May 29th 2013
Chuck Liddell was in Brazil a couple of weeks ago helping the UFC promote the UFC on FOX 8 event which took place in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina.
He was asked by O Globo’s Gustavo Noblat about a theoretical fight between him and middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Liddell didn’t miss a beat, showing the same confidence he had in the era when he ruled the light-heavyweight division.
“I would beat him, I always said that I would. I have the advantage in weight and height, so it would be more likely that I would beat him,” he said. “ But Anderson is one of my favorite fighters.”
As for a hypothetical fight with Chael Sonnen, who recently failed to take the light-heavyweight crown from Jon Jones, Liddell was even more emphatic. “Sonnen has nothing to offer me (in terms of risk).”
Liddell is of course retired and won’t be coming back any time soon. The former light-heavyweight champion ruled his weight class with iron fists from 2005 to 2007 and made four title defences.
As is the way of this sport, eventually Liddell declined as other fighters came up and between mid-2008 to 2010 he was knocked out three times in three fights, ending his career on an 0-3 run. He had to be forced into retirement by Dana White, his former manager, and how ostensibly has a job as an executive with Zuffa.
