As it stands, however, this short, magnificent brawl between two of the legends of the sport will go down as one of the greatest knockouts, as well as one of the greatest fights, in the division’s history.Elise Reed Talks About UFC 279, UFC London Experience and Mindset When Stepping Into The Octagonįormer UFC fighter Chuck Liddell and his estranged wife are currently pursuing a custody battle involving their two children. It was bittersweet for Franklin, and fans watching around the world, to see “The Iceman” knocked out for the fourth time in six fights. Liddell lay splayed out on the canvas, his upper lip split in two from the impact. Franklin responded by catching Liddell flush on the chin and knocking him out cold with a short right hand. But “The Iceman” recklessly charged in during the final ten seconds of the round, mistakenly believing Franklin to be on shaky legs. Under the circumstances, Liddell would have perhaps worn Franklin down and defeated him had he escaped the first round. In the middle of the opening round, it was later revealed, Liddell broke Franklin’s left forearm, severely limiting his offensive ability (Franklin is a Southpaw). Mixing sharp, accurate striking with brutal takedowns, he continuously pressed the action on Franklin while keeping himself out of danger. With both fighters primarily knockout artists, this one was sure to be a slugfest.įor almost the entire first round, Liddell looked better than he had in years. Pictures leaked online in the weeks leading up to the fight showed a cut and shredded Liddell, one that finally looked to be taking his training as seriously as his legacy in the sport.

Heading into the fight, speculation ran rampant about how Liddell would look in his first trip to the Octagon in over a year. Liddell, on the other hand, had been on a downward athletic spiral since a knockout loss to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in 2007. following the loss of his title to Anderson Silva at middleweight.

Franklin was looking to ply new waters at 205 lbs. When the two legends met in the main event of UFC 115 in 2010, both fighters were at a crossroads. Rich Franklin, while not on the same level of stardom as Liddell, also holds a place of prominence at his more natural weight class of 185 lbs., as a former champion with an enviable hit list of top-ranked fighters. As one of the longest-reigning Light Heavyweight Champions in Ultimate Fighting Championship history, Liddell became the first true crossover MMA superstar during his reign from 2005-2006. When MMA fans look back on the first decade of the new millenium, Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell will hold a special place of prominence.

Chuck liddell the iceman