With the UFC 76 showdown between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva officially squashed (the latest official write up on UFC.com being the final nail in the coffin) the former light heavyweight champion is still eager to fight in September and November, according to Yahoo!Sports.
Here’s a snip from the “Iceman:”
“I love to fight, so I’d like to do both [September and November] if they want me for both. Bottom line, there aren’t any problems for me to be ready for (November) if I have a fight in September, so I’d like to see them do it.”
The last time Liddell competed twice in such a short timeframe was back in 2003, when after his loss to Randy Couture in June, he participated in PRIDE FC: “Total Elimination” in August of that same year.
Without question, the UFC would love to accommodate his request — Liddell is hands down the biggest draw for the promotion.
The problem is, who the hell does he fight in September, let alone again in November?
When the deal fell through with “The Axe Murderer,” White indicated that there was now a scramble to find a main event for the show in Anaheim, Calif., on September 22.
The extraordinary talent of Mauricio “Shogun” Rua will already be on display. However, the Brazilian is up against the ultra tough Ryoto Machida in his Octagon debut.
Jason Lambert, according to MMAWeekly.com, is slated to appear at UFC 76 and his opponent has not been determined.
Regardless, a fight between Liddell and Lambert is hardly the attraction — or the test for Liddell — that fans are going to pay to see.
And rising 205-pounder Rashad Evans is already lined up to rematch Tito Ortiz in his next contest thanks to a disappointing draw at the recent UFC 73 event. In addition, Michel Bisping is booked to face Matt Hamill at UFC 75.
Keith Jardine is available, so too is fan-favorite Forrest Griffin — two popular contestants from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) series.
Those are the only two options on the table as far as this fan can see it. And Griffin — despite his loss to “The Dean of Mean” — seems like the more favorable option.
Unless I’m missing something, this seems like an uphill battle for the UFC and its matchmaker, Joe Silva.
It makes the prospect of a November return for Liddell seem that much more likely.
Even then it’s a tough call — perhaps the loser of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Dan Henderson at UFC 75 on September 8? Or, the loser of Rua-Machida on September 22?
Time will tell, but the prospect of Liddell fighting in September against a worthy opponent seems highly unlikely now that Silva is out of the picture.
Unless, of course, as some readers have intelligently pointed out, UFC heavyweight standout Brandon Vera decides to return from hiatus at 205.
53 Comments »
Man, is Chuck a gamer or what?
If Houston Alexander wins his next fight, I’d feed him to Chuck. That fight would be absolute dynamite. I don’t think either guy would even go for a takedown lol.
Wilson Gouveia vs Chuck Liddell
this is the second most ive been disapointed in mma(first being the first time wandy and chuck didnt go threw)this horrible news, i was hoping the yahoo sports guy didnt know what the hell he was talking about
[quote comment=”103620″]Wilson Gouveia vs Chuck Liddell[/quote]
thats a good match up, gouveia was calling out chuck after his last fight wasn’t he? what about stephan bonnar? he would probably fight chuck…neither of those guys provide a main event but those are fights for chuck to climb back up the ladder…i have no idea what the main event could be for 76, they might just have to have a card with a bunch of really good fights and no real main event, they could even add vera against sylvia or something like that…
Hell throw in any credible fighter in the 205 weight class and people are gonna want to see it. Well except for maybe Ortiz and Sobral
Over on the sherdog forums there is a post saying that Vitor wants too step in for Silva. I don’t if it is true because the poster didn’t provide a link and I looked all over for it and can’t find it. I would like to see it.
Actually it’s not that hard, and it makes total sense if you think about it.
Brandon Vera
[quote comment=”103644″]Actually it’s not that hard, and it makes total sense if you think about it.
Brandon Vera[/quote]
Vera is at heavyweight..
The huge moneymaker would be Forrest Griffen and Chuck, but I would be a little mad if I was Lambert and that happened. Their plan B if the Liddell-Silva fight didnt happen sounded like the winner of Rashad and Tito, and since there was none, there is no Plan B as well. They will probably give him Griffen. Im curious to see how many PPV buys there will be for that one with no title on the line and two huge names.
I thought it was easy too. Brandon ” The Truth” Vera. Brandon fights at HW so he doesn’t have to cut. In his recent interview he mentions all LHW’s and one HW. He’s walkin around @ 228 and still eats alot. If hes down. He’ll cut the weight. He’s wanted this fight for a long time and I hope he gets it. When he beats chuck i’ll make a youtube video w/ chuck and his girl laughing at brandon during a post fight interview transitioning to chuck on the ground in defeat.
[quote comment=”103654″][quote comment=”103644″]Actually it’s not that hard, and it makes total sense if you think about it.
Brandon Vera[/quote]
Vera is at heavyweight..[/quote]
He’s said SO many times that he can make LHW no problem.
Seriously Chuck needs to get it on…I don’t want him to be a Ken Shamrock at 44 gettin whupped up…I think hes got 2 solid years left, maybe more, but for sure 2009’s end. If he just sits and dicks around and “partys” with booze or alledged drugs(doubt the hardcore drug part, but who knows)he’s gonna get clocked again. Im slightly worried that Chuck’s celebrity is workin against him, and I hope he still has the hunger and skills.
He should fight Griffith and easily beat them, but if Im not mistaken, aren’t they kinda friends? Other than an easy Forresy, he should whoop up Vera’s ass, whose sooooo overratted its sick!
Alexander Houston vs Chuck Lidell is a good option if they haven’t over looked it.
id really like to see vera fight chuck… vera weighs in at like 218-225. chuck cuts from 240, let him make the cut and fight chuck….
if i got paid 500,000 dollars to loose. id want to fight every other month
[quote comment=”103693″]id really like to see vera fight chuck… vera weighs in at like 218-225. chuck cuts from 240, let him make the cut and fight chuck….[/quote]
Chuck cuts from 220 actualy.
[quote comment=”103693″]id really like to see vera fight chuck… vera weighs in at like 218-225. chuck cuts from 240, let him make the cut and fight chuck….[/quote]
chuck does NOT cut from 240.more like 215-218
Its a damn shame Shoguns already taken coz Id love to see Chuck destroy him.
LOL, Chuck said he wanted to fight Fedor, so let Fedor’s first UFC match be with Liddell.
That would certainly get them record buys.
[quote comment=”103693″]id really like to see vera fight chuck… vera weighs in at like 218-225. chuck cuts from 240, let him make the cut and fight chuck….[/quote]
Chuck cuts from 240? Where did you hear that?
I’d like to Cro Cop cut to LHW and fight Chuck. That fight would sell.
If any of you can remember, I said this would unfold about 5 weeks ago. Win or lose, it is time for the passing of the torch … By that I mean its now time for Forrest Griffen to be placed on the grandest of all stages. The fight would sell itself but there is a lot of story line behind it.
The fight would obviously take place in september giving them both a nice amount of rest from their previous fights, Chuck (May 26th) and Forrest (June 9th). While it is true that Jardine defeated Forrest, clearly Forrest is the better draw and overall fighter. Houston Alexander knocking out Jardine is evidence that he cant possibly fight Chuck yet, and Alexander is a work in progress.
Tito and Evans will immediately rematch one another and by September, the loser of the Rampage/Henderson match up cant fight Chuck on two weeks rest. It is so clear and obvious that this fight between Forrest Griffen and Chuck Liddel will take place make no doubt about it.
Aside from a fluke uppercut by Jardine, Forrest is flawless … We all know as fight fans that he defeated Tito Ortiz. Now we will witness a changing of the guard if Forrest does win, if he loses he loses nothing because the fight will probably be a war anyway. It is now time for the UFC to have their boy who they put time and money in to since Februrary 2005 (Griffen) shine.
The original student on TUF 1 will take on the original coach. This fight will sell itself but its a great story anyway.
Kevin “cuts” Kelly
Forrest would get his ass handed to him by Chuck. Hell he was scared in his last fight that he was going to get knock out again, what’s he going to do against Chuck.
They gave Hughes and Franklin relatively easy fights after their title losses, so giving Liddell someone easy would fit the M.O. That is, if finding a main event wasn’t their concern. But since it is, Griffin, Jardine or Vera all make sense (unfortunately for Lambert–who is likely higher ranked on the contender list after his win over Babalu–he doesn’t have the draw like those other guys). That said, it would be a cold “welcome back” for Vera, who is likely rusty after not fighting since November. Why not Thiago Silva?
it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Chuck cuts from 240. Griffin cuts from 235, 240.
I think the best fight available now is Liddel vs. Houston Alexander… just show the highlight real of him koing Jardine a few times and this fight will draw hugh ##’s
CHUCK VS.Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
I am sure Forrest Griffen woul not have his ass handed to him I mean geeezz most of you were prob all on his c0ck after his fight with Tito thinking he was the next big thing, and he may well be. A fight with Chuck now before he ages too much makes a ton of sense. From a main event standpoint, it makes sense and after all the UFC is only concerned about money. We’ve all see their true colors over the last 7 months.
I mean I guess any of the following guys you can make an arguemtn for but Id like to see Forrest fight Chuck. He is a tough guy regarless if he loses.
1. Jason Lambert
2. Keith Jardine
3. Houston Alexander
[quote comment=”103914″]CHUCK VS.Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou[/quote]
That’s what I’m talking about!!!
[quote comment=”103914″]CHUCK VS.Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou[/quote]
Strikeforce/Elite XC already signed him, unfortunately
[quote post=”2731″][quote post=”2731″][quote post=”2731″]It seems that the Heavyweights are on top and the lightweight division is slowly falling down..[/quote][/quote][/quote]
Chuck certainly doesn’t cut from 240 that’s for damn sure. Does he look like a fighter that cuts that much weight?…
Vera can easily make 205…
Crocop says he’d have to cut off a limb to make 205. For sure in his younger years he’d make it. I mean he could just about drop the weight and water but it would be a big drain. He fights around 230 and is quite lean, not Arlovski lean.
Hell chubby Eddie Sanchez could make 205 if he really had too.
BJ could come up to 205!…lol
What’s the latest on Ricardo Arona?
kevin kelly… fluke uppercut by jardine? forrest beating tito? forrest being flawless? sorry but forrest has many flaws. thats y it wasn’t a fluke upper cut by jardine. thats y tito won the fight and it was easily a 10 - 8 1st round. tito either stepped back or avoided forrest’s right hand. Forrest throws his punches w/ a bow and arrow style. easy to read cause he always has to cock it back. he doesn’t it throw it down the pipe. his chin is wide open in exchanges. so take a closer look.
I would throw some chump in september since silva is scarred to fight let chuck pound him out and regain some confidence then give him either a title shot or top contender in november if they are ready to fight.
I don’t know about forrest vs chuck
wasn’t forrest a little gun shy in his last fight, worried about his chin?
chuck might KO him and kill his confidence in his ability to take a shot.
No one else makes sense from a main event standpoint, Everyone else is scheduled to fight already or isnt big name worthy of Chuck.
Hence Forrest Griffen (Flawless meaning his record circa May 2006)
[quote comment=”103929″]I am sure Forrest Griffen woul not have his ass handed to him — after his fight with Tito you were thinking he was the next big thing, and he may well be. A fight with Chuck now before he ages too much makes a ton of sense. From a main event standpoint, it makes sense and after all the UFC is only concerned about money. We’ve all see their true colors over the last 7 months.
I mean I guess any of the following guys you can make an arguemtn for but Id like to see Forrest fight Chuck. He is a tough guy regarless if he loses.
1. Jason Lambert
2. Keith Jardine
3. Houston Alexander[/quote]
Bisping is way better then Forrest and he could not fight Chuck,Forrest vs Chuck is not even interesting,maby to you it is but for the rest of us we all know Chuck would take care of Forrest extremly quickly.
Jardine destroyed Forrest there was no luck involved in that at all.It just so happens I watched that fight for about the 1000th time and I still cant see where the luck came into play.
in my opinion eather chuck moves to heavey weight fight someone lik andrea or vera or the ufc bring in a guy from pride fc becauze there a guy who just beat ricordo arona via knouckout and knouckout noguria i think his name is sokija or sumthin but chuck should fight a top 5 fighter from pride
Kevin Kelly… are you on Griffen’s nuts?
Jardine’s uppercut was no fluke sir. If you’re a real MMA fan, you should know anyone can beat anybody no matter of the “ratings” a certain individual generates. Is Forest Griffen a star? YES… but remember this is MMA, not WWE. This is where stars are stars and new names can defeat those stars and make a name for themselves. Now with that being said, there are a ton of other individuals in the LHW division who can stand toe to toe with Liddell.
However, if you want to throw in the next name to battle Chuck,I agree with Trap One Ryan. Brandon “the truth” Vera has all the makings of making the fight against the iceman an exciting bout….
Does that make sense?
i tried to say that griffin might fight chuck but that still isn’t a main event. they need to give us matt hughes or someone chuck is cool but there no talent to take him on. keith jardine should fight in this one, but i can see how their pressed with time and all with no main event yet. i’ll be very curious to see how this is played out
i yhink chuck and forest for a huge co-mainevent and then im sure sherk might be able to pull of a fight with joe stevenson on short notice,or even better roger huerta vs sherk is a majordream match
[quote comment=”103644″]Actually it’s not that hard, and it makes total sense if you think about it.
Brandon Vera[/quote]
Vera has been talking some smack lately too. Talking about fighting 205. This fight would be huge also. Vera all of a sudden considering more 205 since Heavy div. is way too deep now. Rumors of Barnett and Fedor coming over as well. I dont see Vera beating any of these guys. He must move down to 205. A fight with Chuck would be awesome
now i am hearing it will be keith jardine vs chuck but still that is not a main event jardine lost his last fight. sherk is fighting bj in november their are no heavyweight fights on card yet. maybe andre vs brandon vera or have tim slyvia fight in this card and not oct.
andrie and vera would be awesome plus chuck and jardine(that would be a quick but cool fight).huerta needs to fight maybe jens or nate diaz,and maybe lambert and griffin
[quote comment=”104210″]i yhink chuck and forest for a huge co-mainevent and then im sure sherk might be able to pull of a fight with joe stevenson on short notice,or even better roger huerta vs sherk is a majordream match[/quote]
id much rather see melvin gulliard fight huerta, then if huerta wins hiom fight joe daddy and the win fight for the title.
BJ is getting Sherk next, not Joe stevenson. So while they fight they should have Stevenson vs Huerta for the next #1 contender spot.
with the rumors of hand feeding chuck the majority of his fights i would think the Dana would want to step the comp up and let it all go with a big Pride name!! Chuck isn’t near Coture when it comes to keeping his body clean and healthy so i want to see chuck go out with a bang before father time does catch him if it hasn’t already.. And someone tell Chuck to keeep his guard up please that punch that Rampage through should had been blocked but the hands down at your side will not work with world class striking!! Chuck is my fav fighter but i would like hime to train more like Coture and stay healthy..
I predict
Liddell
vs
Kimbo…
Jus playin..LOL
Bring on who ever Chuck will be ready
It’s pretty clear that the celebrity life got the best of Chuck during the work up to his last fight. I hope it was a wake up call. One fight against an up and comer, then Jackson one last time….
i would like to see shogun vs chuck or dan henderson vs chuck liddell but i bet thos fights wont happen for a while