A number of fighters who paved the way for the modern era were included in our ranking of the 30 greatest UFC fighters, but was it enough?
The UFC’s 30th anniversary date has come and gone, and in the build-up to the milestone date, MMA Junkie counted down its 30 greatest fighters of all time to compete for the promotion.
There was plenty of debate about the entire list from top to bottom, and one of our big talking points was the inclusion of pioneers.
The final list was tabulated through a points system after voting from MMA Junkie’s 12-person staff. Guys considered to be pioneers who made our list were [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag] (No. 11), [autotag]B.J. Penn[/autotag] (No. 12), [autotag]Royce Gracie[/autotag] (No. 14), [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] (No. 18), [autotag]Matt Hughes[/autotag] (No. 21), and [autotag]Tito Ortiz[/autotag] (No. 25).
On a special edition of “Spinning Back Clique,” the majority of our staff members came together to discuss and debate the finer points of the list. Did enough fighters who paved the way for the modern era make our list?
Check out the discussion in the video above, or watch the entire 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time podcast below.
To commemorate the UFC’s 30th anniversary, this is our definitive list of the promotion’s 30 greatest fighters of all time.
To commemorate the UFC’s 30th anniversary, MMA Junkie has compiled its definitive list of the 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. We revealed one every day until the anniversary of UFC 1, which took place Nov. 12, 1993.
Our complete rankings, along with videos for each fighter, can be viewed below.
About the list: All 12 members of our staff submitted their own individual 30 greatest UFC fighters list. Each fighter was assigned a corresponding numerical value based on where they were ranked on an individual’s list, i.e. No. 1 = 30, No. 2 = 29, etc. We took those numbers and added them up to get a total number for each fighter to determine the composite ranking of MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time.
Chuck Liddell’s epic UFC run and signature look led “The Iceman” to become MMA’s first mainstream star – and on our list of the 30 greatest fighters.
The UFC is celebrating its 30th year and to commemorate the milestone, MMA Junkie has compiled its 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time. Every day until the anniversary of UFC 1 on Nov. 12 (1993), we will reveal one fighter on our list.
Today, MMA Junkie Radio host Brian “Goze” Garcia brings you No. 18: [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag].
You can watch Garcia’s career retrospective on Liddell above; video produced by Ken Hathaway.
About the list: All 12 members of our staff submitted their own individual 30 greatest UFC fighters list. Each fighter was assigned a corresponding numerical value based on where they were ranked on an individual’s list, i.e. No. 1 = 30, No. 2 = 29, etc. We took those numbers and added them up to get a total number for each fighter to determine the composite ranking of MMA Junkie’s 30 greatest UFC fighters of all time.
Only the most astute fans woke up thinking about one of the most important anniversaries in MMA: Chuck Liddell on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Chuck Liddell and Anna Trebunskaya
Only the most astute MMA fans woke up Thursday with their minds on one of the most important anniversaries in the sport.
Wait. Did we say “most”? We probably meant “least.”
Either way, some of us are wondering how the hell it’s been 14 years since [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] debuted on Season 9 of “Dancing with the Stars.”
Wait. Did we say “some of us”? We probably meant “nearly none of us.” Oh, fine. One of us: Me. There’s no shame in loving the ballroom.
Liddell, at the time, still was an active fighter in the UFC, though the former light heavyweight champion was mired in a 1-4 slump that started when he lost the belt to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in May 2007.
After DWTS, “The Iceman” fought one more time in the UFC and was knocked out in the first round by Rich Franklin at UFC 115. He returned nearly five years ago for a one-off fight against Tito Ortiz in an attempt to beat him three times, but Ortiz knocked him out in the first round, as well. That left Liddell 1-6 in his final seven fights with five of the losses by knockout.
On DWTS, with professional partner Anna Trebunskaya, Liddell finished in 11th place. The pair was eliminated from the show in the fourth week of the season. Liddell got the boot just ahead of another athlete, Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin. Snowboarder Louie Vito and former NFL standout Michael Irvin were eliminated later in the season, which was won by singer and actor Donny Osmond.
In Week 1, Liddell and Trebunskaya danced a Foxtrot to “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra. Liddell’s high-water mark in his four weeks on the show came in Week 2, when he got his only 7 from a Tango to “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes. But his scores regressed in Week 3 and Week 4 with a Samba, then his final dance, a Two-step to “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” by Brooks & Dunn. And frankly, if there’s ever been a reason to eliminate someone from DWTS based on a song alone, it might be that one.
Athletes historically have done well on the show. About one-third of the final three stars in the 31 seasons of the show have come from the sports world. In Season 22 in 2016, Paige VanZant finished second. Athletes have won 12 of the 31 seasons, and two of the seasons had three athletes as the finalists.
If you’ve made it this far (you haven’t), check out “The Iceman” on Season 9 of DWTS in the video above. And in case you’re wondering (you aren’t), Season 32 of “Dancing with the Stars” has its season premiere Tuesday on ABC and Disney+. There is just one athlete among the stars this season: former NFL running back Adrian Peterson.
UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell is imparting some wisdom upon Alex Pereira ahead of his first UFC title defense.
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] is imparting some wisdom upon [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] ahead of his first UFC title defense.
Liddell, a former longtime UFC light heavyweight champion, is a friend and training partner to Pereira’s head coach, Glover Teixeira. In advance of Pereira’s title clash with Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 on April 8, “The Iceman” traveled to Connecticut to get a closer look at the UFC middleweight champion.
Pereira posted a pair of videos from Liddell’s visit, where he helped study tactics and go over technique in the gym ahead of fight night (via Instagram):
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqT4BueL_E4/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CqV3HjpvnXn/
Pereira (7-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) meets Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) once again the UFC 287 main event at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+. “Poatan” is 3-0 in combat sports against Adesanya, beating him twice in kickboxing before crossing over to MMA and taking the 185-pound title with a fifth-round TKO at UFC 281 in November.
Despite his advantage in the head-to-head series, Pereira is the betting underdog again at UFC 287. However, he’s got the support of a pair of legends in Liddell and Teixeira.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
Chuck Liddell doesn’t think things will end well for Jake Paul.
[autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] doesn’t see things ending well for [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] in his upcoming boxing match.
The YouTube star returns to the ring on Oct. 29, as he takes on former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] in what’s easily his toughest test to date. The two are set to compete in Phoenix in an eight-round bout at a catchweight of 187-pounds.
Like many, Liddell thinks this is a tough matchup for Paul. He very much likes what he sees from Silva, even at 47 years of age.
“I think it’s a dangerous fight for (Jake),” Liddell told Fight Hub TV. “I mean, he’s got nothing to lose – he’s fighting Anderson Silva.
“He’s got nothing to lose, but that’s dangerous. Anderson is still powerful, he’s still sharp, and he’s a striker. Jake had some good luck with guys that were wrestlers that tried to strike. … One thing is to have OK striking for MMA, but that’s because you have to worry about them taking you down. When you don’t have to worry about getting taken down, then it’s hard to land those big bombs. But Anderson, he’s a striker and has been concentrating on boxing. He looked great in his last couple of fights.”
Liddell thinks this bout won’t go to decision and expects the Brazilian to have his hand raised in the end.
“I think he wins, I think he knocks him out,” Liddell said. “But hey, man, I’m interested to see it. Good luck to Jake. The kid is fighting. He goes out there and really fights. You have to respect that.”
UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell won’t be prosecuted after he was recently arrested on domestic violence charges involving his wife.
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] will not be prosecuted following his recent domestic violence arrest.
Neither Liddell nor his wife Heidi Northcott will face charges following the mixed martial arts legend’s Oct. 11 arrest, according to a document acquired Monday by MMA Junkie. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will not move forward and prosecute. TMZ Sports was first to report the news.
According to the document, the couple’s daughter told prosecutors she witnessed her parents pushing. Liddell sported a red mark on his face and chest as a result, while Northcott did not have any visible damage. Listed as a “cross-complaint” the intimate partner violence charges filed for both sides were dropped due to “lack of sufficient evidence.”
Shortly after the incident, Liddell issued a statement in which he stated he went to jail in an effort to shield a mental health issue. He was arrested and booked into the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Agoura Hills, Calif., on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. He was held on a $20,000 bond and released that same morning.
Liddell filed for “dissolution w/ minor children” on Friday in Los Angeles court. Liddell, 51, and Northcott, 41, have been together for more than 10 years and got engaged in November 2010. They have two young children together.
Just days after he was arrested for an alleged incident of domestic violence against his wife, Chuck Liddell filed for divorce.
Just days after [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] was arrested for an alleged incident of domestic violence against his wife, Heidi Northcott, the UFC Hall of Famer filed for divorce.
According to TMZ, Liddell filed for “dissolution w/ minor children” on Friday in Los Angeles court. Liddell, 51, and Northcott, 41, have been together for more than 10 years and got engaged in November 2010. They have two young children together.
Liddell’s filing for divorce comes on the heels of his Monday arrest. He was arrested and booked into the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Agoura Hills, Calif., on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. He was held on a $20,000 bond and released that same morning.
Initial reports said that police were called to Liddell’s home after an argument between him and Northcott became physical. Northcott was not in need of medical attention when police arrived on the scene.
[lawrence-related id=1305141,1296654,1288462]
Hours after he was released from jail, Liddell issued a statement declaring that he was the victim in the incident and said he chose to go to jail in her place.
“I was the victim of the incident last night at our family home, as details of the case will reveal,” Liddell said. “The deputies informed me that my wife would be arrested, as I did not respond to her assault while I sustained bruising and lacerations. I volunteered to go in her place.
“This was one of the many times I have tried to shield a family mental health issue from the public purview. It has become painfully apparent that this cannot continue, as our private life has now reached a public breaking point.”
Neither Liddell nor Northcott have commented on what transpired since Liddell’s initial statement.
Chuck Liddell offers his own account of the events that led to his arrest on Monday.
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] is now out of jail and wants everyone to know a few details about the events he says led to his arrest.
On Monday, the 51-year-old Liddell was arrested and booked into a Los Angeles-area jail on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. He was held at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Agoura Hills, Calif. on a $20,000 bond.
According to online records, the bond was met, and Liddell was released at 10 a.m. PT that same day.
According to the initial report about the incident, police were called to Liddell’s home after an argument between Liddell and his wife, Heidi Northcott, became physical. Northcott was not in need of medical attention when police arrived on the scene.
A few hours after his release on Monday, Liddell took to Instagram to offer a statement about the events that led to his arrest:
Last night the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies who responded were professional. While the information about this case will be revealed in due course, I believe it is important to convey and clarify a few facts about the situation.
I was the victim of the incident last night at our family home, as details of the case will reveal. The deputies informed me that my wife would be arrested, as I did not respond to her assault while I sustained bruising and lacerations. I volunteered to go in her place.
This was one of the many times I have tried to shield a family mental healthy issue from the public purview. It has become painfully apparent that this cannot continue, as our private life has no reached a public breaking point. Please respect our privacy as I help to navigate our family through this difficult time.
According to Liddell’s statement, he was the victim of the situation and sustained physical damage during the altercation but offered to protect his family from legal issues and go into custody, instead.
Liddell has a court hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Van Nuys, Calif.
UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell was arrested Monday and booked into a Los Angeles-area jail on a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.
UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] was arrested early Monday and booked into a Los Angeles-area jail on a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.
Liddell, 51, is being held at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Agoura Hills, Calif., just outside Los Angeles, according to an inmate report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Liddell’s bail has been set at $20,000.
News of Liddell’s arrest first was reported by TMZ. According to TMZ’s report, police were called to Liddell’s home and when they arrived, determined the victim in an alleged argument that turned physical was Liddell’s wife.
Liddell married Heidi Northcott more than a decade ago. The couple had their first child together in 2011 and a second in 2013. According to the TMZ report, Northcott did not need medical attention.
Liddell, who fought at 205 pounds in his MMA career, is listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds on his booking paperwork.
Liddell won the UFC light heavyweight title in 2005 with a knockout of Randy Couture, with whom he had one of the most memorable trilogies in MMA history. His title win started a run that made “The Iceman” the biggest star in the sport at the time.
Liddell lost the belt to Quinton Jackson at UFC 71 in 2007, which started a 1-5 slide to close out his career. After a loss to Rich Franklin in 2010, Liddell hung up his gloves with five losses in his past six fights, including four by knockout.
In 2018, Liddell came out of retirement to fight Tito Ortiz for a third time. In November 2018, Ortiz finally beat Liddell with a first-round knockout under Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions banner. He has not fought since then and in 2020 said he’s again retired.
Liddell was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Pioneer Wing in 2009. Outside fighting, he’s been a regular on reality TV, had guest spots on episodic TV, and been in more than a dozen movies.
