Will The Iceman Cometh Back...or Melt Away?

There is currently much abuzz right now regarding the demise of the Iceman. Many people say he’s not a viable competitor any more. I'm not convinced that Liddell is done just yet and he still has the ability to save his legacy and career. I believe his future is not set yet, and will largely be decided by his fight with Shogun. He's dropped three of his last four, but it is important to look at those fights individually.

First (recent) loss Quinton Jackson- Arguably #1 OR #2 lhw in the world. There's no shame in that loss, and his first since his first fight with Randy.

Second Loss Keith Jardine- I admit I was in attendance for this one and thought he was done. Jardine is a tricky guy with some brutal kicks. Chuck did not show up to this fight. I believe it was this fight that proved he would probably not reach a title again.

A win Wanderlei Silva- This fight showed he still had a level of intensity not seen in a while by Chuck. He went the distance and looked brilliant in doing so. If my memory serves me correctly, he even got a takedown, or at least had a damn good attempt. He proved that he's still got an ability to fight.

Third loss Rashad Evans- He's the champ right now. Nobody has been able to beat him yet. Who knows, he could go on to be the new Chuck? I also seem to recall Chuck winning until he was caught. It’s also important to remember that this was not a fight where Chuck was fighting for a job, but rather a title shot.

Two of his losses have come to very elite competition. The other loss came at the leg kicks of man who has proved to be trouble to many elite competitors.  Chuck still has some fight left in him. He still, for the most part, shows up to fight. He is not in danger of becoming a Shamrock at this point.

He wouldn’t be the first good fighter to hit a skid. That being said, if he does hope to maintain his elite status, he needs a very dominant showing against Rua. If he wins dominantly, he remains a force in the 205 division and can legitimately be matched up against contenders.

If he loses however, I think he probably should hang up the gloves. It would prove that Chuck just cannot be a dominant fighter anymore. Chuck has proven all he needs to prove.

This fight may determine how The Iceman will age. He can evolve as a fighter and find new ways to win, and become a Couture. He could prove that he doesn’t have it anymore but ignore the signs his body are giving him and become a Shamrock. I truly hope it is not the latter. If it is, however, I hope he retires with dignity, rather than destroying his legacy in sideshow attractions. Coming back after losing 3 of 4 is not undoable, but 4 out of 5, that’s pushing it in my view.

Does chuck still have it? We’ll soon see.