Did We Just Witness Chuck Liddell’s Last Fight? [UFC 115]

Chuck Liddell carved his legend in the UFC through years of unorthodox striking, patience in the octagon, and vicious counter punching.

Saturday night in Vancouver, British Columbia, The Iceman’s career may have been brought to an end by, ironically, a vicious counter punch courtesy of Rich Franklin at UFC 115.

Liddell came into the fight confident, claiming that he planned on knocking Rick Franklin out. Franklin, a former middleweight champion fighting in his first fight at 205 pounds, looked crisp, quick, and confident from the opening bell.

Liddell pushed the pace, and caught Franklin with a multitude of solid strikes, but Franklin kept his composure and waited for his opportunity. Liddell whipped a leg kick that Franklin blocked with his left arm. Franklin’s arm swelled up immediately, and we learned after the fight that the arm was broken.

With seconds left to go in the opening round, Liddell staggered his opponent with a series of blows and pushed Franklin into the cage. Liddell missed with a wild overhand right, and Franklin countered with a devastating right hook that landed right on the button, dropping The Iceman for what many believe to be the final time in his illustrious fighting career.

Light’s out. Franklin wins by first round knock out in his light heavyweight debut.

Since 2007, Chuck Liddell has one win in the UFC, a unanimous decision against Wanderlei Silva. Paired with that single win is 5 losses, 4 of which were by knock out.

While Liddell looked solid on Saturday night by pushing the pace and scoring well on the judges score card in the opening round, ultimately this fighter is not who he once was.

Liddell’s chin has become much more pedestrian, and susceptible to getting knocked out. His wild striking angles and counter punches are coming a second slower than they did before, and his knockout power just isn’t there anymore.

New-age MMA fans may have seen Chuck’s last few fights, and label him as no good. This could not be further from the truth.

Liddell’s record of 18-2 from January of 2000 until January of 2007 is unprecedented in the light heavyweight division. He was the face of the UFC, and brought in hoards of fans year in and year out.

What Chuck Liddell did for this sport was as paramount to it’s success as anyone outside of Dana White and the Zuffa company.

Though he has not looked it in his last few fights, Chuck Liddell should be viewed by the MMA community as one thing, and one thing alone.

An icon.