Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell turns 45 this Wednesday (17). Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
45 years ago, on December 17, 1969, in Santa Barbara (California, USA), Charles David Liddell, or Chuck Liddell, as he would later become internationally recognized, was born. Raised by his mother and maternal grandfather, little Chuck was exposed to martial arts at a young age, first boxing and then karate. As an adult, Liddell also practiced kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, and it was precisely this mix of skills that made him one of the most successful MMA fighters of all time.
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The now Hall of Famer made his debut in the sport in 1998, at UFC 17, beating Noe Hernandez by unanimous decision from the judges. In the following years, Liddell alternated between fighting in Ultimate, in the Japanese PRIDE and some smaller events, but always with significant success.
But the glory for the “Iceman”, as he is known, came in 2005, when he beat Randy Couture, who would become his nemesis in one of the most memorable rivalries in UFC history, and became light heavyweight champion. Chuck would successfully defend the belt four times before losing it to Quinton. Rampage.
Even without the belt, and already in the final stretch of his career, Liddell, famous for his mohawk haircut and characteristic tattoo on the side of his head, still had time to shine one last time, by beating the Brazilian Wanderlei Silva in a three-round battle voted “Fight of the Year 2007”. After the triumph, Chuck suffered three other defeats and permanently retired from MMA in 2010.
Chuck Liddell retired with a professional record of 21 wins and eight losses. More than half of the “Iceman’s” triumphs came by knockout or technical knockout. Liddell also holds the record in Ultimate and is the fighter who sent the most opponents to the canvas in the organization, with 13 knockouts in the octagon.
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