Goodnight Chuck, It's Been Fun

At UFC 115 in Vancouver, BC Chuck Liddell fought with ferocity and varied his attack against Rich Franklin beautifully until his night ended abruptly as it has a tendency to do lately. Chuck was in phenomenal physical condition and was en route to smashing the former Middleweight Champion by mixing punch combinations, kicks, and a perfectly executed take-down. Liddell still had the defensive holes that have always been present in his game, but he looked more polished and refined than he has in a long time.

Chuck has always been able to hang with the best in the game even when partying with hoochies too much stifled his progression as a mixed martial artist, but he now has one problem that cannot be fixed or strengthened; his chin. Quinton Jackson knocked his jaw loose in the rematch that cost Chuck his title and it would never be what it was from that point forward.  If the hook that 'Page' connected with wasn't enough to do the trick, Rashad Evans ensured that anything of substance to land even remotely clean on Chuck's dome would be lights out for the count.



Saturday night was a sad but expected ending to a storied MMA career for the "Iceman" as Franklin KO'd him with a punch that the Liddell of old would have walked straight through without batting an eyelash. As good as he looked at the start of the contest this was not the Chuck of old, at least not his chin. Before the KO, Chuck was displaying some beautiful violence that had me on the edge of my seat in shock that I was actually seeing a good scrap between the two legends. I expected Franklin to slowly stalk Liddell and get a decision win over the Lightheavygreat, but the good thing about Chuck is that his style doesn't allow for boring fights.

All legends fade eventually, but Liddell went out on his shield like a true warrior and will be remembered by his fans for as long as they are fight fans. Liddell has given fans plenty of of highlights and became a fan favorite and celebrity bringing exciting fights and knockouts to the UFC by using his wrestling to keep grapplers out of their element and knock them out. Liddell fascinated onlookers and brought tons of eyes to the burgeoning sport of MMA in North America. Some people may not care for Chuck's mohawk'd persona or fight style, but the sport is truly better off for him having been a part of it.

Good luck Chuck, and thanks for the concussive memories!