- WHITE SLAMS THE DOOR ON LIDDELL VS. ORTIZ 3- MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more Quote:
As Tito Ortiz prepares for what might be the biggest fight in his UFC career, against Matt Hamill this weekend at UFC 121 in Anaheim, Calif., fans are still clamoring for a fight that was set up to be the main event of UFC 115 between him and longtime rival Chuck Liddell.
Coming off of neck surgery and dropping out of the June fight with Liddell, Ortiz needs a strong performance against Hamill to maintain his career at the star level he's built up over the years, but there's still that looming question of a third fight with the former UFC light heavyweight champion.
On the most recent episode of “The Ultimate Fighter," Liddell stopped by to see the newest participants on the show and of course the questions immediately came up about seeing him face Ortiz at some point down the road.
Liddell has never officially announced his retirement from the sport, but UFC president Dana White threw water on any potential rematch with Ortiz over the weekend in England.
A fan prompted White with the question asking after Ortiz faces Hamill could we see a final fight with him and Liddell.
"I don't want Chuck to fight anymore," White said. "Chuck's one of my good friends, and I don't want him to fight anymore."
Liddell looked to be in the best physical shape of his life in his last fight, against Rich Franklin in June, and he went as far as breaking the former middleweight champion's arm during the bout. Regardless of the performance, Liddell still found himself on the wrong end of yet another tough knockout, his third in a row.
There's little doubt that if the fight was an option, Liddell would likely jump at the chance to face Ortiz again. He's already finished the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" twice before. Still, White says we've seen the last of Liddell, even with the rivalry still brewing.
"Chuck's been a warrior, he's been a great champion, and a great friend and a great partner," stated White. "I don't want to see it anymore."
Liddell has been traveling over the past couple of months and when doing a Q&A at the UFC Fan Expo in Boston in August, he said he would be making some decisions soon as far as his career goes. Everyone awaits the final word from the "Iceman," but it’s clear that White has already made up his mind.
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Damn you Dana. I still feel the public is owed this fight.
Liddell did look alright fighting Rich before he got clocked....and although we don't think of Rich being a KO artist, it's more likely Rich could knock you out than Tito.
The last three opponents Tito has TKOd is Ken Shamrock. That's right, all three. Before that it was Elvis Sinosic back in 2001.
Arguably Liddell's biggest problem is his suspect jaw, but power is one of Tito's weaknesses.
And if Matt Hamill takes out Ortiz, I think they should give Tito Chuck Liddell as his next opponent. I really hope Hamill takes out Tito, but I'm not sure Hamill has the movement to do it. But if Tito loses, the UFC has to drop him....why not have him fight Liddell one last time?
If the UFC doesn't do it. I really hope that a smaller organization picks up that fight. I think the UFC should do it, make it happen as a TUF finale or a UFN fight for free on TV.
Chuck has the hunger and wants to fight. I don't want him going out there and fighting just any 205er, but I would love to see him fight Tito again. If Tito gets dropped by the UFC, Japan should jump all over this fight....make it happen.