Can Liddell return against Silva?

Preview by Brady Crytzer
Photos: Chris Cozzone

Is the sun setting on the long career of Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell?

After being knocked out by an old foe in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in May, Liddell looked to rebound in the main event of September’s UFC 76 against heavy underdog Keith Jardine. But Jardine outworked, outscored and outpointed the former champion over three rounds, even putting him on the deck with a right cross. With two disastrous losses in a row, most aging veterans of the Octagon would have hung up their gloves for good.

But, with what could be the biggest fight of his career on the table, there is no way that this California native could turn away for, on Saturday, Liddell can easily salvage his legacy when he meets long-time Pride 205-pound champion Wanderlai Silva.

For dedicated fans of the sport, some of the most heavily debated questions will finally be answered, and, if “The Iceman” has anything to say about it, the answer will always be the same: Liddell by KO.

“The Axe Murderer”

Fans of the UFC have only dreamed about what could have been if Wanderlai “The Axe Murderer” Silva had stepped foot into the modern Octagon. At times, dedicated subscribers of the UFC have been tempted, teased and downright tricked. Following Randy Couture’s destruction of Vitor Belfort at UFC 49 in August of 2004, viewers witnessed a proud Silva enter the cage to accept the challenge of the victorious UFC light heavyweight champion . . . a challenge to a bout that never occurred.

Then, in the summer of 2006, at a time when some of the biggest international superstars were being signed by Zuffa, an ecstatic Dana White took the microphone to announce the superfight between Silva and Liddell. Due largely to a more-than-obstinate Japanese contingent, the bout, once again, never happened. Now, with Silva firmly under contract, the fight is on.

Silva has held the PrideFC 205-pound title since its inception, using a brutal barrage of knees and punches to erase his foes’ hopes of winning his belt. With some of the most intense wars the sport has ever seen to his credit, Silva hopes to add one more to his list—possibly, the best one yet.

How They Match Up

In many ways, this is the biggest fight in the sport’s short but action packed history. While Liddell was scoring knockout after knockout against the UFC’s best, Silva was doing the same. When Liddell scored two KO’s over hall-of-famer Randy Couture, cementing his own legacy, Silva did the same to Kazushi Sakuraba—not twice but three times.

Though both men are sure to be future hall of fame inductees, the fact that both the American and the Brazilian have lost two of their last three in convincing fashion, could take some of the magic out of the contest.

Despite the losses, this bout very much remains the same. A battle of two strikers, Silva has made a reputation as a hard-charging bomber with little concern for his own safety while Liddell has set the standard of a one-punch counter attack. Each man has thunderous power in their hands, and suspect chins, leading one to the conclusion that whomever lands first, wins.

It will be an interesting chess match (more like freeze tag with hand grenades) on the feet. The difference maker? While Liddell has left his training style unchanged, Silva has spent the better part for the last six months at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Adapting his training method, Silva looks to be in the best shape of his life, and with on his side, a strong game plan could be the difference between total victory—and losing three in a row.