What if...

Chuck Liddell still wanted to fight despite the UFC and Dana White's public comments regarding the end of Liddell's fighting career.

Ben Fowlkes recently posed the question whether Dana White's actions constitute guardian angel or hostage taker. After all Liddell has one fight left on his contract and the UFC could simply not offer him another fight and Chuck would be trapped in contractual limbo.

If Liddell truly wanted to continue his career - possibly to obtain a big pay check from Strikeforce or another promotion - then he would have to assemble a legal team and fight for the right to fight.

It is an interesting predicament that would most likely end up in the courts. How long would such a case take and how would the courts rule? Both questions are important.

With regards to the temporal issue, if it appeared that a court couldn't rule within a year then it is conceivable that Liddell would pass on that option and fade into retirement or wait for a comeback.

Now if the courts could move quickly who would they rule in favor of?

Personally it seems that the UFC would be on shaky legal grounds. If someone is a contract employee but you are actively denying him the ability to fulfill said contract how can that contract remain in good faith?

That would make Liddell a free agent and able to cash in on a mega fight with one of the fighters outside the UFC.

Of course this is all speculation and mute with Liddell's likely retirement  but that doesn't mean it isn't fun to prognosticate.