Chuck Liddell life and biography

Chuck Liddell is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive striking background in Kempo, Koei-Kan karate and kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling. As of his retirement, Liddell has had 23 fights in the UFC. Along with fellow UFC fighter Randy Couture, Liddell is widely credited for bringing mixed martial arts into the mainstream of American sports and entertainment. On July 10, 2009, he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. In 2009 he competed on season nine of Dancing with the Stars. During the course of his career Chuck has defeated some of the all time greats of MMA including Wanderlei Silva, Randy Couture (Twice), Tito Ortiz (Twice), Babalu (Twice), Jeremy Horn, Alistair Overeem, Vitor Belfort, Guy Mezger, Kevin Randleman and Murilo Bustamante.

Charles David Liddell Liddell began training in Koei-Kan karate when he was 12 years old, though he’s best known for his association with the Kempo Karate style taught by John Hackleman. Hackleman’s style relies less on katas than “natural fighting techniques and conditioning,” according to its inventor. Along with this, there is a tattoo that reads “Kempo” on Liddell’s shoulder.

Liddell was also a Division 1 wrestler at Polytechnic State University and currently owns a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is now one of the most popular MMA fighters in the world.

Chuck Liddell has been about two things throughout his MMA career: stuffing takedowns and knocking people out. He has world-class power in both hands and some of the best takedown defense that the 205 pound division has ever witnessed.

Though Liddell trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, he almost never takes anyone down in an attempt to use it.

Chuck Liddell defeated Noe Hernandez in his MMA debut at UFC 17 on May 15, 1998, by decision. Two fights later he was defeated by Jeremy Horn via Arm Triangle Choke. From there came a 10 fight winning streak that saw Kevin Randleman, Guy Mezger, Jeff Monson, Murilo Bustamante, Amar Suloev, Vitor Belfort, and Renato “Babalu” Sobrall all fall to him. In and around the end of that streak is when the Tito Ortiz problem began to surface.

From 2000-02, Tito Ortiz was the UFC’s big ticket item. His powerful wrestling and ground and pound tactics really hit a chord with fight fans everywhere. That said, eventually Liddell emerged as the number one contender to Ortiz’s light heavyweight title. However, Ortiz, based on what he deemed to be a friendship between he and Liddell, refused to fight the Iceman. On the flip side, Liddell didn’t seem to feel the same warmth toward Ortiz. He wanted his shot at the title. Eventually, the UFC put together an interim title fight between Randy Couture and he when Ortiz continually refused to take him on.

Most believed that Couture was washed up when these two outstanding mixed martial artists met on June 6, 2003, at UFC 43. But Couture proved the naysayers wrong by way of a third round TKO victory. Later, Liddell would avenge his loss against “The Natural” with a first round KO of him at UFC 52 and a second round KO again at UFC 57. The first of Liddell’s victories over Couture came after the two had served as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 1, a reality television show. It also finally netted him the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, a title that he would hold for four consecutive fights following that.

After Liddell lost to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the PRIDE Grand Prix on November 19, 2003, the bad blood between he and Ortiz was finally settled at UFC 47, previous to him winning the title against Couture in their second contest. Ortiz did not implement his usual game plan of takedowns and ground and pound, instead preferring to strike with his adversary. Bad move. Liddell eventually unleashed a terrific flurry on him, scoring a second round KO victory. Later at UFC 66, Ortiz would attempt to implement his normal game plan against the then champ to no avail in a rematch. He fell again by TKO in round three.

In a gutsy move by UFC President Dana White, Liddell traveled to Japan to fight in PRIDE’s Middleweight Grand Prix, a single elimination contest, after his loss to Couture at UFC 43. White was so confident that Liddell would take home the title from the rival organization that he reportedly placed a large bet on him. Unfortunately for White, when the Iceman met up with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the second round of the tournament, he succumbed by second round TKO. Years later when PRIDE fell, Jackson came to the UFC and took Liddell's light heavyweight title at UFC 71 by first round TKO.

Chuck Liddell Loses to Rashad Evans:
Most people thought that if Liddell’s fight against Rashad Evans at UFC 88 stayed standing, Evans was in trouble. Not so. With one of the greatest knockout punches in UFC history, Evans dropped his opponent with a damaging right hand that left him out cold, making Liddell's road to regaining the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship belt he lost to Quinton Jackson at UFC 71 much more difficult.

Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79: This long awaited fight between the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Former PRIDE Champion finally materialized at UFC 79. Liddell won a close decision in a fight where both combatants brought their A game.

Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture at UFC 52: Liddell had been dominated in their earlier match up. Beyond that, the hype was huge in this one as a whole new audience, via TUF 1, tuned in to see how these two TUF 1 coaches would fare against one another. One first round right hand later, and the Iceman was the new champion.

Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz at UFC 47: When these two finally entered The Octagon together, the tension was so high that you could cut it with a knife. Ortiz's decision to mostly stand with Liddell allowed the Iceman to connect with an amazing flurry in the second round on his way to a KO victory.

Acting career

Liddell has also made several film and television appearances. He appeared as himself in the movie Bachelor Party Vegas, He appeared as "Graft" in the pilot episode of the TV series Blade: The Series, had a guest cameo in the first season of Inked on A&E, and made a brief appearance in the 1981 film The Postman Always Rings Twice with Jack Nicholson.

Filmography:

Blue Mountain State
Drillbit Taylor
MTV Series - Punk'd
HBO Series - Entourage
The Death and Life of Bobby Z
Blade: The Series
Bachelor Party Vegas
Cradle 2 the Grave
How High

In March 2007, shortly before UFC 68, he appeared on Good Morning Texas (Texan version of Good Morning America) for an interview, and to promote the film 300, but appeared to be very drowsy and fell asleep in mid-interview. The Interview ended when Liddell asked the host who he would like to fight. 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 behaviour 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.

Liddell has served briefly as a spokesperson on behalf of Monitronics, a security system company.

He is currently sponsored by Iceman Fight Gear- a brand designed with his input.

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