dana key
Chuck Liddell return to MMA competition against Rich Franklin at UFC 115 should be granted. Liddell is a great job card UFC, and did not hide his desire to compete.However, there was a decision that came easy for the president of UFC Dana White. The struggle with what to do with legends such as aging Liddell will present an increasingly difficult dilemma for the UFC in the coming years.After Liddell's loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 97, his fourth loss in five fights (three via knockout), White was emphatic that Liddell would not fight again in the UFC.
He's a huge superstar, and we could still sell a lot of tickets [with him]," White remarked at the postfight news conference. "But I don't care about that. I care about him. I care about his health, and it's over, man. It's over."White spoke in absolute terms on that evening, and there's no reason to doubt his sincerity, but Liddell's retirement was short-lived. In fact, Liddell will end up taking less time off than a prime Quinton "Rampage" Jackson did between his fight against Keith Jardine at UFC 96 and his grudge-match return against Rashad Evans at UFC 114.
The turnaround on Liddell reflects a variety of conflicting factors when it comes to handling the careers of older fighters. It's a predicament with downsides no matter what course the UFC takes, and the problem will only become greater in the coming years as more stars of the post-2006 UFC pay-per-view boom grow older.
He's a huge superstar, and we could still sell a lot of tickets [with him]," White remarked at the postfight news conference. "But I don't care about that. I care about him. I care about his health, and it's over, man. It's over."White spoke in absolute terms on that evening, and there's no reason to doubt his sincerity, but Liddell's retirement was short-lived. In fact, Liddell will end up taking less time off than a prime Quinton "Rampage" Jackson did between his fight against Keith Jardine at UFC 96 and his grudge-match return against Rashad Evans at UFC 114.
The turnaround on Liddell reflects a variety of conflicting factors when it comes to handling the careers of older fighters. It's a predicament with downsides no matter what course the UFC takes, and the problem will only become greater in the coming years as more stars of the post-2006 UFC pay-per-view boom grow older.
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