UFC 97: Shogun Rua KOs Chuck Liddell

Posted Apr 18, 2009 11:28PM By Michael David Smith (RSS feed)

Filed Under: UFC

Mauricio Shogun Rua knocked out Chuck Liddell in the first round of their fight at UFC 97, perhaps ending the career of the Iceman, the most popular fighter in the history of American MMA.

UFC 97 Photos

Chuck Liddell and Shogun Rua shake hands before their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Chuck Liddell, right, punches Shogun Rua during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Chuck Liddell, right, punches Shogun Rua during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Chuck Liddell, left, punches Shogun Rua during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Shogun Rua, right, attempts to punch Chuck Liddell during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Shogun Rua takes down Chuck Liddell during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Chuck Liddell and Shogun Rua battle during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Chuck Liddell and Shogun Rua battle during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Shogun Rua pounds Chuck Liddell during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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Shogun Rua pounds Chuck Liddell during their match at UFC 97 on Saturday, April 19, 2009 in Montreal, Canada.

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More Coverage: Silva Booed | UFC 97 Results | UFC 97 Morning After: Shogun Rua
UFC.com: Get Post-Fight Interviews

Liddell, who just a couple of years ago was by far the UFC's biggest draw, has now lost four of his last five fights, and three of those four losses were ugly knockout losses. UFC President Dana White said before the fight that Liddell would have to dazzle him to show that he still belongs in the Octagon, and Liddell certainly didn't do that.

Liddell drew an enormous cheer from the crowd in Montreal after the fight and was asked whether he thinks this was his last fight.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "I had a great camp. I was in great shape. ... We'll see. I don't know."

I don't know either, but I think there's a pretty good chance Liddell is done. Rua said it best after the fight: "Liddell is a legend of MMA," Rua said.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

4-18-2009 @ 11:32PM

skeen267 said...

Chuck will still have a long shadow in the UFC.

4-19-2009 @ 12:45PM

david Topel said...

Chuck has fallen into the same category as Matt Hughes. They will ALWAYS draws a crowd, viewers, and fans based on his name alone. The game has passed Chuck by. He had Rua on the ground and had no idea what to do with him. You CANNOT be a one-dimensional MMA fighter.

4-18-2009 @ 11:52PM

Jack said...

Joe Rogan was talking like it was already decided haha, i think they are trying to force him to retire, so they can use him as a cash whore even more than before because he wont be training anymore. it'll be PR 24/7.

4-19-2009 @ 12:05AM

yamobthere07 said...

Enjoy retirement Chuck!!

4-19-2009 @ 1:04AM

Kenny Powers Fastball (PSN johnnynumber5) said...

He has been a great fighter for a long time. Trying to diminish him as if he was never a great fighter shows your ignorance of the sport.

We see the same thing in boxing all the time. Once a guy gets knocked out violently it's hard to recover from. Sadly, Chuck Liddell is nothing more than a shadow of his former self. However, it doesn't mean he was never a great fighter.

4-19-2009 @ 10:14AM

Hello Rosemary said...

damn right enjoy retyirement chuck you earned it bro. You built the octagon and UFC like it was built with your two hands. He made the UFC, he's the one who should decide when he is done not that damn dana white i think that he trying to get him to get out too and i dont think its because Dana is thinking of the long-term health or well-being of the Iceman like the other guy said its so he can be a money whore to fatten Dana Whites pockets even more than he already has since he bought the UFC and turned it into a mainstream phenomenon

4-19-2009 @ 11:14AM

tpinmc said...

It's still exciting to see that guy in the ring. When he took Shogun down everyone was pumped! Too bad he let him up. Win or lose Chuck is an exciting fighter. Retire or not, he will go down as one of the all time great MMA guys.

4-19-2009 @ 12:10AM

WHAT I SAY!! I said he was done , couldnt punch and would get ko'ed. All the so called experts on here saying "Chuck is still great " HAHAHAH WHAT A JOKE , YOU ALL WOULDNT KNOW TALENT IF IT WAS LAYED AT YOUR FEET!!

4-19-2009 @ 9:31AM

Mr. Ed said...

No one can tell what you are saying Yam. You type and spell like a moron.

4-19-2009 @ 1:39PM

James White said...

Are you serious? Chuck deserves more respect than that, you have probably never even been in a fight anywhere near the level of a professional. if you had you would be showing more respect than that,you sound like a typical hater that has no idea what he is talking about, its almost like your female or somethin you and I both know Chuck would crush any average man and most above average. At least he has the heart to continue to fight at his age and the will to push forward no matter the outcome. try being a MMA fighter and going through what we do before you get loose lipped.

4-19-2009 @ 12:29AM

fyrytur said...

He's a great fighter, great for the sport and should be thought of in that way.The past is what it is.

4-19-2009 @ 1:14AM

BLAH BLAH BLAH , He was never great, period.

4-19-2009 @ 1:19PM

swingfam1 said...

Yam,how many times has your sorry ass been in the octogon,you say we don't know talent if it was laying at our feet.why don't you just jump your fat sorry ass in with Chuck.Maybe you'll recognize talent while it's looking down at you!!!

4-19-2009 @ 1:23AM

eriebound72 said...

Unfortunately, MMA fighters have a very short "shelf life". Chuck was the man to beat just a few short years ago. Look at Matt Hughes, the best at his weight class and now he's slowly going backwards. It's just the nature of any sport. He's was a great fighter, but it's come to that point to hang it up. Maybe they should have a league where the older fighters fight each other, maybe like the seniors in pro golf do. Heck, you never know what kind of following you could get from that. I can see it now, we have a stoppage in the fight, denture's on the mat. Referee, Tim McCarthy stops the fight due to broken denture's. Just kidding. Good luck Chuck in whatever you do.

4-19-2009 @ 8:19AM

claytor said...

Lol, good joke :)

But its kind of true, really, the biggest aspect overlooked about both Hughes and Liddell is the fact that for the most part, they were one dimensional fighters. This is a constantly evolving sport, and the fighters who change with it the most will have the most success, age regardless.

Chuck helped bring MMA to the spotlight, so his accomplishments cannot be denied, still...it really looks like its time for him to step down.

Nothing wrong with being an ambassador.

4-19-2009 @ 1:36AM

mriffler said...

Chuck's a class act who helped legitimize MMA. He showed the world the sport could produce a champion you wouldn't be ashamed to introduce to your son. He is and will always remain exactly that: a Champion. No, make that CHAMPION.

4-19-2009 @ 2:00AM

SANTIAGO said...

Its time to hang it up.... Sorry man. You are not taking things serious now. It's just about the money...not the fight.

4-19-2009 @ 2:45PM

stella said...

How do you know it's about the $$$? Damn, what a thing to say. Fighters are not there because of the $$$. If you knew any real fighters, you wouldnt have said that

4-19-2009 @ 4:11PM

Good try Stella. My dad is a retired fighter... and yes, it is about the money.Good bye Chucky baby.

4-19-2009 @ 2:51AM

bohdan said...

Yeah, yambo, you and your ilk were also the ones saying Chuck needed to learn classic boxing skills. That's exactly what he changed up, and look where that got him.

Reality check: striking for boxing and striking for real fighting are radically different. What's sad is that in the days of one-discipline fighters (e.g. early UFC) boxing was one of the better, more foundational disciplines, but boxing's brain-dead aficianados are now the LAST to realize their limitations.

Oh, and the "Chuck can't punch" bullshit isn't simpl opinion that you Internet-warriors can sling around. That's something that can be emprically tested by biomedical engineers. And guess what, he can punch just as hard as any of the overhyped boxers out there.

Maybe what Dana should sink some money into is challenging boxers like Pussy-Boy Floyd to do is step up to the accelerometers and force transducers of serious kinesiology equipment. Except they're too chicken to do it when MMA fighters show they're more than comparable in punches, hella higher in kicks, and orders of magnitude short compared to something like a Rampage Jackson slam.

Boxing is never going to die. But in a few years you'll see it followed at the same level as events like amateur wrestling and judo. Which is all it ever deserved--it's just been at the top of the heap for the past few decades because post-Gotch wrestling went entertainment and MMA wasn't around yet.