Tag: Randy Couture

UFC free fight: Brock Lesnar stops Randy Couture to win heavyweight title

Relive Brock Lesnar’s championship winning performance over Randy Couture at UFC 91.

[autotag]Brock Lesnar[/autotag] quickly proved that he wasn’t just a pro wrestling star looking for some camera time in the UFC.

Just three fights into his MMA career, Lesnar (5-3-1 MMA, 4-3-1 UFC) challenged heavyweight champion [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag] at UFC 91 in 2008 and confounded the doubters by finishing the legend to win the UFC heavyweight title.

The two started out by exchanging positions in the clinch, with Lesnar eventually dragging the fight to the mat multiple times. He then rained down some heavy ground and pound as he secured a dominant opening round.

In Round 2, the pair continued battling it out in the clinch, and moments after they disengaged, Lesnar tagged Couture with a short right hand that dropped the champion. Lesnar swiftly followed up with a barrage of punches on the ground to force the referee to stop the fight and crown the former WWE superstar the new UFC heavyweight champion.

Lesnar went on to defend his title twice, as he avenged his loss to Frank Mir, then mounted an incredible comeback to defeat Shane Carwin as he proved his worth as a legitimate force in the toughest sport in the world.

Check out Lesnar’s championship-winning performance over Couture in the video above.

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Randy Couture understands PFL’s decision to cancel season but disappointed

PFL analyst Randy Couture doesn’t disagree with the promotion’s decision to pull the plug on the 2020 season.

PFL analyst [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag] agrees with the promotion’s decision to pull the plug on the 2020 season.

Due to growing concerns over the global coronavirus pandemic, the PFL canceled this season with intentions of paying a monthly stipend to its remaining contracted fighters.

PFL was scheduled to start its regular season in May before moving to its usual tournament playoff format, then rounding things off with the championship finals on New Year’s Eve in New York.

While Couture, a UFC Hall of Famer, admits he’s disappointed with the news of the cancellation, he thinks if the PFL went ahead with a modified version of the season, they’d be doing a disservice to the brand.

“Well, I mean, obviously it’s disappointing,” Couture told MMA Junkie Radio. “Disappointing for the athletes, disappointing for the cast and crew, the folks that are involved. I think the positives are that they didn’t want to do it half way. We were supposed to be rolling here in May. It does look like some places and some things are gonna start opening up here in May, on the current schedule, but we’ll see.

“So I think rather than do it half way or Mickey Mouse it, trying to put together a partial season, they just decided to sack up the bats and not play with it this season with all the stuff going on. We just don’t know how this thing is going to shake out in the next six months. It’s gonna be interesting. So roll back into 2021 season the right way, the way it should be done.”

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When the PFL does return, it will be with a reloaded roster. The promotion added the likes of former Bellator welterweight champion and ex-UFC fighter Rory MacDonald, Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Justin Willis during the offseason.

Randy Couture gives his take on the PFL’s 2020 season postponement

MMA legend Randy Couture shares his thoughts following the PFL’s decision to postpone their entire 2020 season as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

MMA legend Randy Couture shares his thoughts following the PFL’s decision to postpone their entire 2020 season as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Today in MMA history: Chuck Liddell knocks out Randy Couture, earns first UFC title

Fifteen years ago today, Chuck Liddell became UFC champion for the first time.

Fifteen years ago today, [autotag]Chuck Liddell[/autotag] became a UFC champion.

On April 16, 2005, Liddell won the UFC light heavyweight championship for the fight time. At MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Liddell headlined UFC 52 against then-titleholder [autotag]Randy Couture[/autotag]. The two fighters had just served as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 1.

Both men found success early, with Couture clipping some particularly solid shots on Liddell’s temple. The action was stopped, but only briefly, when Liddell’s thumb caught Couture in the eye. The fight resumed after the cage-side physician gave his stamp of approval.

Upon time-in, Liddell and Couture wildly exchanged. Liddell cranked Couture with a brutal straight right hand that sent the champion to the mat. From there, Liddell went for the kill. “The Iceman” pounced on his downed opponent and removed whatever consciousness was left inside Couture.

Not only did Liddell clinch the title at UFC 52, he avenged a loss suffered to Couture at UFC 43 in June 2003. In the first meeting, Couture finished Liddell with punches in Round 3.

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The two would complete the trilogy 10 months later at UFC 57 in February 2006. That night, it was Liddell topping Couture in the unofficial best-of-three series, knocking out “The Natural” in Round 2.

In the video above, relive Chuck Liddell’s title-earning knockout of Randy Couture at UFC 52.

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