Chuck Liddell – The Iceman Of Mma, Part 1

One of the most well known names in the world of mixed martial arts is the Ultimate Fighting Championship, more simply referred to as the UFC. The UFC has been a place for many fighters to show their skills and gain fame as professional fighters. One of the more prominent names in the sport of UFC is Chuck Liddell.

Liddell started his martial arts training at age 12. Liddell fights out of San Luis Obispo, California. He is a California born and raised fighter. He went to college at California Polytechnic State University where he wrestled and graduated with a major in accounting. Despite his accounting degree, Liddell worked as a bouncer and bartender before he started his full-time fighting career.

Chuck made his first appearance in the UFC in 1998 fighting in UFC 17. He made his way up the ranks and by 2002, Liddell was the number one contender for the light heavyweight title, which was held by the controversial Tito Ortiz. Liddell and Ortiz had trained together at the Pitfight Club and had a falling out. Ortiz was unwilling to give Liddell a shot at the title, so Liddell was instead scheduled to fight Randy Couture, a veteran of the UFC and former heavyweight champion.

Liddell lost to Couture and Couture later beat Ortiz and became the light heavyweight champion. It was only after Ortiz lost the title that Liddell finally got to fight his bitter rival. In UFC 47, Liddell knocked Ortiz out with a series of brutal punches to claim victory for himself.

In UFC 52, Liddell once faced off against the veteran fighter and light heavyweight champion, Randy Couture. This time, Liddell knocked out Couture and claimed the light heavyweight title. Couture announced his retirement following his loss of the title. Liddell successfully defended the light heavyweight title four more times before he lost the belt to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in UFC 71. Liddell had held the light heavyweight champion belt for just over two years.