The Icy Implication of Chuck Liddell’s Return to MMA

Good news, fans of nostalgia fights! If you liked watching Fedor Emelianenko cream Frank Mir’s corn and seeing Vitor Belfort perform his greatest hits by getting front kicked in the face again, you may have a new option for getting your fix later this year!

Also, bad news, Bellator. You may want to keep an eye on this one…

Why? Because The Iceman cometh back, baby!

You remember “The Iceman” Chuck Liddell, right? The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion who reigned for two years and was one of the top stars when the UFC exploded in popularity following the success of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter? The man who had iconic fights with legends of the sport like Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, Rampage Jackson, and Wanderlei Silva? The man who, after losing his last three fights by knockout, retired to a comfy office job until the UFC was bought and he got laid off, precipitating a desire to resume his fighting career after 8 years because he doesn’t know what to do with himself now that he’s not being paid to sit on his ass at home?

No? Well then, to answer your question, no I don’t know when Conor McGregor is fighting again. Or when Ronda Rousey is fighting again. Or Brock Lesnar. I hate casual fans…

Anyone watching the UFC in the early-mid 2000s knows what a badass Liddell was back then. His aggressive look and heavy hands combined with a strong wrestling base (used to keep fights on the feet instead of on the ground) made for a fan friendly fighter who always provided a good scrap and almost always presented a highlight reel finish.

Chuck was the man until 2007, when the train started going off the rails and he ended up on the receiving end of those highlight reel finishes more often than being the one delivering them. After consecutive KOs to Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua, and Rich Franklin, it became too much for UFC President/Chuck’s Thunder Buddy Dana White to bare, and Chuck was given an opportunity outside the Octagon solely so he wouldn’t go back in the Octagon. Chuck hasn’t competed professionally since the Franklin fight back in 2010.

That’s about to change, though, all thanks to Oscar De la Hoya.

Considering that Dana is still allegedly making moves to find his way as a boxing promoter, it shouldn’t be too shocking to hear the opposite may be happening as well, as de la Hoya, legendary boxer and head of Golden Boy Promotions, may be getting into the MMA business, and he’s bringing Liddell with, as a business partner and as a fighter.

That’s right. Liddell is looking to fight again and, if he does, it’s going to be for de la Hoya.

What the hell, Oscar? How could you do that to Dana? Chuck is his best friend, or at least he was until Endeavor gifted Dana $300 million and the chance to run a $4 billion company.

Maybe if Oscar buys an ESPN+ subscription, they can call the whole thing even.

Either way, you know people are going to tune in to see Liddell’s return to MMA, even if it’s going to happen 8 years after the point anyone still wanted to see him fight and even if it’s going to be against Tito Ortiz.

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that Liddell-Ortiz 3 may still happen. In 2018. This is real life.

The first two fights were hugely successful for the UFC but they were also fights that took place in 2004 and 2006. There are kids on this planet with learner’s permits who didn’t exist the first time these two fought. That’s not as bad as Gracie-Shamrock 3 but still…

Also, as you all so astutely remember, Chuck is 2-0 in this rivalry, finishing Tito with punches both times they fought. Of course, Tito is currently sitting on the prettier side of the age divide in the potential matchup, not to mention his last fight was last year, whereas Chuck hasn’t fought in 8 goddamn years.

In other words, if Tito is looking to get one on The Iceman, now’s the time to do it. Now’s also the most pathetic time to do it, at a point when no sensible MMA fan would approve of it happening, even though we all will ultimately tune in if it does, propagating the freak show business model that’s keeping Scott Coker employed, but still.

As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold, rotting, and emitting an odor so foul the EPA would likely classify it as hazardous waste.

Get your tickets now is what I’m saying. I sure hope Chuck has been practicing his eye pokes.

Ortiz was interviewed by TMZ, the most trusted name in news *WINK*, about the matchup and, while he wouldn’t provide details about when or where the fight may take place (other than October or November), he did say a third fight with Liddell, one that would have happened in 2010 if not for Tito pulling out due to injury, as “The hugest in MMA history.”

The hugest? Well done, Tito. President Trump appreciates your support.

While I doubt the fight will be as huge as Tito expects it will, it could be fun seeing a boxing-style world tour done for an MMA fight, similar to what was done for the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor boxing fight but hopefully with less racism and anime references.

Personally, I think the idea of de la Hoya, or any boxing promoter, making a play in the MMA game is great. Healthy competition is what drives most industries forward so seeing a new threat to the UFC’s crown may result in them stepping their game up and producing some more top shelf fights and, if we’re lucky, the fighters may even get paid more. I know, right?

While I don’t think Liddell-Ortiz 3 is a fight anyone in 2018 should be trying to promote, there’s no question there’s an audience for it. There’s enough of us old but not too old school fans who will eat this fight up, especially if it’s available on a platform that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg (or requires me to get UFC Fight Pass).

There’s also plenty of newer fans who saw Georges St-Pierre squeeze the career out of Michael Bisping who I’m sure would love the chance to see another MMA legend compete again. It may not make “hugest fight in MMA history” kind of money but, if promoted well and towards the right audience, it can make some serious bank.

I’m honestly not too troubled by the fight. I’ve never been one to want to say when a fighter should or shouldn’t fight. I don’t know any of them personally and would hope that either they or the people closest to them know what’s best for them. I think it’d be pretty sad to see a 48 year old Liddell come back after all this time away, when he has nothing to prove and still has most of his wits intact, but I wouldn’t be the one to tell him no if this is really what he wants to do. If he wants to tarnish his legacy and whatever goodwill he’s managed to hold on to with fans for all these years, that’s on him.

I just hope he’s not holding on to the hope of fighting Jon Jones after 2 tune up fights like he said. Unless UFC lets Jones go between now and then, which isn’t happening even if Jones gets a lengthy suspension for his drug test failure that’s still pending, I wouldn’t expect that fight to ever happen. Maybe Chuck should just focus on winning one fight. That seems like enough of a challenge at this point.

And if he can’t do that, maybe he can at least rebuild enough of his celebrity to get a spot on Hollywood Game Night or something. I mean, he was on Dancing with the Stars. Hanging out with Jane Lynch should be all he, or anyone, needs to be happy in retirement. Enjoy it.

Evan Zivin has been writing for 411 MMA since May of 2013. Evan loves the sport, and likes to takes a lighthearted look at the world of MMA in his writing…usually.