The Return of "The Iceman": Chuck Liddell Considers His Next Move

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

“I still love fighting. I don’t know what we’re going to come up with. I’m going to start spending a lot of time training guys or get back in there—one of the two.

“Why would anyone even want to see me fight Kimbo? I have no interest in that fight. Whatever. It is what it is. I guess I’d do it, if that’s who I had to fight to come back.

“I needed some time off; Dancing with the Stars actually gave me something to concentrate on and get in shape on. I just want to get back in shape and stay in shape and start training with people and see what I want to do.

“Dana (White) wants me to look at it, to see how I feel in the gym. I always told him, I want to make that decision in the gym, so I want to get back there and move around with some people and see how I feel. If I feel good, I’m going to keep fighting to come back.”

According to the above quotes from Chuck Liddell in a Sherdog radio interview, "The Iceman" may soon be mounting somewhat of comeback, though, officially, he has yet to retire.

Liddell is the former 205-pound light heavyweight champion of the elite promotion known as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, yet that statement says very little regarding the importance of this once-great, now-legendary kick-boxing-style cage-fighter.

Liddell's name has become synonymous with the UFC and all good things associated with the ever-growing and continuously popular sport of mixed martial arts.

His famous epic fight trilogy with Randy Couture made him a house-hold name, a man's man, and I am extremely proud to admit that—at one point—this writer was one of his biggest fans.

A wide-punching pressure fighter with knockout power in either hand, the Iceman rarely took a backward step and very rarely ever lost.

Still, Father Time catches up with every one of us; he takes no hostages, and even though one may not wish to hear it, there comes a time in every man's life when he must face the music.

It happens to the best of us, and Liddell—even though he was once a great fighter and an extremely well-conditioned athlete—is certainly not exempt from this well-written rule.

This light heavyweight brick-throwing knockout artist, once arguably the best cage-fighter in the sport, started looking, and acting, like a past-prime fighter.

Throwing one punch at a time, without a jab or kick to set it up.

Leaving himself wide open for counter punches, which were signs as real as two flashing amber warning lights.

Worst of all, The Iceman was making amateurish mistakes that led to repetitive and extremely concussive knockouts.

To his high-profile boss, UFC president Dana White, it was worse, a red light of sorts, because as much as he wanted to ignore it...he also knew that his friend's great fighting career needed to come to an abrupt end—and soon.

So for once, most of us agreed with White; Liddell's razor-sharp reflexes had diminished and dulled considerably. Sadly, Father Time had caught up to him.

Yet, he was given one last chance against a former Pride FC star, who, for whatever reason, was also coming off back-to-back dreadful performances in the UFC.

Liddell faced off against a man whom he could have beaten easily five years previous—Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. A fighter who had been choked out by Forrest "Gump" Griffin and who struggled against the virtual cage-fighting antique and MMA pioneer Mark Coleman.

Liddell failed the test in the worst way possible. The Iceman was knocked out cold by a punch he should have easily slipped; it seemed to be highly telegraphed by Rua, yet Liddell's failing reflexes wouldn't allow him to perform the instructions that his brain was sending.

So instead of stepping to the side and slipping it—as he once would have—the punch met his jaw with a sickening thud and Liddell was out of business.

White had seen enough, so the UFC president acted on his own instincts and, almost like a concerned parent, instructed Liddell that his fighting career in the UFC was a done deal.

So now, after being knocked out once again, only this time out of contender-ship for a prize-winning TV dance competition, The Iceman once again comes to the crossroads of his long and successful fighting career.

Let's be honest, no matter what White would have us believe, the final decision will be up to Liddell, but if it were up to his fans, here is one vote for the Iceman's continued retirement.

Liddell has lost four of his last five fights, so who among us would actually pay to see our former UFC fighting hero continue to get embarrassingly knocked out by the UFC's subpar light heavyweight opposition.

Not I.

Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to speak to The Icemen, but if I did, I would say chill, enjoy your life, relax, my man—take that much-deserved vacation, go see the world.

You are rich, and at 40 you are most certainly still young enough enjoy your life without being punched in the head by some wannabe champion whose desire is only to make a name for himself by defeating you.

The decision is yours, but please take a good long look at your fight record; you are getting hit far too much and too often. The wins just aren't there anymore, and there are many justifiable reasons for that.

If the choice were mine, I'd toss the four-ounce gloves in the trash, go grab the best looking woman around, and keep on dancin'.

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