© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
It's midday, June 23, 2006, and the day is just beginning for UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion, Chuck 'The Iceman' Liddell.
"I'm relaxing here in Las Vegas. Noontime is usually when I have breakfast. I've been doing some training with John Lewis, and I'm going to check out the finale of TUF 3," says Liddell.
Acknowledged as a great ambassador for ultimate fighting, Chuck was recently introduced to both the Assembly and the Senate of the Californian State Legislature in Sacramento, where he was recognised for his promotion of mixed martial arts and for promoting the sport's high safety standards.
Inside the Octagon, Liddell has also enjoyed a long line of success, including the defence of his light-heavyweight title against Randy Couture at UFC 57. For Chuck, this was the end of a trilogy with 'The Natural' that delivered some closure: "It showed it wasn't a fluke when I knocked Randy out, last time we fought. Now I am happy to move forward."
Previously Couture was triumphant in their first encounter at UFC 43: Meltdown. Then Liddell turned the tables and walked away with the belt at UFC 52: Couture vs Liddell 2. So what was the deciding factor at UFC 57: Liddell vs Couture 3?
"My being able to move, and not letting him get a good shot off to take me down. I just kept throwing punches and didn't let him dictate play. Taking someone down is one thing, but you have to be able to capitalise on the takedown. That's one thing I practised a lot in training: being focused, being in a good position, and making him pay afterwards. You've gotta make them pay for the takedowns," says Liddell.
Chuck, you seemed supremely confident. Do you think that was a big part of it?
"Well, it's one of those things: For a guy who just got knocked out by me, and who'd never been knocked out previously. And on the other hand, I knew then that I could knock him out for sure."
You had a foot injury. How did that come about?
"I did it training for the Randy fight. I waited till after that bout to have the surgery. It's very good now. After the operation, I started out training with shoes on. Then I went to taping it, and by the end of next
week I'll probably take the tape off as well."
Can you tell us a bit about your part in the movie Bachelor Party Vegas?
"It was fun. Someone called me up and asked me if I wanted to do it. We had a good time. I have another movie coming out by the end of summer: The Death and Life of Bobby Z, in which I play a bigger part." (see Chuck Liddell Pt.6 at knucklepit).
You visited Cage Rage in the UK with Dana White. Was that to help promote ultimate fighting internationally?
"Yes, for sure."
And do you think we will see UFC and Cage Rage exchanging fighters?
"Dana and David O'Donald were talking about Cage Rage fighters competing in the UFC, but David didn't want the UK athletes signing exclusive contracts and losing them. He was okay with UFC borrowing the athletes, but he wants them to be able to come back and fight in Cage Rage."
Your next title defence is against Renato "Babalu" Sobral at UFC 62 in August. Will he stand and bang with you?
"I don't think he'll want to, but I'm hoping not to give him a choice. It's going to be tough for him to take me down, and if I do get taken down, I'll just work my way back up, as I always do."
Tito said if he defeats Ken Shamrock, he'd like to lock horns with you again.
"There's been talk about it. I'll believe it when I see it. But, yeah, I'll be more than happy to knock him out again."
Chuck Liddell vs Randy Couture III
For more on Chuck Liddell: www.iceman.tv
For more on UFC – www.ufc.tv.
See www.knucklepit.com for more great mixed martial arts articles.
