MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[beau420]

- WHITE SLAMS THE DOOR ON LIDDELL VS. ORTIZ 3- MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more

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.

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.

[Sniggles]

It would make no sense to match up Liddell with Ortiz, if Ortiz won. Ortiz is still a draw and if Liddell defeats Ortiz, then there will be no comeback for Tito. Ortiz will not hold the title again but a surge up the rankings with several fights would give the UFC some co-main events in the future. Liddell does not belong with top 5 LHWs anymore and is in a worse position then Ortiz, but with both feet out the door already.

Would be a nice trip down nostalgia lane but irrelevant for a ranking aspect.

[mmawolverine]

i feel its is the best interest of chuck liddell to retire and remain as healthy as possible, fighting is taking too much out of him, am i the only one that thinks dana actually cares about chucks health. chuck gave everything he could to the fans and to the sport.

[Tyreas]

This is the ONLY fight Chuck should be allowed to come back for. Tito poses little threat to anyone at this stage in his career. This is one of those fights that would be a great headliner for a free spike show.

[McTee]

Originally Posted by beau420

- WHITE SLAMS THE DOOR ON LIDDELL VS. ORTIZ 3- MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more



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.

I completely disagree that the public is owed this fight. Why? Because they did TUF? Chuck beat Tito twice already, how many trilogies can you name that the same fighter won the first two fights and it was not a tournament style?

Do we really want to see the possibility of Tito knocking out Chuck after Liddell's chin has clearly declined, and Tito running his mouth after the fight that he was the one to retire Chuck, blah blah blah? That would be one of the worst things to happen for MMA.

If Tito says his back is repaired and better, then let him prove it against Matt Hamill and get on the path to "destroying" Shogun like he said he would on "The Voice Vs. Tito Ortiz". If Tito still has it in him and is finally healthy, good for him, but Chuck is on his way out. To give Tito the opportunity to avenge his two losses is something he doesn't deserve. Tito claims that he fought unhealthy for years, but it was his own choice. Now, he's just trying to get the last laugh when he feels that he would have the advantage.

My Dad is in his 60s now, maybe I should take him out on the front lawn and play some football now that I know that I would win. That would avenge his dominance when I was a kid, right?

[Tyreas]

Originally Posted by McTee

Do we really want to see the possibility of Tito knocking out Chuck after Liddell's chin has clearly declined, and Tito running his mouth after the fight that he was the one to retire Chuck, blah blah blah? That would be one of the worst things to happen for MMA.

The whole point of the fight is to watch Chuck knock out Tito again. Unless my memory is fuzzy, Tito was nowhere close to finishing Chuck in either fight. He was running scared the whole time.

If Tito says his back is repaired and better

This would be the 14th time Tito has said his back is repaired and better. At this point even Dana has more credibility than him.

[mma #1 fan]

[QUOTE=Degenero;762596]It would make no sense to match up Liddell with Ortiz, if Ortiz won. Ortiz is still a draw and if Liddell defeats Ortiz, then there will be no comeback for Tito. Ortiz will not hold the title again but a surge up the rankings with several fights would give the UFC some co-main events in the future. Liddell does not belong with top 5 LHWs anymore and is in a worse position then Ortiz, but with both feet out the door already.

Would be a nice trip down nostalgia lane but irrelevant for a ranking aspect.[/QUOTE]

So who cares really . Would you not watch this sport if it had no titles / Rankings ? I know I would still watch it . The UFC has lots of fights that have little to no inpact on rankings.
Chuck is just as much of a draw as Tito is as this point even if people are tuning in to see Tito get smashed or Chuck get KTFO

[foutch550]

"So who cares really . Would you not watch this sport if it had no titles / Rankings ? I know I would still watch it . The UFC has lost of fights that have little to no inpact on rankings.
Chuck is just as much of a draw as Tito is as this point even if people are tuning in to see Tito get smashed or Chuck get KTFO."

Exactly...since neither are relevant to the LHW title picture now, why not? Headline a UFN on Spike.

[The8thPlague]

I like seeing Tito get beat up, I Love It.
But why does anyone care to see a 3rd fight?
Chuck already won the first 2. It's not like it's a rubber match or anything.

[beau420]

Originally Posted by McTee

I completely disagree that the public is owed this fight. Why? Because they did TUF? Chuck beat Tito twice already, how many trilogies can you name that the same fighter won the first two fights and it was not a tournament style?

The gave Tito Ken Shamrock 3 times....but won't give Chuck Tito? Double standard.

We are owed the fight because of TUF. They advertised the shit out of it, now I want to see it happen.

If Tito does lose to Hamill, what will Tito do next? Will the UFC ditch him? Probably. Are there lesser fighters at 205 for Tito to face who he will actually have chance against? Maybe a couple, but he in no way has the skills to even be on a main card....if he loses again that will mean he is 0-4-1 in his last 5 fights. Both guys are still under UFC contract, (although Dana says Chuck will never fight in the UFC again) what will the UFC do with the 2 of them? Let them sit and collect dusk? Give them tickets to show up at fan Expos and all that?