Chuck Liddell

Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell is one of the most popular fighters in UFC today and is a former UFC Light Heavyweight champion.

Liddell broke into UFC in 1998 at UFC 17: Redemption, and won his debut against Noe Hernandez by decision. Liddell’s rise up the ranks was temporarily slowed in his next UFC bout when he lost to Jeremy Horn at UFC 19: Ultimate Young Guns, after Horn locked him into an arm triangle choke.

Liddell returned to the winner’s circle with a vengeance in his next UFC bout against Paul Jones, which he won by TKO. The “Iceman” won his next six UFC fights before he was finally given a title shot against Randy Couture for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. The fight did not go Liddell’s way and he lost on a third-round TKO by Couture.

After that loss Liddell took part in the PRIDE 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix. After an easy victory over Alistair Overeem in the first round of the tournament, Liddell was handed a one-sided loss by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The two fighters would meet up again four years later.

After his PRIDE loss, Liddell received his long-awaited bout with Tito Ortiz at UFC 47: It’s On! Liddell dropped Ortiz with a second-round knockout, and did the same to Vernon White in the first round of his next fight.

That fight setup a rematch with Couture for the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. In the rematch Liddell came out punching from the start and dropped Couture in the first round to win the title. Liddell then went on to make four consecutive successful title defenses against Jeremy Horn, Couture again, Renato Sobral, and in a rematch with Ortiz.

Liddell was on a seven-bout winning streak when he defended his title against the last man that had beaten him, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, at UFC 71. The fight was supposed to be about Liddell finally getting payback for the only loss he had yet to avenge. Instead Rampage delivered a huge right hand midway through the first round that sent Liddell to the canvas. The fight was stopped after Jackson began wailing on Liddell from above and Liddell lost his title.

After the loss to Rampage, Liddell’s MMA record stands at 20-4-0 with 13 knockouts and one submission.