoughts…

  Liddell: Yeah, I’ll send that back. That’s what the fans want. Usually I like to retweet—when people talk shit about me I’ll retweet that. It’s fun to watch the responses, people come up with pretty creative responses.

  CG: Well, people are real brave on Twitter.

  Liddell: On Facebook I had a guy bugging me, bugging my daughter. It’s like, are you serious? He kept saying stuff about wanting to fight me. Talk all the shit you want, tough guy. But, come on…

  CG: Do you still have people, when you go out to bars and whatnot, do you still have people saying dumb stuff like, “Oh, I bet I can take you, just give me five minutes…”

  Liddell: No, no. I’m pretty easy-going anyway, so you’d have to be a pretty huge dick to bother me. Most guys who would do that tend to be friends of mine, so I don’t know what that says about me. I mean, I worked at bars for a long time, so I’m pretty good at diffusing situations before they become a problem, you know? I know exactly what to say to escalate something, but I know exactly what to say to get rid of something.

  CG: So your fight now is with Rich Franklin on June 12 at UFC 115 in Vancouver. Did training camp for that start, and when?

  Liddell: It has. It began…

  Liddell’s girlfriend: April 1st.

  Liddell: Yeah, April 1st is when I actually started camp, but I had a kind of mini-camp when we were filming the show [The Ultimate Fighter season 11].

  CG: And that was taped a few months ago, right?

  Liddell: Right. We taped that beginning in January and finished up in early March. Then I took a couple of weeks where it was just regular workouts, just to sorta relax a little bit, sorta cool off a little bit. But I’m back in right now. I’m 219 pounds right now, and my goal was 220 by May 1st, so I’m doing good. So I’ve been in shape for a while.

  CG: What’s your typical training day? Do you get up for a light jog, or…

  Liddell: It depends on the day. Sundays are my day off. Mondays I usually wake up, get a good stretch in, get some sprints in. Then I go work out, then I come back and wrestle. Tuesday I usually go and spar, then at night I’ll wrestle. Wednesdays it’s light, like a hike or yoga whatever just to get my body moving. Thursdays I’m back in. Friday it’s a swim then two workouts.

  CG: So an all-day thing. Now, has anything changed that you’re fighting Rich Franklin and not Tito Ortiz?

  Liddell: Well, he’s a southpaw, so that changes some things. I do a lot of strategy, so… training partners, sparring, it gets tweaked a little. But it’s a similar fight for me because I’m gonna make him strike with me. He doesn’t have the take-downs to take me down. He’s a better striker than Tito.

  CG: What do you make of what Anderson Silva did the other day? A lot of people online were saying, you know, “Oh, he’s this-and-that.” I mean, I’m not a professional fighter, so I’m really not comfortable criticizing someone like Anderson Silva.

  Liddell: You know, if he [Silva] was going to clown him [Demian Maia], I would have preferred he try to fight him for three rounds then clown him for the last two, not clown him from the get-go. If you want to clown him for a little bit in the beginning because you felt he disrespected you, fine, but then go and knock him out. But it’s a hard match-up, those guys were trying not to get knocked out. But still, you can’t clown and then run out of gas. I would have liked to see him go after him for two or three rounds, and if he wasn’t out by then then try to clown him. But I don’t know, I don’t know what happened.

  CG: It was weird, I guess is the best word to describe it. I guess the last question is, how long do you see yourself fighting in the UFC? Are you gonna keep fighting till [UFC President] Dana White sits you down and says, “Look, stop.” [White had tried to get Liddell to retire last year.]

  Liddell: I’m going to keep going till I feel like I’m ready to stop. I still love what I do, I can still beat anybody in the world.

  CG: If Dana says “Alright, you’re done,” would you ever consider fighting outside of the UFC, or is that your home?

  Liddell: That is my home. We’ll argue back and forth. But at this point, I’m out to show him that I’m back, I’m re-dedicated. I took some time off, I got the fire back and I’m training hard. He’ll see, he’ll see me fight. It’s a fight-by-fight thing for him. But he’ll see, so long as I’m ready to go and I’m healthy he’ll let me go. I think he’s pretty excited to see me back training.

  CG: OK, well they’re telling me to get out of here so thanks for your time.

  Liddell: Yup, take care.

  Source: Crunch Gear

  Read More

• April 13, 2010

  Dana White, Chuck Liddell And Rich Franklin Discuss UFC 115

  

  Yesterday UFC 115’s fight card was officially announced, revealing that Chuck Liddell will now face Rich Franklin in the headline bout of the evening.

  Today tickets went on sale for the event in Vancouver, and Dana White revealed on his twitter account that they sold out in just 30 minutes. If that is accurate then it makes this the fastest selling UFC event of all time and it’s a just reward for the UFC’s persistence in pushing to be granted a license to hold an event in Vancouver.

  Speaking on the UFC’s website White explained why he had been denying rumors of the Liddell – Franklin fight up until the announcement yesterday.

  “Fans and media have been asking me for weeks what is happening on The Ultimate Fighter Season 11, saying things like ‘is Tito off the show, is Chuck fighting Rich.’ Today, I’m officially announcing that Chuck Liddell will fight Rich Franklin at UFC 115. I wish I could tell you why, but everyone’s just going to have to watch The Ultimate Fighter Season 11 on Spike TV.

  “What I can say is that these are two UFC legends, and they give everything they have in every second of a fight. Both of these guys are looking to get back to the top of the light heavyweight division. Liddell and Franklin at 205 pounds is going to be a war, and I can’t wait to do our first UFC event ever in Vancouver,”

  Both of the main event fighters also discussed their feelings on the upcoming bout, and UFC legend Liddell was confident this was a fight that he is going to win.

  “I’m ready for this fight, I’m in the best shape of my life, and I can’t wait to get back in the Octagon. I can’t tell the fans what happens in the Ultimate Fighter 11, you have to watch the show, but I’ll tell you how this is gonna end, I’m knocking Rich out.”

  Franklin is no stranger to big fights himself however, having ffaced Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort in his last three visits to the octagon, and after an extended break he is looking forward to making his debut at 205lbs.

  “Chuck is a gamer. He is a professional – take Randy for example. He and Randy are friends, but he didn’t have a problem fighting Randy and punching him in the head, so he sure won’t have a problem punching me in the head. I’m excited about fighting Chuck, I’m going to give everything I have, and I look forward to giving fans a great fight in Vancouver.”

  Liddell Vs Franklin is an interesting match-up. Liddell undoubtedly has the punching power advantage, but Franklin is the more well rounded, technical fighter.

  While the UFC may still be smarting over Anderson Silva’s performance this past weekend, both Liddell and Franklin have proven their fighting spirit time after time in the octagon so they will have no such concerns on June 12th in front of a packed crowd for their visit to Vancouver, Canada.

  Source: Fight of the Night

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• April 13, 2010

  Official: Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin at UFC 115

  

  Reports, rumors and denials have been swirling around the main event of UFC 115 for months. Was Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin the main event as the media reported (including us), or was it Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz as UFC President White insisted, refuting reports of Liddell-Franklin just hours after surfacing?
  
  Well, the UFC has apparently had enough of protecting The Ultimate Fighter 11 television show. The Liddell-Ortiz saga will not reach a trilogy -- at least until later in the year -- as the promotion announced Monday through UFC.com that Liddell will indeed fight Franklin on June 12 in Vancouver, Canada.
  
  Just last week, White told Joe Ferraro of Sportsnet's MMA Connected that "the definite main event is Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell. That is definitely the main event."
  
  Of course, if the UFC had revealed Liddell-Franklin sooner, it would indicate an obvious change in the direction of the taped show. But with a main event as a prerequisite to begin selling tickets, the UFC has apparently been forced to reveal the matchup.
  
  The UFC also confirmed the rest of the UFC 115 card.
  
  Pay-Per-View Bouts
  Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin
  Mirko "Cro Cop" vs. Pat Barry
  Paulo Thiago vs. Martin Kampmann
  Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald
  Tyson Griffin vs. Evan Dunham
  
  Preliminary Bouts
  Mac Danzig vs. Matt Wiman
  Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel
  James Wilks vs. Peter Sobotta
  Ricardo Funch vs. Claude Patrick
  Mike Pyle vs. Jesse Lennox

  Source: MMA Fighting

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• 

  April 9, 2010

  UFC Legend Chuck Liddell to be Immortalized in Wax at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas May 29

   

   

  
  Celebrity athlete and UFC sports legend Chuck Liddell will be immortalized in wax May 29 at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas. 

  The 40 year-old athlete will be the first mixed martial arts athlete to be inducted into the famed collection, located in front of the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.

  The Liddell figure will be officially unveiled Friday, May 28 at 10:30am PT in front of thousands of fans gathered at the UFC Fan Expo (ufcfanexpo.com) taking place May 28-29 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The Liddell figure will then be moved to Madame Tussauds Las Vegas and placed on display inside a UFC Octagon, along with Liddell’s trunks and UFC championship belt.

  Since taking up martial arts at the age of 12, Liddell has transformed himself into a superstar athlete.

  He’s famous for his seven fight win streak in which he was pitted against Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz, among other popular UFC stars.

  Liddell has been a part of UFC for over a decade and his star power has helped make it the world’s fastest growing sports organization.

  Along the way, Liddell has appeared on numerous magazine covers including ESPN Magazine and has also made guest appearances on HBO’s “Entourage.”

  In 2009, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in recognition of his status as MMA’s biggest star and the 6-foot plus athlete is said to have the most feared right hand in the sport.

  Since it opened a decade ago, as one of the first locations outside of London, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas has entertained nearly five million visitors and in recent years has scored record attendance, including number of visitors to date in 2009.

  Over 100 world-famous figures, each costing an average of $300,000 to create, are featured at the attraction at one time, in various themed areas, and to keep the offerings “fresh” the attraction’s designers regularly spotlight new and exciting exhibits, such as the latest additions of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears wax figures, which made their debuts at other Madame Tussauds worldwide locations but are brand new to the Las Vegas attraction.

  Among its recent debut figures in Las Vegas were Snoop Dogg, Kathy Griffin and Pres. Barack Obama and the “Oval Office Experience.”

  Source: Vegas News

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• 

  April 2, 2010

  Ultimate Fighter Chuck Liddell Talks Octagon

  Spike TV's Ultimate Fighter reality show, where mixed martial arts fighters live together in a house and compete in the octagon, is starting its 11th season. Coach Chuck Liddell talks about the show and how the sport is evolving.

  Source: Time.com

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• 

  April 1, 2010

  Chuck Liddell's Last Stand

   

  

  We like to imagine storybook endings. For aging athletes, men in the liminal years just past their primes, it's that they can muster enough courage for one last charge up Mount Glory before heading off to pasture. Usually, though, reality intercedes. (They can't all go out on top.) Then again, they're not all Chuck Liddell, who, not so long ago, held the unofficial title of World's Most Intimidating Human as well as the UFC's very official light heavyweight championship. He's a thick box of a man, in all his Mohawk-ed and trucker-stached splendor, but he's lost four of his last five bouts. And if you were to believe UFC President Dana White, Liddell was to retire last April, following his latest defeat.

  Now, at 40, Liddell is preparing for his UFC swan song, beginning with his stint as coach on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which premiered last night on Spike. In June, Liddell will take on his coaching counterpart, Tito Ortiz, about whom Liddell has made no secret of his desire to badly hurt. Ortiz's latest affront? Telling reporters that Liddell was a recovering alcoholic and that White had held an intervention for him, inspiring many a Good Morning Texas flashback.

  Earlier this week we caught up with Liddell at Blue Seats, a sports bar on the Lower East Side. As we talked, he appeared languid, slumping in a booth, until we hit on the topic of Jets coach Rex Ryan—specifically the hullabaloo surrounding his middle finger. "That's just such bullshit," he said. "The media is looking to blow things out of proportion. It's like this thing Tito said [about me], which everyone then printed. They didn't even talk to me." And we were off.

  GQ: Why do you think Tito would say what he did?
  Chuck Liddell: Oh, he overheard me and Dana talking about how I wasn't drinking before the show—but I always stop drinking before fights. It was six weeks at one time, then it was eight weeks, and then I decided to stretch it out more and more because I needed more time to get ready.

  GQ: And you've always been pretty honest about the fact that when you drink you like to have a good time.
  Liddell: Oh yeah.

  GQ: Do you think he was playing off that perception of you as a drinker?
  Liddell: He was going on this conversation he overheard me and Dana having—the fact that I wasn't drinking. Dana never tried to tell me what to do. Outside of fighting, he's never tried to tell me how to live my life.

  GQ: There's been some speculation that Tito bailed on the show midway through the taping and won't be fighting you in June.
  Liddell: As far as I know, we're fighting. I mean, I don't like the guy, that's why I fought for him not to be on the show in the first place. I didn't want to be with him for that long, and I don't like being in a position where something is out of my control. I just want to beat him so bad, at everything.

  GQ: Would you be disappointed to fight [rumored replacement] Rich Franklin?
  Liddell: I'd be disappointed fighting anyone but Tito at this point. I'll have been training for six months when this fight happens in June. I'm going to be in phenomenal shape.

  GQ: After your last fight, Dana came out and announced your retirement for you. What were you thinking when you heard that?
  Liddell: I didn't think too much about it. I did take some time off but I told him I'm not quitting. I'm not done. I can still do it. I can beat anyone in the world at my weight. It's not like I'm going out getting my ass kicked for three rounds. Like, in the Rashad fight, I was winning the fight. I got caught. It happens. I call it tipping the chin. Is it a mistake? Did I make a mistake? Yeah. But was it me being done? The only change I see now is that I went from "I can't be beaten" to "I can beat anyone out there."

  GQ: You took about a year off after your last fight. Are you telling me you didn't even consider putting your accounting degree to use?
  Liddell: I'm gonna need something when I'm done, I figured that out. I need something to focus on; something like Dancing with the Stars was good for me. I may try to learn to be an actor.

  GQ: What are some of the other ways you've changed your training regimen as you've gotten older, besides getting naked?
  Liddell: That one was a fun one. I can't say it was the first time I've been running around the weight room naked. The main thing is I'm using my time off to stay in shape now. I'm not letting myself go as much as I used to.

  GQ: To a certain extent you've become the iconic athlete of UFC, like Jordan for the NBA or Gretzky for the NHL. At what point do you keep fighting at the risk of tarnishing your legacy?
  Liddell: I'm not worried about tarnishing my legacy. That's something other people talk to me about but that's something I'll worry about when I'm done—when I feel like I go out there and I can't compete with these guys. If I go out there and someone hands me my ass, one of these guys I think I should beat, then I guess, maybe, I'll have to say, Hey, you got me, see you later. I'll be more than happy to leave. But right now it's not like that. It just isn't. I still love doing it. I still love training. I still love this life, so I'm not ready to give it up.

  GQ: For an athlete, a fighter especially, you can never go into a fight thinking about physical damage or admitting to any element of fear, but does there become a point when you think, health-wise, you're doing damage to yourself?
  Liddell: I don't think that enters into it for me. I don't worry about it. If you're worried about getting hurt you should quit. Because if you're out there worried about getting hurt, you're gonna.

  GQ: That's a true fighter's mentality.
  Liddell: I agree.

  GQ: So, after six months of no booze, what's going to be your celebration drink after you beat Tito?
  Liddell: Starbucks, probably. We'll figure out my celebration drink after I get my title.

  GQ: How far off is that?
  Liddell: I think it's going to take me two fights to get a contender fight and then a title fight—about two years. And that's fine by me.

  GQ: And when you get the title, is that it, you're out?
  Liddell: We'll see how I feel. I would like to go out on top, but there's going to be the question of whether I should defend it one more time. And if I do that it'll probably be a retirement fight. I don't want to stretch it too far. It's been a good run already.

  GQ: What's the plan for Chuck Liddell after you fight your last fight, whenever that is?
  Liddell: I've got offers for plenty of stuff to do. Like I said, I'm interested in the acting thing so we'll see what happens with that. Dana has talked to me about being an ambassador, maybe even having a job with UFC. I can do a lot of things. But I don't think becoming an accountant is going to happen.

  GQ: You know you're wasting your degree.
  Liddell: I'd rather go back to construction.

  — Rafi Kohan

  Source: GQ.com

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• April 1, 2010

  94WYSP Chuck Liddell Interview with Danny Bonaduce

   

  UFC Legend Chuck Liddell was on the show this morning to discuss the newest season of The Ultimate Fighter.

  Click MORE to hear Chuck’s Interview

   

   

   

  Source: 94WYSP

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• 

  April 1, 2010

  FINALLY!!! UFC 115 Made Official for Vancouver on June 12th

  After weeks of speculation and a ton of red tape, the UFC has officially announced that UFC 115 will indeed go down inside the GM Place in Vancouver, Canada.

  “Our Canadian fans are among the most loyal and enthusiastic in the world, and we are thrilled to bring the UFC to Vancouver,” company president Dana White said in a press release.

  After the UFC set a Wednesday night deadline, Mirko Miadenovic, the Vancouver Athletic Commission chairman, told Sirius XM’s “The Fight Show” that the counsel held a three-hour meeting on Tuesday night to revise the package it was offered by the UFC, specifically with its procedures for regulating a mixed marital arts event.

  One thing that was left off the UFC’s announcement was the main event for the card, which is expected to feature the trilogy between former light heavyweight champs Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz.

  White, Liddell and Ortiz have all said the bout is still on, however there is chatter that Ortiz has been forced out for some reason.

  Here’s how a rumored UFC 115 card currently stands:

  Mike Pyle vs. Jesse Lennox
  Peter Sobotta vs. James Wilks
  Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald
  Evan Dunham vs. Tyson Griffin
  Ben Rothwell vs. Gilbert Yvel
  Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic vs. Pat Barry
  Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz

  Source: 5th Round

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• 

  March 31, 2010

  In anticipation of the season debut of “The Ultimate Fighter 11,” show coach and Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell was a guest on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” on NBC.

   

  Source: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

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• 

  March 30, 2010

  Chuck Liddell On Training, Tito Ortiz, And 'Dancing With The Stars'

  During today's media conference call to promote the newest season of "The Ultimate Fighter", former UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell covered topics ranging from his least favorite person, Tito Ortiz, to how competing on ""Dancing with the Stars" rekindled his motivation for fighting.

  Although he revisited, in depth, all of the reasons he dislikes Tito Ortiz, Liddell took a moment to sort of give props to Ortiz for his UFC 106 performance against Forrest Griffin.

  "It looked like he gassed in the second round but until then he looked pretty good," said Liddell. "He had some good shots and landed some good elbows."

  Despite the praise, Liddell still doesn't see their third matchup ending any differently than their previous two meetings (both fights saw Ortiz on the wrong end of Liddell's patented haymakers).

  "He's never posed a threat to me," said Liddell. "I don't see what he could do to me."

  He added, "I am gonna hurt him."

  "The Iceman" has lost four of his last five fights (three in brutal fashion) and because of this, UFC boss Dana White loudly called for Liddell's retirement. But at least for now, Liddell is back and training hard to prove that he still belongs among the elite at 205 lbs.

  On his training, Liddell said, "I've been working more with [boxing coach] Howard Davis Jr., worked a little bit on the boxing stuff, tightening up some of my boxing techniques. Also, I've been working a lot more submission stuff. I took off from April to January from doing any striking, I was just wrestling and doing some submission stuff."

  When asked if his renewed focus on grappling would come into play during his fight with Ortiz, Liddell laughed and said, "Probably not. You'll see me knock him out."

  Instead, he says that he's adding the extra weapons to his arsenal in order to keep his opponent's guessing.

  "I'm gonna mix it up more, I got away from mixing it up because I like striking so much," he said. "I am gonna continue to strike, don't worry about that, but I'll mix it up more and make people guess a little more. Make it a little harder for guys to get a read on me."

  "The Iceman" says that, oddly enough, he found his renewed desire to compete while participating on "Dancing with the Stars". Apparently, the time he took off from training to devote to the show was time missed for Liddell, and it helped him to rediscover that his competitive fire still burns.

  During practice sessions for the show Liddell and his partner would tape themselves to study what they were doing wrong and how they could improve. Liddell has now employed this method during his practice sessions for Mixed Martial Arts competition and says that it has paid dividends in correcting some of his technical flaws.

  It appears as though we will be seeing a renewed and rededicated Liddell when he returns to competition against Ortiz, but don't think he plans to stop at "The Huntingtion Beach Bad Boy".

  "I want to make another run at the title," said Liddell. "I'm gonna beat Tito and then hopefully beat another couple of guys and hopefully a title shot after that. One more shot at going out on top."

  It also appears as though those knockout losses he suffered haven't diminished his confidence, as Liddell informed media, "I still think I can take anyone in the world at my weight."

  Liddell went on to say that Dana White is taking his return "on a fight-by-fight basis" and that he himself doesn't have any particular opponents in mind after he takes on Ortiz. He also addressed the rumors that Ortiz has had to pull out of their fight and is to be replaced by Rich Franklin. Liddell claims that, as far as he knows, he is still fighting Ortiz at UFC 115 (although the recent rumor that UFC 115 is moving from Vancouver to Franklin's hometown of Cincinnati could indicate otherwise).

  Source: Fight Line

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• 

  March 28, 2010

  "The Ultimate Fighter 11" preview details new format with "wild-card" berths

  by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 27, 2010 at 3:05 pm ET

  With the debut episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 11" just four days away, the UFC and Spike TV have released a five-minute preview clip available on the new official Web site of the series, UltimateFighter.com.
  
  And while "TUF 11" coaches Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz were announced for the show in December, and the list of 28 middleweight fighters competing on the show was released earlier this month, one detail remained unclear.
  
  What is the new "mystery" format?
  
  With 28 fighters competing in a tournament format, the math simply doesn't work out for a traditional 32- or 16-slot tournament. UFC president Dana White quickly explains the new rules to the gathered fighters.
  
  "We're going to have a wild card," White says. "What that means is there's 28 of you guys; 14 of you will get into the house. After the first seven preliminary fights, the coaches and I will choose two guys who we think deserve a second shot. Those two guys will take each other on. The winner will get the eighth spot in the quarterfinals."
  
  So this season's competitors have a bit of a safety net as they enter the cage for the preliminary round. But as White explains in this season's version of his famed "do you want to be a [expletive] fighter?" speech, he expects 100 percent effort from everyone on the cast.
  
  "This is the opportunity of a lifetime; do not [expletive] blow it," White says. "Go in there and give it everything you've got. Do not leave it in the hands of the judges or the referees. Don't let that happen to you tomorrow. Don't do it.
  
  "You're going to be riding in that [expletive] van on your way back to the airport going, 'What did I do? Why didn't I [expletive] punch. Why didn't I kick? Why didn't I just let my [expletive] go?' And you have to go home and [expletive] sit around miserable for the next [expletive] month thinking about how you blew your [expletive] shot. Don't be that [expletive] guy tomorrow."
  
  The message is reinforced by an inscription over a door in the newly re-designed UFC Training Center.
  
  "Never leave it in the hands of the judges," the message reads.
  
  We'll find out who heeds the advice on this season of "The Ultimate Fighter," which debuts Wednesday night on Spike TV following UFC Fight Night 21.

  Source: MMA Junkie

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• 

  March 27, 2010

  The Ultimate Fighter 11 Sneak Peak: First Five Minutes From March 31 Premiere

  The UFC released a five minute sneak peak from The Ultimate Fighter 11, which premieres on March 31 on Spike TV. In the clip, UFC President Dana White and coaches Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz meet the fighters, and White reveals the show’s new format, which will see 14 of the 28 middleweights advance to the TUF house and the addition of a wildcard round to determine the eighth quarterfinalist.

  Check out the clip below.

  Source: MMAFrenzy.com

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• March 21, 2010

  Chuck on the cover of UFC Magazine

  Now On Newsstands

  

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• 

  February 17, 2010

  Chuck Liddell talks TUF talent.

  

  
  

  Chuck Liddell coached the first season of TUF and now he returns to face team Ortiz in the latest season.Here is what he had to say about the new season's fighters:

  "We've got a lot of good guys like usual, but this season there are some that I just know are going to be really good. The thing that reminds me of that first season is we've got so many guys who you can see have got what it takes.
  
  What's so much different is that in the first season we didn't really know what we were doing.We had those stupid challenge things and we did so many stunts because thats what we thought reality t.v was about.I know some years you have fighters going in just to stir things up a bit and become tv stars,but thats not what this season's guys are about. These guys want to be fighters"

  Source: Lowkick

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• 

  February 14, 2010

  Chuck Liddell at Le Reve Show in Wynn Las Vegas

   

  

  Last night, UFC legend Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell took the evening off from his busy training schedule to spend some quality time with his family (Photo credit: Joe Durkin/Wynn Las Vegas).  Liddell was spotted taking his family, including children Trista and Cade to see the breathtaking aquatic show Le Reve at Wynn Las Vegas.

  

  Chuck Liddell with his children and cast of Le Reve Show at Wynn Las Vegas

  Photo credit: Joe Durkin/Wynn Las Vegas.

  After the show, Liddell and family were taken backstage for a tour of the production and also to meet the talented cast. The cast members were thrilled to meet the UFC fighter and posed for pictures while joking around with the athlete. Liddell even posed with the ballroom dancers, reminding him of his days on Dancing with the Stars.

  

  Chuck Liddell with cast of Le Reve Show at Wynn Las Vegas

  Photo credit: Joe Durkin/Wynn Las Vegas.

  

  Chuck Liddell with cast of Le Reve Show at Wynn Las Vegas

  Photo credit: Joe Durkin/Wynn Las Vegas.

  Source: LasVegasNews.com

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• 

  February 12, 2010

  Chuck Liddell: "[Tito Ortiz] Always Says Something Stupid. What Else is He Going to Say?"

  

  You can call former UFC light heavyweight champ Chuck Liddell many things, but an alcoholic better not be one of them. 

  In case you missed it, Tito Ortiz started a smear campaign during “The Ultimate Fighter 11″ media day, where the two will serve as opposing coaches on the latest season of the hit reality show, claiming Liddell can’t stop sucking on the bottle.

  Although Liddell has earned the reputation of club hopper over the years, at no time was his partying interfering with his personal life or career, so Ortiz’ outrageous comments not only caught the MMA world off-guard, but “The Iceman” as well.

  “I don’t know what his problem is,” Liddell told Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com. “I don’t know why he would say it. If it were true, it’s an [expletive] thing to say. If it isn’t true, which it isn’t, it’s doubly bad so I don’t know what his problem is. I don’t know why he’s running his mouth like that.

  “But he always says something stupid. What else is he going to say? You know he runs his mouth trying to get attention. That’s what he does.”

  Chucky is right on all counts here. IF the alcohol abuse were true, why would Ortiz bring something so personal to light? Well, that answer can be found in one of Liddell’s other observations of “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” – he’s the ultimate self-promoter and antagonist.

  Having gone a disappointing 0-3-1 over his last four scraps, talking is clearly what Ortiz does best nowadays and perhaps that’s why the UFC opted to bring the 35-year-old back for one final Octagon run.

  However, this is Tito in rare form. Never before has he taken things to this level of personal invasion and Liddell  intends to make him pay for it.

  “It bothered me,” Liddell stated. “Yeah you know, I kind of knew going to fight him again, that he was going to say something to piss me off. I just thought it would take a little bit longer. I mean, I was taking it as a tuneup fight. I mean I knocked the guy out twice. I mean what is there to get motivated for?

  “But now I’m going to try to kill him. So good job Tito. Good job.”

  Source: 5th Round

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• 

  February 9, 2010

  Anna Trebunskaya and Chuck Liddell

  Chuck and Anna Trebunskaya are featured in the SI swimsuit issue.

  Watch the video outtakes!

   

  Source: Sports Illustrated

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• 

  February 5, 2010

  Exclusive: Liddell Talks Tito, 'TUF 11' & Future UFC Plans

   

  The Iceman uses some profanity in this interview, especially when Ortiz comes up, so watch the vid at your own risk.

   

  
  The Sporting Blog's Chris Littmann braved the wind and rain -- and Chuck Liddell's terrifying squint -- at a promotional event for Reebok's new "Zigtech" training shoes in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday to bring The Rumble this exclusive interview with the former UFC light heavyweight champion.
  
  Freshly back from temporary retirement, Liddell is currently serving his second tour of duty as a coach on the "Ultimate Fighter" reality show, this time alongside longtime nemesis Tito Ortiz. The Iceman doesn't mince words about the prospect of fighting Ortiz for a third time.
  
  In the wake of his comments to Fight! Magazine that he'd like to recapture the UFC's 205-pound title, Littmann asks Liddell how many fights he realistically has left, whether it hurts to hear close friend and UFC President Dana White worry publicly about his health and how he views his appearance on "Dancing with the Stars," now that he's had some time to reflect.

  Source: The Rumble

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• 

  February 4, 2010

  I'm already pumped up about punching Tito Ortiz in the mouth

  

  Props: Las Vegas Sun

  Quoteworthy:

  "These six weeks should motivate me. I did one interview with [Ortiz] today and I'm already getting pumped about punching him in the mouth. I knocked him out twice already, but I have no problem getting up to fight him. I'd want another fight (after Tito). Hopefully, Dana will be happy and I'd want a shot at a contender and then a shot at the title. I don't think I have anything to prove, really, but I'd like to prove (Dana) wrong and show him I'm not done. I'm not too old and I can still fight. You need to go out on your own. I'm not going to let fans or people that aren't close to me and don't know what I can still do make that decision for me. They were glad when Randy retired after I knocked him out (in 2006). Everyone said, 'Oh, he's done now. He's too old.' He came back and he's still fighting."

  Former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell talks about how easy it is to get motivated to fight when you're working alongside Tito Ortiz.. The UFC Hall of Famer will be coaching against "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 11, which is scheduled to debut on Spike TV in April. Shortly thereafter, Liddell and Ortiz will hook 'em up for a third time. After that, "Iceman" wants another two fights -- including a title shot.

  Source: MMA Mania

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• 

  January 30, 2010

  Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd.'s TapouT R&D Training Center Hosts Chuck "The Iceman" Lidd

  MMA Fighting Legend Trains for Bout Against Tito Ortiz

  Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd. (OTCBB: SEWE) announced that mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Chuck Liddell is training for UFC's Ultimate Fighter House at Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd.'s TapouT Research & Development (R&D) Training Center, located in Las Vegas, NV. Liddell, the former UFC Light Heavy Weight Champion, is training for his upcoming fight against Tito Ortiz.

  "The TapouT R&D Training Center provides professional fighters the opportunity to train with state-of-the-art MMA equipment," said Eddie Wenrick, CEO of Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd.

  Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd.'s TapouT R&D Training Center is the world's first fully functional MMA facility dedicated to testing MMA specific equipment and training methods. Built by a brand that has become synonymous with the attitude and prominence of mixed martial arts, TapouT's distinctive, authentic logo graces everything from clothing to equipment.

  Designed for everyone at all fitness levels, the TapouT R&D Training Center is predominately a class based training facility with a full schedule that features a variety of MMA themed classes. In addition to a broad spectrum of martial arts instruction, the majority of the cardio/fitness classes are non-contact.

  For more information about Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd.'s TapouT R&D Training Center, visit www.tapoutlasvegas.com.

  About Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd.

  Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd. is the premiere logistic marketer of branded concepts and equipment, partnering with the mixed martial arts (MMA) industry leaders. Embedded with the explosive growth MMA sport, the company's current clientele base includes the industry's top brands such as UFC, TapouT, Strikeforce and Gold's Gym. Visit the Truesport Alliances & Entertainment, Ltd. website at www.truesportltd.com.

  Source: CNNMoney

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  January 26, 2010

  Chuck Liddell says filming 'TUF' a good start to his comeback

  
  

  

   

   

  Chuck Liddell is one of the coaches for Spike TV’s upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter. Liddell’s team will face off against one coached by rival Tito Ortiz.

  Before the UFC announced that Chuck Liddell would return to mixed martial arts and coach against Tito Ortiz on the 11th season of "The Ultimate Fighter," there had been plenty of speculation that his fighting career was over.

  But according to Liddell, the speculation wasn't necessary. He was never even close to hanging it up.

  "I knew I wanted to fight," Liddell said. "As a fighter, I have to go out my own way. If I go out, it has to be my decision. I can't let someone else make that decision for me."

  After taking a long break from the sport following his loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in April, Liddell is in Las Vegas for the next six weeks to film the upcoming season of "TUF," which premieres March 31 on Spike TV.

  Getting back into the gym as a coach has been great, Liddell told the media Monday, and it has been good preparation for his comeback fight against Ortiz. That fight should happen sometime this summer.

  "It's a good way to do it. It's a good way to get pre-trained," Liddell said. "I wanted to take a year off, so that would have taken me through April. It's a good way to make sure if that's the guy they want me to fight, I'm motivated for it. These six weeks should motivate me."

  It's well-known that Ortiz (15-7) and Liddell (21-7) already have a long history, dating back to before they met in the octagon for the first time in 2004.

  Liddell accused Ortiz of avoiding a title defense against him while Ortiz held the championship belt from 2000 to 2003.

  After losing the title to Randy Couture, Ortiz met Liddell in one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history. Liddell posted a knockout win, then added a TKO win over Ortiz in a rematch in 2006.

  Although the rivalry has died down quite a bit since, Liddell said six weeks of constant interaction should rekindle some of the animosity.

  "I did one interview with him today and I'm already getting pumped about punching him in the mouth," Liddell said. "I knocked him out twice already, but I have no problem getting up to fight him."

  Liddell is looking to bounce back strong from a tough stretch he suffered prior to the break, in which he lost four of his last five fights.

  The slump prompted UFC president Dana White to repeatedly say he believed the 40-year-old fighter should retire.

  Even after he announced that Liddell would be returning to competition, White said in December that he hoped it would be for only one fight.

  Not surprisingly, Liddell has longer plans than one fight — a couple of comeback fights and, if he wins, a climb up the light heavyweight ladder.

  "I'd want another fight," Liddell said. "Hopefully, Dana will be happy and I'd want a shot at a contender and then a shot at the title.

  "I don't think I have anything to prove, really, but I'd like to prove (Dana) wrong and show him I'm not done. I'm not too old and I can still fight."

  Ortiz, who dropped his only fight in 2009 to Forrest Griffin in November, actually agreed with his rival once Monday, saying he believed Liddell still can be competitive in the UFC.

  "He's in shape and his sense of awareness is there more than ever," Ortiz said. "Maybe he'll refine himself. He's realized he has his fight career ahead of him and he wants to take advantage of it. I think Chuck shouldn't have a problem at all."

  Liddell said he doesn't blame anyone for questioning his abilities given his current skid, but also pointed out that fans can have a short memory.

  After dropping two straight to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Keith Jardine in 2007, Liddell remembers everyone proclaiming he was back after he defeated Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision in December that year.

  In the following fight against Rashad Evans, Liddell said he believed he was winning the fight until Evans dropped him with a now-famous right hand in the second round.

  If he had held on to win that fight, Liddell said, things would be different today.

  "It's hard when you dominated for so long and then lose four out of five fights," he said. "But the funny thing is, after I lost those two fights I beat Wanderlei and everyone was saying, 'Oh, you're back.'

  "Then, if that punch from Rashad is one inch off and he doesn't knock me out, I probably would have won that fight and got a title shot."

  It will be at least another five months before Liddell and his fans get to see if his first fight back is a successful one.

  But even if it's not, Liddell said he won't allow anyone to push him out of the sport. He'll leave on his own time.

  "You need to go out on your own," Liddell said. "I'm not going to let fans or people that aren't close to me and don't know what I can still do make that decision for me. They were glad when Randy retired after I knocked him out (in 2006). Everyone said, 'Oh, he's done now. He's too old.'

  "He came back and he's still fighting."

  Source: Las Vegas Sun

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  January 23, 2010

  Chuck Attends Tryst Anniversary in Las Vegas

  Tryst celebrates fourth anniversary with red carpet and party

  

  Danny Mahoney/Wynn Las Vegas

  Tryst managing partner Jesse Waits and UFC legend Chuck Liddell on the red carpet of Tryst in the Wynn on Jan. 22, 2010.

  Source: Las Vegas Sun

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  January 21, 2010

  The Return of Chuck "Iceman" Liddell to the Ultimate Fighter

   

   

  
  By Gina L. Caliboso

  In December 2009, Dana White announced that Chuck “Iceman” Liddell, 21-7, a coach from the first season of the Ultimate Fighter will be making a return for Season 11.

  Since his last fight, Liddell has been seen on HBO’s “Entourage” and “Dancing with the Stars.” But I think it’s a smart move to see Liddell back in the Octagon. It is a homecoming for the Iceman. At 40, it’s best for his career that he considers life outside of the ring even as a coach. But by Randy Couture standards, Liddell still might have more fight in him.

  For Season 11 of the Ultimate Fighter, Liddell the coach will be up against Tito Ortiz, 16-7-1 who also makes his return. As a member of the UFC Hall of Fame which also includes such MMA greats Randy “The Natural” Couture, 17-10 and Royce Gracie, 13-2-2, Liddell will hopefully lead his team and a skilled fighter towards the elite MMA contract with the UFC. In the first season of Ultimate Fighter, he matched up against Randy Couture. It would make for a great season end fight, but you never know with President Dana White and the UFC.

  In Season 10 of the Heavyweights, I was expecting Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, 30-7 to fight Rashad “Suga” Evans, 19-1-1. It was so painfully clear that the two needed to meet in the Octagon. It would have made a great headline match from the drama of the show leading to the PPV event. However, this fight has since fizzled due to Jackson’s would be retirement and new career as a film star. Evans, by contrast, defeated Thiago Silva, 14-2, most recently in UFC 108. But again, Dana White is constantly making supposed matches just to ensure the UFC’s future. I don’t quite count out UFC 1?

  Finally – Evans vs. Jackson.

  But let’s get back to the Iceman. In looking at his fight career, Liddell’s performance in the Octagon cannot be questioned. Even as he faces a younger rival in Ortiz, it is in his fights against the 46-year old Couture, 17-10, that reveals MMA excellence. In UFC 43 back in June 2003, Liddell suffered a loss against Couture due to a TKO in the 3rd round.

  Two years later in UFC 52, appropriately titled Couture vs. Liddell II, he defeated Couture with a KO in the 1st round. Finally, in February 2006, in UFC 57, again appropriately titled Liddell vs. Couture III, Liddell scored a 2nd round KO over the then just in his 40’s champ Couture. By the way, Couture, now 46, is fighting in UFC 109 on February 6 this year against Mark “The Hammer” Coleman, 16-9.

  Liddell also has a winning record against Tito Ortiz. In April 2004, in UFC 47, Liddell went to the 2nd round against Ortiz, but not for very long. At :38 into the 2nd round, Liddell scored the win by TKO. In December 2006, in UFC 66, he defeated Ortiz again with a 3rd round TKO.

  In November 2009, Ortiz most recently suffered a loss against Forrest Griffin in UFC 106 – Ortiz vs. Griffin II with a split decision. Both Liddell and Ortiz come to the Ultimate Fighter at a good point in their fight careers. It’s Liddell’s most recent fight record that perhaps reveals he needs to re-focus his training a la Randy Couture and get into the best shape and MMA mentality if he is to fight against Ortiz for a 3rd time.

  Since 2007, Liddell has experienced a series of losses that point in the direction of re-evaluation of his fighting style which consists primarily of a good balance between his stand up striking to his grappling. However, since Liddell has been in the UFC, the MMA tactics and newly crowned champions of late are different fighters. Luckily, Liddell has great athleticism and mental toughness. But whether or not his body can take it just might make the difference in his eventual return.

  In May 2007, in UFC 71, against Rampage Jackson, Liddell suffered a TKO in 1:53 of the 1st round. 4 months later in UFC 76, he lost to Keith “The Dean of Mean” Jardine, 14-7-1, in a split decision with the fight going all three rounds. In UFC 79, in December 2007, he defeated Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, 32-10-1, in a unanimous decision going all three rounds.

  As 2007 was a full fight year, Liddell did not fight again until UFC 88 in September 2008 where he fought and loss to Rashad Evans. Evans scored the KO in the 2nd round. In April 2009, Liddell suffered another loss with a TKO against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, 18-4, within 4:28 in the 1st round. Altogether, Liddell has fought 5 times in the last 2 years with a 1-4 win-loss record.

  As Liddell does have amazing athleticism, I can see that he may easily adapt to his opponent. And as far as his age and veteran status go, Liddell cannot be counted out just yet. It appears that for MMA and UFC overall, Liddell must establish his dominance with a convincing stand-up and go for the KO in the opening round. If he gets caught with the right strike, Liddell may lose. But two great things stand out for Liddell: his controlled aggression and fearlessness.

  Even though his most recent fights show losses, Liddell isn’t the type of fighter or athlete to back down in his own development and stature as a fighter that can get better and most importantly, win.

  Luckily, Liddell has set a standard in the world of MMA. UFC President Dana White knows this for a fact and the Iceman’s presence is nothing but lucrative. Overall, it’s a good thing for Liddell to come back as coach, maybe he can teach something to the up and coming UFC fighters.

  Either way, as coach or as fighter, Liddell has nothing to prove to anyone, maybe just himself, that he set the standard for MMA and will continue to do so – at least until his next fight.

   

  Source: Ringside Report

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  January 10, 2010

  Chuck To Appear In Major Motion Picture with Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox

  Liddell is currently on location in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he is filming a movie currently titled "Passion Play" which also features Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox.
  
  This won't be Liddell's first time acting though. In the past he has appeared in movies such as "Drillbit Taylor", "How High", and "Cradle 2 The Grave", as well as television shows like "Entourage", "Punk'd", and "Blade: The Series".
  
  Megan Fox recently spoke with MTV regarding the upcoming movie:
  
  "I'm doing a movie called ‘Passion Play' with Mickey Rourke. There is a love story there. It's clearly not going to be a typical one. My character is basically a circus freak. She lives in a cage and she has wings. She's not an angel, but she has these giant wings that grow out of her back. She's a freak and she's on display."
  

  Source: 411Mania

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  December 19, 2009

  Chuck Liddell ends retirement talk and returns against TIto Ortiz as TUF 11 coach

  It is obvious Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell had no intention of retiring as he makes his return to MMA starting with a coaching stint against Tito Ortiz in The Ultimate Fighter 11. Coming off a less-than-impressive stint on Dancing with the Stars he makes his way back to the promotion where he found his success and will fight Tito Ortiz for the third time following the culmination of TUF 11.   “The world knows that there is no love lost between Tito and Chuck,” UFC President Dana White said in a UFC press release. “These two guys will do whatever it takes to beat each other. Whether it’s fighting or checkers, Chuck wants to beat Tito and Tito wants to beat Chuck. On Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter, we’ll see which legend can score the upper hand when it comes to coaching the next batch of rising stars.”   While Dana White appears genuinely concerned for the health of Chuck Liddell, and has gone on record as saying he would like him to retire due to a recent string of knockouts,  if Liddell is going to fight anyway - he appears more interested in seeing Liddell compete in the Octagon than outside of it.   From a contendership perspective a bout with Ortiz really means little, but Ortiz is not known for his stand-up punching and kicking power so this bout appears tailor made for the Iceman and could very well be his swan song.     The Ultimate Fighter is scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 10:00pm ET/PT

  Source: MMARingReport.com

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  December 18, 2009

  Round 5 first series of UFC figures launched

  

   

  The UFC takes yet another step toward mainstream recognition with the latest release of figures from Round 5. This news will no doubt be welcomed by the memorabilia collectors, given the latest run of bad luck the UFC seems to be in the middle of with injuries and fight cancellations.

  An interesting addition to this range is Chuck Liddell, who it has been announced will be fighting Tito Ortiz for a third time after coaching the next series of The Ultimate Fighter next year.

  Here is some more info on the figures:

  Round 5 UFC Series 1 Now in Stock at Toys"R"Us in United States

  World's leading Toy Retailer Carrying Liddell, St. Pierre, Evans, Florian, Guida, Machida Figures

  MARKHAM, Ontario, Canada, December 15, 2009 – In time for the last stretch of the 2009 Holiday Season, all six collectible mixed martial arts figurines in the Round 5 UFC Series 1 are now available exclusively at Toys”R”Us retail locations across the United States, it was announced today by Barron Lau, Round 5 CEO and co-founder and Damon Lau, president and co-founder.  UFC Series 1 includes standouts Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, Georges “Rush” St. Pierre, “Suga” Rashad Evans, Kenny “KenFlo” Florian, Clay “The Carpenter” Guida and Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida.
  
  The collectibles are scheduled to be available at other retail outlets and at www.Round5MMA.com early in 2010.
  
  “We are pleased to have been able to step up production to enable Toys’R’Us to stock our first Round 5 UFC Series in time for the holidays,” said Damon Lau.  “Our previous Series were a big hit last year at this time, and response to this group has been very strong.”
  
  The six collectibles are presented in a new UFC-themed packaging that includes action photos of each respective fighter's memorable moments as well as a short biography.
  
  About Round 5
  Round 5 (www.Round5MMA.com), headquartered in Markham, Ontario, Canada, is the MMA industry’s fastest growing worldwide collectible figure company. Committed to developing intricately detailed figures, Round 5 strives to remain true to the sport of MMA and its personalities.
  
   

  Source: Examiner.com

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  December 7, 2009

  "The Ultimate Fighter 11" debuts March 31, features middleweight fighters

  "The Ultimate Fighter 11" debuts March 31, features middleweight fighters

  by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Dec 07, 2009 at 11:15 am ET

  Following Saturday's announcement that UFC legends and former champion Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz will serve as coaches on the upcoming 11th season of "The Ultimate Fighter," Spike TV today unveiled additional information about the show.
  
  "TUF 11," which goes into production next month, debuts Wednesday, March 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on the UFC's longtime cable home.
  
  Although the call initially went out for both middleweight and light heavyweight fighters, Spike TV officials today announced the show will feature just middleweight competitors.
  
  They'll presumably compete in the show's traditional 16-man single-elimination tournament while divided into two teams.
  
  "The Ultimate Fighter" debuted in 2005 and has since launched the careers of more than 100 UFC fighters. The most recent season, which concluded this past weekend, was the highest rated in series history.
  
  Liddell and Ortiz, who were introduced as coached on this past weekend's live broadcast of The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale, both coach for the second time. Liddell, who comes out of an unofficial retirement for the gig, coached the debut season against Randy Couture, and Ortiz coached opposite Ken Shamrock on "TUF 3." As with most seasons of the show, Liddell and Ortiz will meet in a season-ending, coach-vs.-coach bout. (Liddell has won both of his previous matchups with Ortiz.)
  
  As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported in October, a recent open tryout for "TUF 11" drew more than 250 hopefuls, including former UFC fighters such as Bobby Southworth (who also appeared on the first season of "TUF"), Nick Thompson and Logan Clark.
  
  For the latest on "The Ultimate Fighter 11," stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

  Source: MMAJunkie

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  December 6, 2009

  LIDDELL AND ORTIZ TO COACH TUF SEASON 11

  THE BIGGEST FEUD IN UFC® HISTORY CONTINUES
  
  

  CHUCK LIDDELL AND TITO ORTIZ TO COACH SEASON 11 OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER®
  
  Las Vegas, NV (USA) – In The Ultimate Fighting Championship®, no feud has been more inspired than the one featuring light heavyweight legends Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz.  The long-standing rivalry between “The Iceman” and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” has featured two, historic clashes inside the famed Octagon®, each of which was filled with heated exchanges, intense bravado, and passionate displays of athleticism. What’s more, each Liddell-Ortiz encounter left fans choosing sides in this epic rivalry.
  
  In professional sports, fans live for rivalries. Whether it’s Boston vs. New York in baseball, Toronto vs. Montreal in hockey, or Ohio State vs. Michigan in football, fans have a burning desire to see their favorite teams soundly defeat eternal adversaries. Regardless of standings, rankings, or championships on the line, fans believe wins over bitter rivals are of the utmost importance.
  
  In 2010, MMA’s biggest feud takes on a whole new meaning. In what will be one of the most hotly-contested seasons ever, Liddell and Ortiz have been selected to face off as coaches of Spike TV’s most popular original series ever, The Ultimate Fighter®. Scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 10:00pm ET/PT, two of the sport’s biggest icons will lead their respective teams in a season that will produce fireworks never-before-seen in the Liddell-Ortiz saga.
  
  “The world knows that there is no love lost between Tito and Chuck,” UFC President Dana White said. “These two guys will do whatever it takes to beat each other. Whether it’s fighting or checkers, Chuck wants to beat Tito and Tito wants to beat Chuck. On Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter, we’ll see which legend can score the upper hand when it comes to coaching the next batch of rising stars.”
  
  A native of Santa Barbara, Calif., Liddell (21-7) served as coach of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter in January 2005. Known for his phenomenal striking ability and staunch takedown defense, “The Iceman” earned his way into the UFC Hall of Fame by defeating the likes of Vitor Belfort, Renato Sobral, Randy Couture (twice), and Ortiz (twice). Considered by many as the greatest 205-pound fighter ever, Liddell believes he will score another victory when he coaches opposite Ortiz next year.
  
  “I am excited for the opportunity to coach on The Ultimate Fighter, especially since I get a chance to beat Tito again,” said Liddell, who became a pop culture icon with appearances on hit programs such as “Dancing with the Stars, “Entourage,” and “The Apprentice”. “This is a perfect chance for me to help young fighters grow and it’s a chance for me to get another win against Tito.”
  The longest-reigning champion in UFC history, Ortiz (16-7-1) once held the light heavyweight title for nearly four years. An outstanding wrestler with vicious ground and pound, “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” owns wins over some of the sport’s elite, including Belfort, Forrest Griffin, Wanderlei Silva, as well as three victories over Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock. A coach on season three of The Ultimate Fighter, Ortiz returns to the show holding the firm belief that he will finally knock off his arch nemesis.
  
  “This season of the show is important to me in so many ways,” said Ortiz, who appeared on the hit series “Celebrity Apprentice” in 2008. “I love coaching and I’m happy that I can give my fighters a chance to become better athletes. Plus, I think I’m a better coach than Chuck. I think my guys are going to be hungry and ready to smash Chuck’s guys. I can’t wait to see his face when that happens.”
  
  About The Ultimate Fighting Championship®
  UFC is the largest live pay-per-view provider in the world and the fastest growing main stream sports organization in history.  Owned and operated by Zuffa™, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over twelve live pay-per-view events annually that are distributed residentially through North American cable and satellite providers including iNDEMAND Networks, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN Entertainment, BellTV, SaskTel Max™, Shaw Pay-Per-View, and Viewers Choice. International distributors include WOWOW in Japan, Premiere Combate and SporTV in Brazil, with worldwide distribution via the Internet on UFC.com and Yahoo! Sports.  UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada.  UFC programming is distributed in 132 countries, territories and jurisdictions, reaching 415 million homes worldwide.
  
  Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa® , The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.

  Source: UFC

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  December 5, 2009

  Liddell says he's still learning, ready for Ultimate Fighter vs. Ortiz

  At age 40, Chuck Liddell is going back to his familiar stomping grounds.

  In 2005, Liddell was a coach on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. Next year, he'll be back on Spike's UFC reality show for the 11th season.

  

  Anna Trebunskaya and Chuck Liddell perform during week four of "Dancing with the Stars."

  CAPTION

  By Adam Larkey, ABC via AP

  And he'll be matched up against Tito Ortiz, renewing one of MMA's classic rivalries.

  "I don't mind slapping him around," Liddell says of Ortiz, whom he defeated in 2004 and 2006.

  The 2006 rematch had the highest gate receipts of any MMA fight card in Nevada history. Liddell went on to celebrity status no fighter had seen in the USA, appearing on TV shows, magazine covers and in Nickelback's Rockstar video.

  In 2009, after his April loss to Mauricio Rua, he appeared on Dancing with the Stars, where he was eliminated in Week 4 despite posting a higher score than two other competitors.

  Liddell acknowledged that UFC president Dana White had been concerned about his career. Since beating Ortiz the second time, Liddell has lost four of five fights, three by knockout.

  "I've been arguing with Dana about wanting to fight again for a while," Liddell says.

  Ortiz, at least, is more of a wrestler than a hard hitter. Aside from his three wins over the aging Ken Shamrock, Ortiz hasn't posted a knockout win since 2001.

  Liddell spoke Saturday night with USA TODAY before heading off to an early 40th birthday party. He reaches the milestone Dec. 17 but doesn't think it's a big deal.

  "It's another year, I guess," Liddell says. "I still feel great."

  And he's still learning, crediting 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu with rounding out his skills.

  "I'm always working on stuff," Liddell says. "I'm always trying to learn new things and new training techniques."

  (Posted by Beau Dure)

  Source: USA Today

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  September 10, 2009

  Cade "The Icicle" Liddell with Conner of MMA Religion

  Little Ice Man Cade Liddell (son of Chuck of course) speaks on all things Dad, Dancing with the stars, and being the son of the most famous UFC fighter of all time. AND shows us some of Chucks 'secret' dance moves!

  Click here to watch the video.

   

  Source: MMA Religion

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  August 26, 2009

  Chuck Competes in the PokerNews Sports Legends Challenge

  25 of the greatest legends in sports history and 25 world famous Poker Pros will compete in the first-ever PokerNews Sports Legends Challenge presented by AbsolutePoker.net, a four-day sports fantasy and gaming experience that will take place Sept. 14 – 17, 2009 at the Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas.

  The Sports Legends Challenge is the sports fan’s ultimate fantasy featuring four days of casino gaming and golf cash prize tournaments with some of the biggest names in sports.

  Chuck will compete with Troy Aikman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Richard Petty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Emmitt Smith, Reggie Jackson, Tony Hawk, Joe Namath, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Mark Messier, Fuzzy Zoeller, Jerry West, Herschel Walker, Jim Brown, Randy Couture, Bobby Hull, Ozzie Smith, Laffit Pincay, Brooks Robinson, Gale Sayers, Kyle Petty, Lennox Lewis and Rocco Mediate.

  To up the ante, the event will also feature 25 of the world’s top Poker Pros such as Phil Hellmuth, Annie Duke, Johnny Chan, Jamie Gold and Mike Sexton, who will play with and coach event participants. The Sports Legends, Poker Pros and participants will compete in a variety of events including No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em, blackjack, slots and golf tournaments to vie for up to $10 million in prize money.

  The other top Poker Pros confirmed to participate include T.J. Cloutier, Layne Flack, “Cowboy” Kenna James, Antonio Esfandiari, Men “The Master” Nguyen, Mark Seif, Cyndy Violette, Robert Williamson III, Gavin Smith, Barbara Enright, Amir Vahedi, Marsha Waggoner, Kathy Liebert, Chip Jett, David Singer, Marco Traniello, Karina Jett and Robert Daily.

  Source: Sports Legends Challenge

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  August 21, 2009

  The Iceman takes on Dancing with the Stars

  Chuck will be one of the contestants on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” when its new season begins on Sept. 21.

  “I want to win,” Liddell told the media. “I don’t like losing in anything, so I’ll work as hard as they’ll let me. “I’m gonna go out, be myself, and show what kind of people we do have in this sport,” he said. “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.”

  Source: ABC - Dancing with the Stars

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  August 13, 2009

  Chuck on the cover of Fighters Only with Randy Couture and Wanderlei Silva

  Chuck Liddell. Randy Couture. Wanderlei Silva. Three legends in the sport of mixed martial arts and three men who's legacy will never fade.

  The trio have had long and glorious careers and while they may be in the latter stages of their time as competitors, they are stil champions forever.

  Fighters Only Magazine brought the three of them together for an exclusive and unprecendented photoshoot to accompany a feature in the July edition of the magazine.

  Source: Fighters Only Magazine

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• July 22, 2009

  Meet Chuck Liddell at Koscheck's AKA Fresno Gym GRAND OPENING!

  Meet Chuck "Iceman" Liddell at KOSCHECK'S AKA American Kickboxing Academy FRESNO
  *GRAND OPENING* August 1st, 2009 12-4 pm
  Located @ Bullard & Marks in Fresno, CA
  
  MMA Super Star Chuck Liddell & other World Famous AKA Fighters will be on location at the Grand Opening signing autographs! Chuck will be signing autographs from 12pm-1pm.
  
  Get FREE pictures with MMA Stars during this Grand Opening Event!
  
  Special sign up packages for Kids, Adults, & people interested in general MMA classes & fitness.

  Source: www.kosmma.com

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• July 1, 2009

  Party with Chuck in Vegas

  Chuck will be signing autographs at the MMA Expo at Mandalay Bay in the UFC booth on Friday, July 10th from 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm. In addition, you can also party with Chuck!
  
  As one of MMAJacked's great friends, you are invited to their pool party at Tao Beach in Las Vegas. To make sure that you're not only on the list, but that you have first crack at the cabanas nearest Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell's, Jens "Lil Evil" Pulver's, Ryan "Darth" Bader's, and Brande "The Goddess" Roderick's, the cabanas and day beds are free to reserve.
  
  Click Read More for reservation information.

  Source: www.icemanmma.com

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  June 30, 2009

  Liddell to Headline UFC's Star-Studded Fan Expo

  In anticipation for the historical UFC 100 event at Mandalay Bay on July 11, the organization has planned an opportunity for mixed martial arts fans unlike ever before to mingle with the most influential fighters of all time.
  
  The first-ever UFC Fan Expo has been scheduled to run from Friday, July 10 right up to the first fight of the UFC 100 card the following day. The event will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
  
  The UFC has already confirmed the attendance of premier fighters from the UFC, WEC and PRIDE.
  
  Just a handful of those confirmed in attendance include: Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Kenny Florian, Forrest Griffin, Royce Gracie, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans, Miguel Torres, Mike Brown, Urijah Faber, Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio Rua.

  Source: Las Vegas Sun

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  June 3, 2009

  Meet Chuck Liddell and Support Team Folsom

  Come celebrate Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell as the guest of honor at the Grand Opening of Folsom MMA on Saturday, June 6th starting at 3pm benefitting Team Sacramento / Team Folsom at 316 Natoma Street in Folsom, CA. This free event includes a BBQ. For information, call 916-817-1988 or go to FolsomMMA.com.
  
  Team Folsom, which originated from Team Sacramento and the Konjo School of Martial Arts, was created to assist low-income and high-risk youth through martial arts, athletics, and academics.  Over the past three decades, they have earned a reputation as an organization that unites the principles of perseverance, dedication, strenuous training, commitment, and technical excellence with a strong culture of unity, family, teamwork, mutual support, and encouragement.

  Source: Team Folsom

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  June 2, 2009

  Meet Chuck Liddell at the Monarchs Home Opener

  Meet UFC legend and former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell at an exclusive meet and greet and question-and-answer session following the Sacramento Monarchs Home Opener on Saturday, June 6th at 1pm!
  
  "I am psyched to come to the Monarchs game and see the WNBA live," Liddell said. “I love watching athletes perform at the highest level in all sports, and these women can play. I hope all the UFC fans in the area come out and join me for this game."
  
  Be sure to join Chuck at the game and hear him speak at an exclusive postgame meet and greet. Your Monarchs game ticket is your pass to attend this special postgame event.
  
  Purchase your tickets today! Click here or call 916-419-WNBA for more information.

  Source: WNBA - Monarchs

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  May 19, 2009

  Chuck Liddell Breaks his Silence about Retirement

  Over the last few weeks, speculation has run rampant about Chuck Liddell’s future. And The Iceman has remained quiet…until now, breaking his silence about his retirement in an exclusive interview with MMAMadness.

  “I’m going to take some time off and figure out what I want to do, and see what else I think I can do,” Liddell told MMAMadness. “I’ll still be training guys and I’ll still be working out and training.”

  Liddell says that he will make a definitive decision on whether or not to retire within the next year, but he is not ready to make it just yet.

  “I’m too emotional to make a rational decision,” he admitted, “so I want wait and take my time. I’m not going to make that decision until I sit down and look at it after a little while. “I need some time off anyway, and when everyone stops worrying about it, I’ll make my decision on my own,” Liddell said.

  “Right now, I couldn’t say that I’m not going to fight again.” Liddell admits that if he does call it quits, it will be a difficult decision. “All I’ve been doing my whole life is training to compete,” Liddell mused. “It’s a hard thing to give up for an athlete. It’s hard to stop competing after so many years.”

  Over the next year, Liddell will continue to train fighters, and will continue to work on maintaining his strength and technique for when or if he decides to fight.

  Source: MMAMadness

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  May 11, 2009

  Chuck Liddell Featured in MMA Unltd - June 2009

  The June, 2009 issue of MMA Unltd is out and Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell is featured. Check it out as we learn about how he became a top MMA fighter, his tattoo on his head, and a few of his favorite fights.
  
  Known for being a devastating striker, Chuck Liddell is all business when it comes to fighting and as he makes clear before every match, he is there to knock his opponent out. However, ‘The Iceman’ didn’t start out so devastating.
  
  Chuck overcame difficult times as a child, as he was born with a potentially crippling problem that had doctors suggest he wear metal braces on his legs. His mother, wanting to see him develop like other children, chose instead to put him through punishing sessions of physical therapy.

  Source: www.icemanmma.com

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  April 15, 2009

  Chuck Liddell on Covers of US and UK Editions of Fighters Only Magazine

  With more than a decade spent fighting in the Octagon, Chuck Liddell is one of the most recognizable fighters in the world. Pick up a copy of Fighters Only magazine's US or UK edition in April and you may see a slightly different side to him in the six-page exclusive interview.

  Effortlessly cool outside the Octagon, Chuck doesn't mix his words when speaking about the light heavyweight title and his recent losses. When asked whether he thinks Rashad Evans will stay champ for long, Chuck dryly responds, "I'm not planning on letting him stay champ for long. So no."

   

  Source: Fighters Only magazine

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  April 6, 2009

  Chuck Liddell on the Cover of Special-Edition MMA Unlimited Magazine

  Chuck Liddell is seen as one of the coolest fighters in the UFC. His signature style has spawned a host of imitators and his laid-back attitude and fun-loving demeanor is a huge factor in his popularity with fans. However, in the Octagon, Chuck is ice cold.

  Known for being one of the most devastating strikers, "The Iceman" is all about business when it comes to fighting, and as he makes clear before every match, he is there to knock his opponent out. It's what made Chuck a fan favorite, and with 8 KOs and another 5 TKOs in his 21 victories, viewers expect to see him land his trademark lopping punches with brutal effect.

  Source: MMA Unlimited

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  March 29, 2009

  Chuck Liddell on Premiere Episode of Spike TV's "Deadliest Warrior"

  Who would win in a battle to the death--a Samurai or a Viking? William Wallace or Shaka Zulu? The Japanese Yakuza or the Sicilian Mafia? Spike TV seeks to finally put these age-old questions to rest in "Deadliest Warrior," an unprecedented, unscripted series that pits history's greatest warriors against one another to determine, once and for all, who reigns supreme.

  Premiering Tuesday, April 7 (10-11 pm, ET/PT) on Spike TV, the debut episode ("Gladiator vs. Apache") features the crowd-pleasing killer of ancient Rome going up against the fierce, unyielding, scalp-picking Native American warrior. Modern-day gladiator Chuck Liddell makes a special appearance in this episode to test the gladiator's lethal weapons using his legendary striking abilities.

  Source: Spike.com

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  March 9, 2009

  Chuck on the Cover of Revolver Magazine

  Revolver Magazine gives readers a sneak peek into a day of hardcore training when three members of the metalcore band Atreyu spend a day with former Ultimate Fighting Champion Chuck Liddell, "a battering ram of a man with 21 recorded wins under his belt, nearly two-thirds of which were achieved by knockout." Atreyu vocalist Alex Varkatzas and guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel travel to Liddell's home gym, the Pit in San Luis Obispo, where Chuck arrives wearing flip-flops and looking the part of a SLO resident. But not long after that, the trademark blue shorts with the icicles at the waist are on...and so is the action.

  Read the full article and see the photos here.

  Posted March 10, 2009

   

   

  Source: Revolver Magazine / Chuck Liddell

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  February 24, 2009

  Chuck's Ferrari F430 Featured in MMA Unlimited Magazine

  MMA Unlimited Magazine paid a visit to Chuck Liddell to check out his ride, a silver Ferrari F430, and showed that he has "mad skills not only in the Octagon but also on the road." The 4.3-liter V8 engine tops out at 196 mph and is capable of going from 0-60 in just four seconds. The car also includes features like the E-Diff, a sensor that regulates the distribution of torque to the engine depending on data such as steering angle and lateral acceleration, and it comes with an exclusive set of Goodyear tires that were designed specifically for the car.

  Check out the photos of Chuck, his daughter Trista, and the Ferrari here.

  Posted February 24, 2009

   

   

  Source: MMA Unlimited Magazine / Chuck Liddell

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  February 20, 2009

  Chuck to be Featured in Topps' New Line of UFC Trading Cards

  Topps, the leading creator and marketer of sports and related trading cards and entertainment products, was granted exclusive rights to produce UFC-brand trading cards featuring current, future, and former UFC athletes, including Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell. The deal lasts through May 2011 for UFC trading cards and stickers.

  "MMA continues to become one of the most popular sports in the country and Topps is looking forward to joining forces with UFC's rising stars and illustrious history," said Warren Friss, Topps' GM of Sports and Entertainment. "We are extremely excited to work with UFC and give our collectors access that has never before been available in our industry."

  As part of the deal, UFC will provide Topps with unique elements of their organization such as gloves used in matches and pieces of the UFC Octagon. Some of the UFC cards will feature Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Matt Hughes, Brock Lesnar, Royce Gracie, Forrest Griffin, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

  Posted February 20, 2009

  Source: Topps / Chuck Liddell

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  February 16, 2009

  Autographed Chuck Liddell Action Figure Being Auctioned to Benefit Special Olympics

  UFC officials and UFC star Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell have teamed up for an auction to benefit the Special Olympics. JAKKS, a company that makes lifelike UFC figurines, is auctioning off the sole prototype from its limited-edition Chuck Liddell figurine line, and all proceeds from the eBay auction will go to the Special Olympics.

  The action figure is autographed by Liddell, UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta, and UFC president Dana White. JAKKS also announced upcoming figurine releases for Anderson Silva, Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Michael Bisping, and others.

  The auction began Sunday, February 15 at 8:00 pm EST and ends Sunday, February 22 at 8:00 pm EST. (Type "JAKKS UFC Exclusive" into the search bar on eBay.)

  Click here to see a photo of the figurine.

  Posted February 16, 2009

  Source: MMAJunkie.com / Chuck Liddell

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  February 2, 2009

  The Iceman to Fight Shogun at UFC 97 in Montreal

  Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell will take on Mauricio "Shogun" Rua on Saturday, April 18 at UFC 97 in Montreal, Canada. "I'm very excited about fighting Shogun," 39-year-old Liddell said. "It's another step in getting back my title. I'm going to hit him hard and I plan on knocking him out. The Canadian fans have been great for years. They are some of the most exciting fans in the world."

  Source: MMA Weekly / UFC 97 Chuck Liddell

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  January 22, 2009

  Chuck on the Cover of Defy Magazine

  Chuck Liddell gives an in-depth interview to Defy magazine, opening up about his wins, his losses, his injuries, and his desire to keep fighting. Chuck began studying kickboxing at age 12 and was wrestling at 14. He trained in Kempo and Koei-Kan karate and earned a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under John Lewis. After graduating with a degree in business and accounting from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1995, Chuck looked for a way to make money without having to sit in an office all day. “When I finally got my first big fight, it was only a thousand bucks but it led to a chance to get in a tournament where the winner of a bout could get $20,000.” Chuck won the first fight and then got into the tournament and won two more, totaling a win of $40,000. “Now I get paid that to go drink in a bar for the night.”

  Source: Defy Magazine / Chuck Liddell

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  January 9, 2009

  Wanderlei Silva Wants to Fight Chuck Liddell

  Though he's not thrilled about it, Wanderlei Silva might be moving from light heavyweight to middleweight. But before he (possibly) does, he wants to have a rematch with Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell. Though he lost to Liddell at UFC 79, he feels they would put on another great show.

  "I am thinking I want to fight Chuck again," Silva says. "I want to fight with him again because I had a good match with him, and his style is a good style for me, and my style is good for him. It's good for the show."

  Following Silva's loss to Quinton Jackson at UFC 92, UFC president Dana White hinted at a second meeting between Silva and Liddell. If they fight again, Silva said he will work harder to get inside Liddell's guard.

  Posted January 6, 2009

  Source: MMA Weekly / Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell

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  January 9, 2009

  Chuck Liddell Will Be Back, and He'll Fight Anybody

  Despite three losses in his past four fights, Chuck "the Iceman" Liddell says he's not done. "I'm  not going anywhere," Liddell says. "I love fighting, and I'm going to keep fighting." Liddell told ESPN magazine that he's waiting to hear from the UFC regarding his next opponent, but that he plans to return in March or April. "I'll fight anybody, any time," he says.

  Liddell held the light heavyweight championship title from April 16, 2005 to May 26, 2007, with four defenses. After Quinton "Rampage" Jackson knocked him out, the title belt has changed two more times, with Rashad Evans being the latest winner. "It's a wild division right now," Liddell says. "All of those guys are good, and Rashad deserves the title. But I still look at that list and think I belong at the top." He continues: "I'm a few fights away from a title shot. But that's always what I'm looking for--a chance at the  belt."

  Posted December 31, 2008

  Source: ESPN.com / Chuck Liddell

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  January 9, 2009

  Chuck and ICEMANRX Give Away a Custom Hummer at UFC 92 After Party

  At Chuck Liddell's UFC 92 after party at Studio 54 in Las Vegas, a lucky 22-year-old Oklahoma State University student named Clint Hughes won the keys to a custom ICEMANRX Hummer H2. And that was just the tip of the iceberg: Chuck also picked Clint up from the Las Vegas airport in his limo, took Clint to dinner, and watched UFC 92 live with Clint. Chuck even left a personal message for Clint on his voicemail. A huge UFC fan, Clint idolizes the Iceman--he even named his dog Chuck in the fighter's honor.

  Click here to see exclusive pictures from the event.

  Read More

  Posted January 9, 2009

  Source: IcemanMMA.com

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  January 8, 2009

  Chuck Liddell at Orange County and San Diego Barnes & Nobles on 1/9/09 and 1/10/09

  This weekend, Chuck will be signing copies of his memoir, "Iceman: My Fighting Life," at Barnes & Noble stores in Huntington Beach and Chula Vista. His appearance also marks the release of the book in paperback form.

  Orange County:
  January 9, 2009, 7:00 to 8:00 pm
  Barnes & Noble Huntington Beach
  7881 Edinger Avenue
  Huntington Beach, CA 92647

  San Diego:
  January 10, 2009, 2:00 to 3:00 pm
  Barnes & Noble Chula Vista
  2015 Birch Rd.
  Chula Vista, CA 91915

  Posted January 7, 2009

  Source: IcemanMMA.com

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  January 8, 2009

  Chuck Liddell Ranked #6 in Light Heavyweight Category on SportsIllustrated.com

  Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell made #6 on SportsIllustrated.com's list of top MMA fighters. Others in the light heavyweight list include (in order): Rashad Evans, Quinton Jackson, Forrest Griffin, Lyoto Machida, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Keith Jardine, Vladimir Matyushenko, and Thiago Silva.

  The article also notes that 60% of the 70 fighters on the list compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship or World Extreme Cagefighting. Also noteworthy is that 40 of the fighters are from the U.S.; for the time being, it appears that America is the leading manufacturer of top mixed martial artists.

  Posted January 8, 2009

  Source: SportsIllustrated.com / MMA Rankings

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  January 7, 2009

  Chuck Liddell Ranks #5 on Sherdog.com's Official Mixed Martial Arts List

  In the light heavyweight category, Chuck Liddell made #5 on Sherdog.com's official ranking. Also on the list (in order) are Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin, Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida, Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva, Keith Jardine, Thiago Silva, Luis Arthur Cane, and Vladimir Matyushenko.

  Click here to see the complete list with all categories.

  Posted January 7, 2009

  Source: Sherdog / Chuck Liddell Pound for Pound

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  December 12, 2008

  Chuck Liddell and the UFC Take over Barnes & Noble Monday December 15th

  Join Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell for the release of the trade edition of the OCTAGON™ book at Barnes & Noble. Chuck will sign purchased copies of the book for fans.

  OCTAGON™ showcases the work of photographer Kevin Lynch as well as the stars of the Ultimate Fighting Championship events in highly detailed and artfully rendered portraits - moments before going into battle and moments after the fight has ended. In these larger-than-life photographs Lynch captures the confidence, fear and passion in the eyes of key UFC athletes.

  Source: UFC - Octagon Book Signing

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  December 2, 2008

  Chuck to Teach Striking Class for MMA Clinic

  Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell (21-6-0) will teach a striking class for an MMA clinic at American Top Team in Florida on Sunday, December 7th.

  Liddell will be joined by his long-time trainer John Hacklmen of the Pit in San Luis Obisbo.

  Affliciton middleweight “The Law” Matt Linland (21-5-0) of Team Quest in Portland will also be in attendance to teach takedown techniques; and ATT’s own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion, Ricardo Liborio (0-0-1), will round out the day on the mat.

  Doors will open at 10:00; admission is $100, payable at the door. American Top Team is located at:

  4631 Johnson Road
  Coconut Creek, Florida 33073

   

  Source: Fighters.com

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  November 12, 2008

  A Note from Chuck About the USO Tour

  Chuck regrets that he has to cancel his participation in the upcoming USO Tour. It was a preemptive strike to be sure that he gets healthy as he enters negotiations for his next fight, presumably sometime in early 2009.

  He wants to express his respect and admiration for our members of the Armed Services and finds his work with the USO one of the most rewarding aspects of his career.

  Source: MMA Weekly- Chuck Liddell USO

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  October 17, 2008

  Chuck on the Cover of MMA Worldwide

  "You come into this world with your word and your honor and you are the only one who can take it away from yourself before you go." Chuck is profiled by MMA Worldwide, prior to the Rampage Jackson fight. Chuck reflects on family, his hectic schedule and favorite movies and bands.

  Click here for the whole article.

   

   

   

  Source: MMA Worldwide

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  October 17, 2008

  What Is Chuck Really Like?

  Jay Glazer profiles his friend Iceman for FIGHT! magazine. "If all the other athletes in the world stayed true to who they are the way Chuck does, the sports pages would be one boring read. We wouldn’t have the prima donnas that capture our daily conversations, and we would be without the seasonal soap operas brought about by Kobe, T.O., Shaq and A-Rod."

  Click here for the whole article.

   

   

  Source: FIGHT! Magazine

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  October 17, 2008

  Chuck on the Cover of Tapout Magazine

  Chuck takes some time prior to UFC 88 to "catch up" with Tapout Magazine. He discusses what he has been up to, Kimbo Slice and why he just can't get left alone.

  Click here for the whole article.

   

   

   

   

  Source: Tapout

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  September 24, 2008

  “Mabuhay” in Manila

  Over 4,000 people, some who had been in line as long as three hours, were packed into the SM Mall of Asia to watch the Iceman show off his trademark moves during an open workout. “Mabuhay [or 'Welcome'],” he said to his throng of cheering International fans.  “I was really surprised. It was kinda shocking how many people actually showed up to watch me work out for an hour. It’s crazy. I didn’t expect it to be that big here. I thought it was a new market for us.” After the event fans mobbed the ring in order to get an autograph. Iceman obliged signing T-Shirts, hats and even beer cans.

  The UFC will be hosting its first event in the Philippines in the Summer of 2009. See video from the event here.

  Source: ABS CBN News

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  September 19, 2008

  Chuck on the Cover of ESPN: The Magazine

  Chuck became the first UFC fighter to make the cover of ESPN: The Magazine. The seven-page spread details his rise, his bare knuckle approach to fighting (and to life) and why he is known as “The Iceman.”

  Click here to view.

   

   

   

   

  Source: ESPN The Magazine

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  September 19, 2008

  Chuck in Inked Magazine

  From the March 2008 issue, Inked proclaims “Liddell is responsible for making televised fights exciting again.” They champion the UFC fighter who is “smart, athletic, and more often than not, covered in ink.”

  Click here to read more.

   

   

   

   

  Source: Inked

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  September 19, 2008

  Chuck in GQ

  As much as we would like to, we can’t walk around in boardshorts all of the time. Chuck subjects himself to GQ as an example of how to wear a suit, accentuating the athlete’s build, not some scrawny model.

  Click here to read more.

   

   

   

   

  Source: GQ

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  September 19, 2008

  Chuck in Playboy

  Chuck talks about his loss to Quinton Jackson: “It’s something that I’ve gotten away with before. This time I got caught.” The story chronicles the sport’s rise from what Sen. John McCain called “Human Cockfighting” to “The Ultimate Fighter.”

  Click here to read more.

   

   

   

   

  Source: Playboy

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  September 19, 2008

  Chuck on the Cover of Men’s Fitness

  Chuck discusses his workout schedule with Men’s Fitness. While he doesn't work out three times a day five days a week, he has figured out how to squeeze in one day a month for cutting loose and partying.

  Click here to read more.

   

   

   

   

  Source: Men's Fitness

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  September 19, 2008

  Press Conference with Chuck Liddell and Rashad "Sugar" Evans

  In anticipation of UFC 88, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell sat down with Rashad “Sugar” Evans for a pre-event press conference. Chuck quelled any concerns about the injury that sidelined him for UFC 79.

  “I stayed training the whole time I was rehabbing. I was swimming… I was hitting the mitts. There is not too much I need to do about getting motivated to fight. I love fighting, I get excited about every fight I go into. I want to get my title back. I will be strong coming in…I want to be the first one to give him a loss.”

  The undefeated Sugar paid his respects to the Iceman: “I get to fight a legend in Chuck Liddell… if I want to be the man I got to beat the man.”

  Click below to view video.

   

  Source: UFC 88 Press Conference

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  September 19, 2008

  Booksigning for "Iceman: My Fighting Life"

  Chuck recently hosted a booksigning of his New York Times Best Seller "Iceman: My Fighting Life." Iceman posed for pictures and gave autographs and the occasional headlock.

   

  Source: Wire Image- Chuck Liddell

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  September 19, 2008

  Chuck Presents at Spike TV's 2008 "Guy's Choice Awards"

  Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell was joined by LA INK's Kat Von D in presenting at Spike TV's 2008 "Guy's Choice Awards." The duo presented "Ballsiest Band," in which Linkin Park beat out the Foo Fighters.

   

  Source: Wire Image- Chuck Liddell

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  September 19, 2008

  Sherdog's Pre-UFC 88 Interview

  Chuck discusses the Wanderlei Silva fight and why his takedowns made the difference in UFC 79, his hamstring rehab and, of course, how he intends to fight Rashad “Sugar” Evans for UFC 88, September 6th.
  
  “My reach is always gonna give me an advantage, if I can keep him on the end of it. That’ll be the plan. I want to keep him on the end of him on the edge of my punches, you have to do that, especially with wrestlers...I don’t want to crowd him and be tied up, scramble around and have to wrestle with him…He’s gonna try and take me down and hold me down and score points that way...I don’t think it would be the smartest thing to stand there and exchange with me. I hit pretty hard…I am gonna try and make him pay for being there. “

  He also talks about his plans after UFC 88, which could include a faceoff with Forrest Griffin.

  Source: Sherdog Videos

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  September 19, 2008

  ESPN Pre-Fight Press Conference

  Chuck and Rashad “Sugar” Evans recently sat down with ESPN for a pre-fight press conference. Chuck, as usual, was asked about reclaiming his title. "People are always asking me about the belt,” he said, “so I tell them that's what I want, but I never look past the fight in front of me…After this fight is over we will deal with that.”

  Source: ESPN.com UFC 88 Pre-Fight Interview

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  September 19, 2008

  Iceman on "Sportscenter"

  In anticipation of UFC 88, Chuck has a one-on-one interview with ESPN’s “Sportscenter.“ While some have been concerned with Chuck making weight, he assures us that is not the case. “It was a comfortable cut for me. It was easier than I thought it would be…I’m on weight and ready to go.” He also talks about his now-healed hamstring, his recent mainstream celebrity status and his strategy to take down Rashad “Sugar" Evans.

   

  Source: ESPN "Chuck Liddell on Sportscenter"

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  September 19, 2008

  UFC 88: Post-Fight Press Conference

  After a surprising second round knockout at the hands of Rashad Evans, Chuck confirmed that he may be down, but he definitely isn’t out. At the end of the first round, Chuck led unanimously with judges Jordan Breen, Mike Fridley and TJ De Dantis all scoring 10-9.

  In a post-fight press conference, he told reporters, “I’m fine. And I got caught, what do you want me to say? I don’t know if I would have changed [the strategy]. I thought we had a good game plan for the fight. Obviously, I just didn’t execute it very well.”

  Naturally, this led to questions about a possible retirement. “I’ll definitely take a little time,” said Iceman. “I always said I’ll decide if I want to retire in the training room, not after a fight. “

  UFC 88: Breakthrough was held at the Philips Arena in Atlanta in front of a crowd of over 14,000, including Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and current light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin.

   

  Source: UFC 88 Post Fight Press Conference

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  September 19, 2008

  Liddell vs. Evans is on in Hotlanta!

  After an impressive win over longtime rival Wanderlei Silva, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell is climbing back into the Octagon. UFC 88 has been announced for Sept 6 where he will take on Rashad “Sugar” Evans in Phillips Arena in Atlanta. Evans, while undefeated has not seen any ring action since November 2007 winning a split decision over Michael Bisping at UFC 78. They were originally scheduled to meet last June, but Chuck suffered a hamstring injury that forced a cancellation of the event.

  Source: MMA Weekly 6-16-2008

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  September 19, 2008

  Liddell Takes Unanimous Descision at UFC 79

  
  
  In front of a capacity crowd at Mandalay Bay, “UFC 79: Nemesis” settled a six year bar bet between MMA fans. Who would win in a match up pitting Pride Fighting Champion Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva  vs. UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck “Iceman” Liddell?  In an intense and bloody three rounds, Chuck came out on top with the unanimous decision.

  Source: MMA Weekly 12-30-2007

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  September 19, 2008

  Iceman Calls Out Rampage!

  In an interview with THE SUN, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell called out Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as his next opponent.  Liddell said: "I want to fight Rampage real badly. I actually think I match up very well against him, but I’ve managed to lose to him twice now.
  
  "But the third fight will not have anything to do with the first two, it will be a fresh start. Rampage is the one fight I really want, as much as I want my title back.
  
  "He’s lost the belt now, so I can’t beat him and win the title back in one fight, but I want to fight him just as bad as when he was champion.” It had been speculated that the winner of UFC 88 would face off with Forrest Griffith for the belt.
  
  Before that, Chuck must get through Rashad “Sugar” Evans on September 6 at UFC 88, where he is the odds on favorite. "Evans is a very different type of challenge because he is very fast, goes for takedowns, and has a mentality to try and take the fight into his comfort zone.
  
  "I won’t allow him to do that, I’ll pressure him for three rounds if I have to but I think I’ll knock him out. I think I’ll get to him. I have real doubts about his shot.
  
  "He won’t be able to take me down. He had a hard time taking Michael Bisping down in his last fight, and I’m known for stopping shots.

  Source: The Sun UK

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  September 19, 2008

  Sugar Can't Escape Iceman

  
  
  Let’s say you are Rashad Evans and trying to relax before your UFC 88 bout with Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. Going to a movie might sound like a good idea. Perhaps he shouldn’t have picked “Pineapple Express.”
  
  "I went to a movie the other day to relax and clear my head, and I see Chuck (Liddell) on the screen," Evans says. "You can't escape him anywhere."

  Source: USA TODAY -Chuck Liddell

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  September 19, 2008

  The Sun Predicts "Chuck in 2"

  Jim Burman of the The Sun has predicted that Chuck will KO Rashad in the 2nd this weekend for UFC 88. He claims, “Renowned for his unorthodox looping punches, his resilience to take downs and his KO power, Liddell is a master of his art…A master of working angles to keep his opponents guessing, Liddell will add another victim to his highlight reel and most likely score his twelfth concussive finish with a second round stoppage victory…The only way that I can imagine Evans can win is by finding a ‘lucky shot.’”

   

  Source: The Sun UK

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  September 19, 2008

  "Chuck Can’t See a Problem with Evans"

  Yahoo Sports UK/Ireland spoke with Chuck recently about the upcoming UFC 88. "Evans is a very different type of challenge because he is very fast, goes for takedowns, and has a mentality to try and take the fight into his comfort zone.

  "I won't allow him to do that, I'll pressure him for three rounds if I have to but I think I'll knock him out."  Chuck, has also been looking past this fight to regaining his title. "I figured because I held the title for so long, I would be getting a title shot after I beat Silva but for whatever reason it didn't work out that way. So after this fight I want the title shot, yeah. I was asked about fighting Forrest when he won the Ultimate Fighter three years ago, and I said he's not ready and I'd beat him up.”

   

  Source: Yahoo UK

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  September 19, 2008

  Sports Illustrated Predicts Unanimous Decision:

  SI.com’s Josh Gross examines the Sept. 6th main event: Chuck “Iceman” Liddell vs. Rashad “Sugar” Evans. “Time and again, Liddell neutralized fighters like Evans by counterpunching while moving backwards and stopping takedowns when he needed. Even if opponents could get past Liddell's heavy hands, there was no guarantee a takedown would follow.” Gross does acknowledge that Sugar is “a good wrestler who developed an affinity for striking,“  and anticipates a methodical  striking fight.  In the end, he predicts Iceman will win out on a unanimous decision.

   

  Source: SI.com Fight by Fight Preview of UFC 88

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