There was no Romance in Chuck Liddell's Latest Loss

by Zak Woods on Jun 14, 2010 11:14 AM EDT in Opinion

(Sad Walrus)

Chuck Liddell's latest knockout loss has all but assured his retirement. Yet, for whatever reason many are attempting to shower the latest knock out loss with romanticism: "Liddell went out like a champion", "he went out the way he would've wanted to" or " it might even be the perfect ending to a great career." It's almost as if they were changing Custer's Massacre in Custer's Last Stand.

That type of language makes us feel better about what we saw -- a man bloodied and beaten.

Ben Fowlkes wrote that, "the truth is that all real fighters need to be beaten into retire men," and he is correct. Fighters often need to be beaten into retirement but that doesn't make it right or acceptable. It's tragic and horrific that they and the rest of us can't let go until the point where chronic physical degradation is all but assured.

Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports compared this fight to the boxing bout between Larry Holmes and Muhammad Ali. Many believe that the punishment Muhammad took in that fight directly contributed to his mental degradation and the onset of Parkinson's.

In that vein a dark foreboding cloud hangs over Liddell's final moments inside the cage. Will this be a moment we look back on in disgust at our complicity? The truth of the matter is that we don't yet know what the long-term effects of being a MMA fighter are and that's what makes this result so unnerving.

Last night may have been "The Iceman's" final moments inside the Octagon but we will have to wait and see if it will be his final battle.

SBN coverage of UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin

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So Dana Garuntees?

So who believes that anyway…but the way the contracts are, after a certain amount of time of non promotion, Chuck can sue his way free of any legal restriction to him fighting for the UFC. So that opens him up to ImpacFC or SF or some other company willing to book. Im concerned for him (and all fighters hitting the twilight) that he will do what Royce Gracie, or more recently Jens Pulver, both of whom fough well after their prime, which tarnished their contribution earlier in their career. I think if Chuck were to publically com out tomorrow and say, yep I am done, however, I want one more fight with Tito. Ive earned it. I want to punish this idiot, and win or lose, I want one more chance to show the world Chuck Liddell.
I think we might be more willing to go along with one more fight under those conditions, otherwise, Chuck is likely to pursue other opportunities that will only futher hurt his image and his health.

by Amsterdamage on Jun 14, 2010 11:41 AM EDT reply actions

This was fucking No Country for Old Men

You know?

Everything sucks, nobody is happy, nothing is resolved in a way that leaves you feeling settled.

Last time I used this reference was when Badr Hari stomped on Remy Bonjasky, as it made perfect sense at the time. Best WGP in years and the ending was just like the good guy gets stomped on, the bad guy was losing and cheated, the biggest tournament of the year and there is a non-finish. We all walk away going, ‘wow, did that just happen?’

This wasn’t a happy ending. This was a guy who shouldn’t be fighting refusing to give up.

This was ‘The Wrestler.’

Chuck went for that diving headbutt and got his neck broken.

Head Kick Legend
Twitter @HeadKickLegend

by Dave Walsh on Jun 14, 2010 11:46 AM EDT reply actions