Rumor: Liddell vs. Rampage UFC 71

[IX_Equilibrium]

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/rumors.asp?articleid=3400&zoneid=14

[Mr Dio]

Is it really a suprise this was going to happen? :dizzy

[LEONARD]

Wow, that's really surprising since Rampage has said over and over that he wants a couple more tune up fights...

but then again it's not all that surprising because Dana does NOT want Chuck to lose right now. He's bringing in too much $$$ for the UFC...

Rampage can still beat Chuck though IMO. Flip a coin on that one...

[DarkReign]

Wow, that's really surprising since Rampage has said over and over that he wants a couple more tune up fights...

but then again it's not all that surprising because Dana does NOT want Chuck to lose right now. He's bringing in too much $$$ for the UFC...

Rampage can still beat Chuck though IMO. Flip a coin on that one...

Seeing as Rampage is a ground and pound guy, and Chuck has probably the best takedown defense in the UFC, I am not so sure its a coin toss.

I am not interested in seeing a below-par Rampage fight Lidell. I would much rather see him get the necessary fights he feels he needs to be prepared to fight the best the UFC has to offer.

But Im not the banker, so wtf do I know.

[LEONARD]

Rampage is really good on his feet too...he outboxed Chuck in their first fight...and he took him down and pounded on him...

but seeing him do this to Chuck would be insane...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qv91aFhq954

:fro

[IX_Equilibrium]

I'd take CHuck in this fight. The 1st time he fought Rampage, he did not follow his game plan at all. I remember Dana commentating at Pride during that fight and he was pissed. Plus Chuck is a better fighter now than back then. Rampage could beat him, but my money would be on Chuck.

[LEONARD]

Dana commenting ringside while Chuck was getting pounded was hilarious. Dana also lost $400k that he bet on Chuck...so he was doubly pissed...

I don't know what Chuck's gameplan was, but it certainly didn't work. He looked outclassed in every way in that fight...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZDUbdVGqNCk

He'll definitely be the favorite in the rematch though...

[IX_Equilibrium]

I don't know what Chuck's gameplan was, but it certainly didn't work. .


It didn't work because he didn't follow it.

[LEONARD]

It didn't work because he didn't follow it.

What was his gameplan???

[IX_Equilibrium]

I need to find it to be specific and provide the link to download it. If I remember right, Dana was so pissed because Chuck wasn't doing what he prepared to do. One of which being legkicks.

Watch and he comments on it all the way through the fight. He wanted to beat Chuck up himself! Hopefully I'll get it by the day's end.

[LEONARD]

I have the fight saved...

I know Dana was saying it, but I never really bought it. He had to say something since Chuck was getting beat-up IMO...

[tlongII]

It doesn't matter how many fights Rampage has. He will beat the shit out of Chuck again.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

It doesn't matter how many fights Rampage has. He will beat the shit out of Chuck again.

lol i'll admit chuck got destroyed in their first fight but he is a much better fighter now and chuck will ko him just like he does everyone else that hes supposed to lose to

[desflood]

I don't see Rampage getting knocked out. I don't know how that one will end, but I don't think it'll be that way.

[LEONARD]

lol i'll admit chuck got destroyed in their first fight but he is a much better fighter now and chuck will ko him just like he does everyone else that hes supposed to lose to

Which fight was he supposed to lose since he fought Couture the 2nd time?? I'm pretty sure he's been the favorite in all of his fights, since then...mostly against grapplers...


I don't see Rampage getting knocked out. I don't know how that one will end, but I don't think it'll be that way.

True...he can take some serious abuse (see Wand x 2 and Shogun fights)...

[IX_Equilibrium]

Found it! Get it while its hot!

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson vs Chuck Liddell (Pride Final Conflict '03)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z75LT3FI

[IX_Equilibrium]

Fuck! The commentation is in Japanese.

[LEONARD]

LOL...I hate when that happens...

Mine is in English...210 MB's! I'll upload it to megaupload but it'll take a while before it's done I'm sure...

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I think Mike Tyson in his prime could have iced the Iceman. But now? He's completely unstoppable. He's an unstoppable force of nature. Like a tsunami.

[LEONARD]

I think Mike Tyson in his prime could have iced the Iceman. But now? He's completely unstoppable. He's an unstoppable force of nature. Like a tsunami.

Good grief... :lol

[LEONARD]

Wand killing Rampage
http://www.picsaway.com/gifuploads/776/wanderleiknee2-cd0684b08e.gif

Shogun killing Rampage
http://www.picsaway.com/gifuploads/828/shogunrampage-cbeabf5307.gif

Wicked fights...

[IX_Equilibrium]

I think Mike Tyson in his prime could have iced the Iceman.


Not on Chuck's worst day. He was a collegiate wrestler, and he would have gotten an easy takedown with Tyson, proceeding to ground and pound or even submit.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

I think Kid Dynamite would have taken anyone from any fighting style except like jui jitsu which is the ultimate style

[desflood]

Watching the video, my first thought was, "Wow, Rampage looks so small" :lol I'd never seen that fight until now. No, I don't see Chuck letting that happen to him again.

[tlongII]

Chuck will get abused by Rampage. He's already proven his physical superiority and nothing has changed.

[IX_Equilibrium]

and nothing has changed.


...other than getting destroyed by Silva and Rua.

[tlongII]

...other than getting destroyed by Silva and Rua.

Silva and Rua would give Chuck a beatdown worse than Rampage did. Nothing has changed.

[johngateswhiteley]

i am nowhere near and expert in MMA and i'd say many posters here follow it + know the sport better than i. but imo, chuck doesn't fight that many explosive fighters like rampage. i think it will be a better fight this time, but i'll take rampage. plus, rampage is so much younger...

[LEONARD]

Here's an english commentary version of Chuck vs Rampage...
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=916MOZ81

Everybody says Chuck has gotten better and Rampage has gotten worse, but I don't know if that's true...

Chuck hasn't fought a good striker since rampage...Vernon White??? :dizzy He's done well beating up wrestlers and grapplers...

and Rampage fought Wand Silva twice and Shogun once...those guys could make ANYBODY look like they've gotten worse. One of the Wand fights was the same night he beat Chuck too, so it wasn't like he was full strength (Wand had fought to a decision against Yoshida that night too).

I don't know what to expect in their rematch actually. I think Chuck has the advantage since he's on a roll and it's his "home court"...but otherwise I think it's pretty even...

[desflood]

Chuck has definitely improved, but I doubt Rampage has gotten worse. There's no real mental edge - Chuck is sure he's unbeatable right now, and he's got serious momentum, but Jackson never lacks confidence (at least not outwardly :blah ) and he's more confident because he's already beaten Chuck once. This is not a fight I'd risk money on, even if I had any.

[dallaskd]

Shogun killing Rampage
http://www.picsaway.com/gifuploads/828/shogunrampage-cbeabf5307.gif

kicking a down opponent. UFC no no.

[LEONARD]

kicking a down opponent. UFC no no.

Actually you can kick a downed opponent, just not to the head...

Kicks on the ground are great because it prevents guys from just laying on their back and doing nothing (ie, end of round 1 of Silva - Lutter is the most recent example that comes to mind...the last 20 seconds of the rd). You better get your ass back up before you get your face stomped. That's too violent for the US though :lol ...instead we'd rather have guys get sliced up with weak ass elbows from the bottom when there is very little contact. Kicks and stomps CAN cause a cut just like any other strike of course, but I've seen many more cuts caused by elbows...

[IX_Equilibrium]

Actually you can kick a downed opponent, just not to the head...

Kicks on the ground are great because it prevents guys from just laying on their back and doing nothing (ie, end of round 1 of Silva - Lutter is the most recent example that comes to mind...the last 20 seconds of the rd). You better get your ass back up before you get your face stomped. That's too violent for the US though :lol ...instead we'd rather have guys get sliced up with weak ass elbows from the bottom when there is very little contact. Kicks and stomps CAN cause a cut just like any other strike of course, but I've seen many more cuts caused by elbows...


I have to say that I am against kicking to the head while down. I really never liked to see Wandy soccerkick somebody to the head. While I am not a fan of Kenny Florian type elbows, cutting someone isn't as potentially dangerous as a powerfull blunt force trauma blow to the head. In my opinion, the act takes alot of the legitamacy away from the sport.

[LEONARD]

I don't really have a problem with soccer kicks. Not everybody can do them without hurting themself. I think a good Muy Thai knee in the clinch (ie, Anderson Silva vs Rich Franklin) delivers MUCH more damage...

Stomps to the head are a scary thing though...I could do without them...

[IX_Equilibrium]

I can just see that somebody will get brain damage as a result from a blow like that. Imagine a fighter who is knocked to the ground, dazed, on his way to getting back up, and someone delivers a Cro-cop force kick right to the head. Not good.

[LEONARD]

I don't see the damage from a soccer kick being any worse than that of a high kick...ie, Rashad - Salmon. I've seen way more KO's from a high kick than a soccer kick. It's just another kicking technique to me. I'm a fan of the soccer kick... :fro

[IX_Equilibrium]

I don't see the damage from a soccer kick being any worse than that of a high kick...ie, Rashad - Salmon. I've seen way more KO's from a high kick than a soccer kick. It's just another kicking technique to me. I'm a fan of the soccer kick... :fro


I think you get alot more power generated when you are kicking something on the ground. Imagine a kicker in football high kicking the ball as opposed to rearing his leg back, and getting as much speed and energy in to his motion as he can before contact. There is alot more force when you have that momentum.

[LEONARD]

Rashad's kick of Salmon did more than any soccer kick I've seen. It's almost like "punting" a guy's head when he's ducking in and catching a kick like that. Catching a flying knee while going in for a takedown is similar...

and I still think a MT knee that is delivered while pulling the head down and keeping it from rebounding does a LOT more damage. When you soccer kick somebody, the foot gives at the ankle and the other guy's head is able to move with it...

I think the reason some people have a problem with soccer kicks is because it seems like a non-martial arts type act and more like a street-fighting thug-like act. It's not an easy thing to do without hurting your own foot though.

It's an interesting discussion. We'll agree to disagree :fro

[LEONARD]

The subject has been beaten to death...here are a few threads about...

Silva - Lutter is a prime example why stomps and soccer kicks are needed
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=507841

Jake O'Brien = why the UFC needs soccer kicks
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=501399

imo soccer kicks and stomping should be banned
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=428651

Do you prefer stomps/soccer kicks in MMA?
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=473375

Stomps and soccer kicks- Too Violent?
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=491170

Idea to have soccer kicks in UFC
http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=501415

[IX_Equilibrium]

Oh I know the subject has been debated to death. I am glad the UFC has chosen to make them illegal.

[Mr Dio]

Yet there is so much whining about elbows. :lol

[LEONARD]

LOL...go here:

http://ufcmania.com/

and scroll down to the Maxim Top 10 KO's link...you can watch Wand beat up Rampage both times at the same time :ihit

[IX_Equilibrium]

What was his gameplan???

I finally got to watch the fight. Chuck was supposed to implement alot of legkicks early on in the fight. They wanted Quinton to have leg damage by the second round. Dana mentioned this early on in the fight, around the 5 minute mark, and they were still pretty evenly matched, so I believe him and understand why he was pissed.

[LEONARD]

I finally got to watch the fight. Chuck was supposed to implement alot of legkicks early on in the fight. They wanted Quinton to have leg damage by the second round. Dana mentioned this early on in the fight, around the 5 minute mark, and they were still pretty evenly matched, so I believe him and understand why he was pissed.

I knew about the legkick thing...was just being a smartass...

I don't see how Chuck implementing legkicks would've made much difference really....Chuck just got dominated in every way...

[LEONARD]

Dana White is saying that Chuck vs Rampage won't happen until Sept or so...

I've heard rumors that the UFC had signed Wand Silva to fight Chuck in May at UFC 71 and they're pissed that he lost to Henderson. I hope it's true and I hope the fight still happens...

[cornbread]

Liddell-Jackson II Set for May 26 in Las Vegas


Chuck Liddell (Pictures) will finally get a chance to erase the only un-avenged loss of his stellar mixed martial arts career when he takes a second crack at Quinton Jackson (Pictures) on May 26, Jackson's manager and trainer Juanito Ibarra told Sherdog.com Sunday.

There was speculation that Jackson (26-6-0) had asked for another tune-up fight before wanting to face the UFC light heavyweight champion, however Ibarra indicated the Liddell bout should be officially announced by Tuesday of this week.

In their previous encounter, a PRIDE Grand Prix semifinal bout in November 2003, Jackson stopped Liddell in just over 13 minutes. Liddell (20-3-0) has not tasted defeat since, winning seven in a row, including two wins apiece against Tito Ortiz (Pictures) and Randy Couture (Pictures).

Jackson has had mixed results since defeating Liddell, compiling a 7-3 record (all three losses by KO) including a pair of devastating knockout losses to former PRIDE 205-pound champion Wanderlei Silva (Pictures). "Rampage" made his February UFC debut a success, knocking out Marvin Eastman (Pictures) in the second round.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news.asp?n_id=7015

:clap

[Rip-Hamilton32]

finally, chuck by TKO second round

[atxrocker]

rampage for the win

[LEONARD]

Can't wait...

[sa_butta]

WOW, I cant wait. some really exciting stuff coming up for the UFC.

[cornbread]

It's too hard for me to call at this point. I like Rampage's chances but Chuck has some serious momentum going.

[mardigan]

I just think that Chuck is going to go all out to avenge that embarrassing loss, especially because the UFC is his house, he wont want to let all the fans down. Rampage is a beast, and he manhandled CHuck that last fight, but since that fight the 2 fighters have taken completely different paths, with Chuck looking better and better, and Rampage looking decent sometimes, and then horrible others. I wonder if his heart is in it sometimes

[cornbread]

I think you're on the same page as me. Rampage dominated their first match but Chuck has been extremely dominant since the loss. Rampage has fought some of the best out there (Silva twice, Shogun, Arona, Linland) and dropped a few matches in the process. I just don't know.

[sa_butta]

I just think that Chuck is going to go all out to avenge that embarrassing loss, especially because the UFC is his house, he wont want to let all the fans down. Rampage is a beast, and he manhandled CHuck that last fight, but since that fight the 2 fighters have taken completely different paths, with Chuck looking better and better, and Rampage looking decent sometimes, and then horrible others. I wonder if his heart is in it sometimesAfter beating Chuck, Rampage turned around and lost twice to Silva and once to Shogun. These things are so unpredictable with two good fighters. Somebody could get a lucky shot. I would still like to see Silva vs Liddell.

[mardigan]

After beating Chuck, Rampage turned around and lost twice to Silva and once to Shogun. These things are so unpredictable with two good fighters. Somebody could get a lucky shot. I would still like to see Silva vs Liddell.
And Chuck went out and won 7 straight against top competion as well, Ortiz twice, Couture twice, so it says a lot to me that Chuck rebouned the way he did after a loss, and Rampage regressed after a win. And Rampage didnt look completely dominate his last fight either

[dallaskd]

I think you're on the same page as me. Rampage dominated their first match but Chuck has been extremely dominant since the loss. Rampage has fought some of the best out there (Silva twice, Shogun, Arona, Linland) and dropped a few matches in the process. I just don't know.

Chuck looked baby faced in that fight. He wasnt as experienced as he is now. And hes alot better fighter now.

[LEONARD]

I think it's a coin flip...if I was laying money with odds I'd go with the underdog Rampage...


I just think that Chuck is going to go all out to avenge that embarrassing loss, especially because the UFC is his house, he wont want to let all the fans down. Rampage is a beast, and he manhandled CHuck that last fight, but since that fight the 2 fighters have taken completely different paths, with Chuck looking better and better, and Rampage looking decent sometimes, and then horrible others. I wonder if his heart is in it sometimes

Chuck hasn't fought a striker since Rampage...do we REALLY know if he's improved? How good is Tito really?? Don't know. Babalu?? Lambert destroyed him. Randy beating Tim makes Chuck look a little better, but Randy was screwed up with his divorce, etc during those last 2 fights with Chuck leading up to his retirement. Who knows how "into it" he was. Vernon White? MW Horn? :oops


And Chuck went out and won 7 straight against top competion as well, Ortiz twice, Couture twice, so it says a lot to me that Chuck rebouned the way he did after a loss, and Rampage regressed after a win. And Rampage didnt look completely dominate his last fight either

I don't think we can just look at wins/losses after their fight to determine how they've responded. How do we know Rampage regressed? Losing to Silva twice and Shogun? I think he just stepped up a tier and got his ass kicked 3 times. Has that ruined Rampage? Don't know. How would Chuck have done in those fights? Could've been the same result...who knows. There are way too many factors to try to draw too many conclusions and use MMAmath (several years, age, mental state at the time, injuries, etc). Just have to see what happens. I won't be surprised by the result either way...unless Chuck submits Rampage or something :lol

[IX_Equilibrium]

There are way too many factors to try to draw too many conclusions and use MMAmath (several years, age, mental state at the time, injuries, etc).


There are alot of factors, but you can always have a prediction based on past performances. I agree with mardigan's thinking here. Sure you can disagree and spin it whatever you want with who faced who, striker or not, who was getting a divorce at the time of a fight, etc., but there is nothing wrong with looking at the performances of Chuck and Rampage since the two 1st met and basing your prediction on that. I think that is one of the more obvious and credible aspects to look at when making a prediction.

[mardigan]

Are you guys watching this IFL shit right now? I have never seen so many quick submissions

[LEONARD]

There are alot of factors, but you can always have a prediction based on past performances. I agree with mardigan's thinking here. Sure you can disagree and spin it whatever you want with who faced who, striker or not, who was getting a divorce at the time of a fight, etc., but there is nothing wrong with looking at the performances of Chuck and Rampage since the two 1st met and basing your prediction on that. I think that is one of the more obvious and credible aspects to look at when making a prediction.

Fair enough...my prediction based on past performance is Rampage because he clearly outclassed Chuck a few years ago...

I think it will be a much closer fight this time. Chuck has "home court" and is on a roll...but in the back of his mind he knows he was beaten down by Rampage already. Rampage has taken some brutal beatings since he beat Chuck, but he knows in the back of his mind that he already dominated Chuck once.

I think it'll be a great matchup...fight of the year potential... :fro


Are you guys watching this IFL shit right now? I have never seen so many quick submissions

I watched most of it last night...I had seen most of those fights on FSN previously. They'll eventually get up to some more current fights, and the eventual goal is to show some live fights...

Last night's episode was MUCH better than the hype preview with all of the BS. At least they cleaned that up...

[Rip-Hamilton32]

sure chuck may have beaten some of these guys that are not title contenders or not as good as rampage but its not as if chuck has had trouble with any of them

[dallaskd]

Are we ever going to get an MMA forum?

[cornbread]

Good question dallaskd.

[LEONARD]

Are we ever going to get an MMA forum?

If Tim Duncan requested one we'd get it :fro

[LEONARD]

Oh hellllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shogun signed to fight twice in the UFC???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/showthread.php?t=534342

I hope this is true... :fro :fro :fro

Babalu for revenge factor, then Chuck...if he beats Rampage...or maybe even if he doesn't ;)