Chuck Liddell
From Mixed Martial Arts Wiki
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Born: December 17,1969 Santa Barbara, California
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 | ||
| Weight: | 205 lbs | ||
| Reach: | 76 inches | ||
| Organization: | UFC | ||
| Fighting Out Of: | San Luis Obispo, California | ||
| Fighting Style(s): | Kickboxing/Wrestling | ||
| Team/Association: | The Pit | ||
| MMA Debut: | UFC 17: Lost to Noe Hernandez | ||
| Awards: | UFC Lightweight Champion (2005-2007) | ||
| MMA Record: 21-7-0 | |||
Charles (Chuck) David Liddell (born December 17, 1969), also known as "The Iceman", is a former American Mixed martial artist who fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A former UFC Light Heavyweight (MMA) champion, Liddell has an extensive background in Kickboxing and collegiate wrestling. He is noted within the MMA community for his exceptional takedown defense and knockout ability. He is generally regarded as a stand-up fighter, relying primarily on his background in Kempo karate and Koei-Kan karate, while using his wrestling skills to defend against takedowns. He is also regarded as an unorthodox striker due to his relaxed hands-down stance and the angles at which he throws punches.
Along with Randy Couture, Liddell is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts out of the dark ages and into the mainstream of American Pop Culture and sports. He is considered by many to posess the most devistating striking and takedown defense skills in the history of the sport. He recently retired after his loss to Mauricio Rua at UFC 97.
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Biography
Chuck Liddell began studying Koei-Kan karate at the age of 12;. Instead, Liddell would face Keith Jardine.
In the main event of UFC 76, Liddell lost a split decision to Keith Jardine, the first consecutive losses of his career. Following the fight, UFC president Dana White, who is close friends with Liddell, stated, "The Chuck Liddell that I saw fight didn't look like the Chuck Liddell that loves to fight".
On October 23, 2007 UFC president Dana White announced that a matchup between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva would finally take place at UFC 79. Liddell defeated Silva via unanimous decision.
On February 1, 2008, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua revealed that he had recently signed a contract to fight Liddell, however on March 4 it was announced on UFC.com that "Shogun" was receiving surgery on his knee and was forced to withdraw from the fight. It was later officially announced that undefeated wrestler Rashad Evans would replace Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a bout at UFC 85 in London, England. However, a hamstring injury forced Liddell to withdraw from the fight, as well..
On September 6, 2008, Liddell fought Rashad Evans at UFC 88. At 1:51 of the second round, Evans scored with an overhand right hook, Liddell's trademark punch, effectively leaving the former champion unconscious on his stomach. Chuck had simultaneously thrown a right uppercut, missing Evans' face and instead making contact with the armpit. The knockout was dubbed "knockout of the year" by MMA-website Sherdog and given "knockout of the night"-honors by the UFC.
Massive speculation before the fight in and outside of Zuffa buzzed about a potential high-dollar Light Heavyweight title affair with Liddell and Forrest Griffin on either the UFC's New Year or Super Bowl Weekend cards, but Rashad Evans' knockout victory effectively halted such rumors. Liddell has now lost 3 of his last 4 fights.
Personal life
Chuck Liddell is associated with The Pit team and recently earned a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Liddell has a brother, Sean Liddell, who also competes in MMA, fighting last in the WEC. Liddell continues to train in San Luis Obispo, CA, where he attended college. Liddell was once romantically linked to one-time UFC host, pop artist, and Playboy model Willa Ford. He has two children, Trista, 10, and Cade, 9. He and Cade appeared on the cover of ESPN The Magazine in May 2007. Chuck is engaged to his longtime girlfriend.
He is a part owner of two bars in Lincoln, Nebraska (Dillinger's and NZoneand) and the MMA social networking website, MMA Jacked.
Print media
On May 9, 2007, Liddell became the first UFC fighter to be on the cover of ESPN. Liddell also released his autobiography, Iceman: My Fighting Life, on January 29, 2008.
Acting career
Liddell has also made several film and television appearances. He appeared as "Graft" in the Pilot (Blade: The Series) episode of the TV series Blade: The Series, had a guest cameo in the first season of Inked on the A&E Network, and made a brief appearance in the 1981 film The Postman Always Rings Twice with Jack Nicholson in which he plays a boy-scout that plays with a register, and is then scolded by Nicholson. Liddell also had a very small part in the Jet Li movie Cradle 2 the Grave as one of the cage fighters, along side Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture. He also had a small appearance in the Nickelback music video for their song Rockstar. Liddell is seen in his MMA shorts and holding his fighting gloves. He also appears in another music video, "Cowards" by American Head Charge.
Liddell appeared as himself in an episode of Entourage entitled "Gotcha," which aired on April 29, 2007. In the episode, he participates in a scheme to a pull a prank on Johnny "Drama" Chase on a Punk'd-like show called Gotcha! hosted by Pauly Shore. Chuck Liddell also had a cameo in Bobby Z.
Liddell also appeared as an extra in the movie 300 and as a potential bodyguard in Drillbit Taylor.
| Title | Character | Year |
| MTV Series - Punk'd | Himself | 2007 |
| HBO Series - Entourage | Himself | 2007 |
| Bobby Z | Mad Dog | 2007 |
| Blade: The Series | Graft | 2007 |
| Bachelor Party Vegas | The Iceman | 2006 |
| Cradle 2 the Grave | Ultimate Fighter | 2003 |
| How High | Tough Guy | 2001 |
Good Morning Texas interview
In March, 2007, shortly before UFC 68, he appeared on Good Morning Texas for an interview, and to promote the film 300, but appeared to be very drowsy and fell asleep in mid-interview. UFC President Dana White, along with Liddell's head coach Scott VanGilder, explained that Liddell had Pneumonia and had taken a large dose of sedatives the night before the interview. This is just one explanation offered by Dana White. In another interview when Dana White was asked about Liddell's behavior on Good Morning Texas, he stated that Liddell had been out drinking the night before and had taken a sleeping pill when he got back to his accommodation so he would be ready for the interview the next morning.
He was named the "Most Dangerous Man" at the Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards on June 13, 2007.
MMA record
| 21 Wins - 6 Losses | |||||||
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Round | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Rashad Evans | KO (Punch) | UFC 88: Breakthrough | 2 | 1:51 | ||
| Win | Wanderlei Silva | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 79: Nemesis | 3 | 5:00 | ||
| Loss | Keith Jardine | Decision (split) | UFC 76: Knockout | 3 | 5:00 | ||
| Loss | Quinton Jackson | Knockout (punches) | UFC 71: Liddell vs. Jackson | 1 | 1:53 | ||
| Win | Tito Ortiz | TKO (strikes) | UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz | 3 | 3:59 | ||
| Win | Renato Sobral | TKO (strikes) | UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral | 1 | 1:35 | ||
| Win | Randy Couture | KO (punch) | UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 | 2 | 1:28 | ||
| Win | Jeremy Horn | TKO (verbal submission) | UFC 54 - Boiling Point | 4 | 2:46 | ||
| Win | Randy Couture | Knockout (punches) | UFC 52: Couture vs Liddell 2 | 1 | 2:06 | ||
| Win | Vernon White | KO (punch) | UFC 49: Unfinished Business | 1 | 4:05 | ||
| Win | Tito Ortiz | Knockout (punches) | UFC 47: It's On! | 2 | 0:38 | ||
| Loss | Quinton Jackson | Knockout (strikes) | PRIDE | 2 | 3:10 | ||
| Win | Alistair Overeem | Knockout (strikes) | PRIDE | 1 | 3:09 | ||
| Loss | Randy Couture | TKO (strikes) | UFC 43: Meltdown | 3 | 2:39 | ||
| Win | Renato Sobral | Knockout (head kick) | UFC 40: Vendetta | 1 | 2:55 | ||
| Win | Vitor Belfort | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 37.5: As Real As It Gets | 3 | 5:00 | ||
| Win | Amar Suloev | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 35: Throwdown | 3 | 5:00 | ||
| Win | Murilo Bustamante | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 33: Victory in Vegas | 3 | 5:00 | ||
| Win | Guy Mezger | Knockout (punch) | Pride 14: Clash of the Titans | 2 | 2:21 | ||
| Win | Kevin Randleman | KO (punches) | UFC 31: Locked and Loaded | 1 | 1:18 | ||
| Win | Jeff Monson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 29: Defense of the Belts | 3 | 5:00 | ||
| Win | Steve Heath | Knockout (head kick) | IFC WC 9 - Warriors Challenge 9 | 2 | 5:39 | ||
| Win | Paul Jones | TKO (strikes) | UFC 22: Only One Can be Champion | 1 | 3:53 | ||
| Win | Kenneth Williams | Submission (Rear naked choke) | NG 11 - Neutral Grounds 11 | 1 | 3:10 | ||
| Loss | Jeremy Horn | TKO (Arm triangle choke) | UFC 19: Ultimate Young Guns | 1 | 12:00 | ||
| Win | Jose Landi-Jons | Decision (unanimous) | IVC 6 - The Challenge | 1 | 30:00 | ||
| Win | Noe Hernandez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 17: Redemption | 1 | 12:00 | ||
Championships and accomplishments
- Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
