Post by Head Booker on Dec 31, 2006 0:04:26 GMT -6
Light heavyweight title: Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz
Main event time, the biggest fight in UFC history, the one that brought the sellout crowd here to the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
One more time, the back story: "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz was the UFC light heavyweight champion from 2000-03. Through a convoluted series of events, the fight everyone wanted to see between Ortiz and Chuck Liddell didn't happen while Ortiz was the champ. After Ortiz lost the title to Randy Couture, the match with Liddell was finally made, and Liddell won on a second-round TKO in their 2004 showdown.
Ortiz left the UFC for a year, then returned in April and has set UFC pay-per-view buy rate and ratings records in each of his three fights, decisioning Forrest Griffin and beating Ken Shamrock twice.
Liddell, known as "The Iceman," is 19-3 and hasn't lost since 2003. Since beating Couture for the title on April 16, 2005, he TKO'd Jeremy Horn in the fourth round at UFC 54, TKO'd Couture in the second at UFC 57, and TKO'd Renato "Babalu" Sobral in the first at UFC 62.
Back in the day, Ortiz and Liddell trained together. Ortiz says they used to be close friends, Liddell claims otherwise.
The lights go down and Ortiz, as the challenger, comes out to the octagon first with Eminem music playing. Ortiz, who is half-Mexican, comes out carrying the Mexican and American flags. He's largely getting cheered by the crowd. Ortiz's entrances are usually drawn-out affairs filled with theatrics, but he's all business tonight. Ortiz, who has won five straight fights dating back to a decision win over Patrick Cote in 2005, came straight out to the octagon, head down, and is shadow boxing in his corner.
Our "who will win" poll on FOXSports.com, with nearly 42,000 responses, was 77 percent in favor of Liddell.
Lights go back down and it's the unflappable Liddell's turn to come to the octagon. The Iceman looks loose, slapping hands with the fans all the way out to the octagon.
Liddell is just standing in his corner. Ortiz (16-4) is jumping up and down in his corner. Bruce Buffer starts his ring introductions. Ortiz draws a vehement split reaction to his intro. Liddell is mainly cheered by the crowd.
Mario Yamasaki is the official. The noise is absolutely deafening as they get started.
Round 1: They both go for low kicks right off the bat. They stalk each other in center octagon. Big "Tito" chant, which Chuck's fans boo. Still stalking. The Iceman is the most patient fighter in the business. Liddell hits a right jab. Ortiz goes for a takedown, Liddell sprawls, and Tito gets up before Chuck can pounce. Tito dodges and weaves, hits a right jab. Tito tries to stay out of range, Chuck looking to avoid a takedown. Ortiz connects with a right, Ortiz throws big looping rights. Ortiz with a low leg kick, Liddell with a jab. Another combo. Another "Tito" chant, then more booing. Tito eats a Liddell combo. Liddell throws a right and misses. Liddell backs Ortiz near the fence, hits a right and cuts Ortiz open. Liddell has Ortiz on the defensive. Liddell with a left and a right but Tito gives it right back. Ortiz gets dropped by a monstrous right and goes down. Chuck moves in with a huge flurry to the grounded Ortiz, but Ortiz somehow withstands it and gets back up as the round ends. Ortiz just took Liddell at his nastiest. Round 1 to Liddell.
Round 2: Ortiz goes for a takedown and Liddell sprawls. Ortiz attempts a big kick as Liddell gets away. Big "Chuck" chant now. Not much doing. Ortiz with a wild haymaker, Liddell jabs. Ortiz with a body shot. Liddell doesn't even look winded. Chuck still controlling the octagon. Ortiz goes for another takedown, and Liddell again avoids it, but Tito scurries out of the way before Chuck can attack. Ortiz takes Liddell down, missing with the single leg, but getting a go-behind and getting him down. That's the first time Liddell has hit the mat in a long time. Liddell doesn't stay down, though, and hits an elbow in the clinch as they get up and the round ends. Edge to Liddell again, Ortiz is going to have to start taking chances. The UFC's Eddie Bravo gave round 2 to Ortiz, which the crowd jeers.
Round 3: Liddell blocks a kick to the head. Another "Tito" chant. Ortiz goes for a takedown, can't get it, and covers up as Liddell moves in for some punches. They're back up, with Liddell maintaining positioning in the middle. Liddell actually feigns a takedown, and throws a big roundhouse right that knocks Liddell backwards. Ortiz is on the ground and covering up. Tito with a kick. Liddell moves back and lets Tito up. Big rise from the crowd. Liddell hits a combo with just under two minutes left. They're trading haymakers and Chuck gets the better of it, with Ortiz dropping to the mat after one of the shots caught him square in the face. Liddell's unleashing all his fury, Ortiz is covering up, and Yamasaki calls the fight at 3:59 as Liddell retains his title.
Liddell calls the victory the most satisfying of his career in his postfight interview. Ortiz doesn't make excuses and credits Liddell.
credit FOXSports.com
Main event time, the biggest fight in UFC history, the one that brought the sellout crowd here to the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
One more time, the back story: "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz was the UFC light heavyweight champion from 2000-03. Through a convoluted series of events, the fight everyone wanted to see between Ortiz and Chuck Liddell didn't happen while Ortiz was the champ. After Ortiz lost the title to Randy Couture, the match with Liddell was finally made, and Liddell won on a second-round TKO in their 2004 showdown.
Ortiz left the UFC for a year, then returned in April and has set UFC pay-per-view buy rate and ratings records in each of his three fights, decisioning Forrest Griffin and beating Ken Shamrock twice.
Liddell, known as "The Iceman," is 19-3 and hasn't lost since 2003. Since beating Couture for the title on April 16, 2005, he TKO'd Jeremy Horn in the fourth round at UFC 54, TKO'd Couture in the second at UFC 57, and TKO'd Renato "Babalu" Sobral in the first at UFC 62.
Back in the day, Ortiz and Liddell trained together. Ortiz says they used to be close friends, Liddell claims otherwise.
The lights go down and Ortiz, as the challenger, comes out to the octagon first with Eminem music playing. Ortiz, who is half-Mexican, comes out carrying the Mexican and American flags. He's largely getting cheered by the crowd. Ortiz's entrances are usually drawn-out affairs filled with theatrics, but he's all business tonight. Ortiz, who has won five straight fights dating back to a decision win over Patrick Cote in 2005, came straight out to the octagon, head down, and is shadow boxing in his corner.
Our "who will win" poll on FOXSports.com, with nearly 42,000 responses, was 77 percent in favor of Liddell.
Lights go back down and it's the unflappable Liddell's turn to come to the octagon. The Iceman looks loose, slapping hands with the fans all the way out to the octagon.
Liddell is just standing in his corner. Ortiz (16-4) is jumping up and down in his corner. Bruce Buffer starts his ring introductions. Ortiz draws a vehement split reaction to his intro. Liddell is mainly cheered by the crowd.
Mario Yamasaki is the official. The noise is absolutely deafening as they get started.
Round 1: They both go for low kicks right off the bat. They stalk each other in center octagon. Big "Tito" chant, which Chuck's fans boo. Still stalking. The Iceman is the most patient fighter in the business. Liddell hits a right jab. Ortiz goes for a takedown, Liddell sprawls, and Tito gets up before Chuck can pounce. Tito dodges and weaves, hits a right jab. Tito tries to stay out of range, Chuck looking to avoid a takedown. Ortiz connects with a right, Ortiz throws big looping rights. Ortiz with a low leg kick, Liddell with a jab. Another combo. Another "Tito" chant, then more booing. Tito eats a Liddell combo. Liddell throws a right and misses. Liddell backs Ortiz near the fence, hits a right and cuts Ortiz open. Liddell has Ortiz on the defensive. Liddell with a left and a right but Tito gives it right back. Ortiz gets dropped by a monstrous right and goes down. Chuck moves in with a huge flurry to the grounded Ortiz, but Ortiz somehow withstands it and gets back up as the round ends. Ortiz just took Liddell at his nastiest. Round 1 to Liddell.
Round 2: Ortiz goes for a takedown and Liddell sprawls. Ortiz attempts a big kick as Liddell gets away. Big "Chuck" chant now. Not much doing. Ortiz with a wild haymaker, Liddell jabs. Ortiz with a body shot. Liddell doesn't even look winded. Chuck still controlling the octagon. Ortiz goes for another takedown, and Liddell again avoids it, but Tito scurries out of the way before Chuck can attack. Ortiz takes Liddell down, missing with the single leg, but getting a go-behind and getting him down. That's the first time Liddell has hit the mat in a long time. Liddell doesn't stay down, though, and hits an elbow in the clinch as they get up and the round ends. Edge to Liddell again, Ortiz is going to have to start taking chances. The UFC's Eddie Bravo gave round 2 to Ortiz, which the crowd jeers.
Round 3: Liddell blocks a kick to the head. Another "Tito" chant. Ortiz goes for a takedown, can't get it, and covers up as Liddell moves in for some punches. They're back up, with Liddell maintaining positioning in the middle. Liddell actually feigns a takedown, and throws a big roundhouse right that knocks Liddell backwards. Ortiz is on the ground and covering up. Tito with a kick. Liddell moves back and lets Tito up. Big rise from the crowd. Liddell hits a combo with just under two minutes left. They're trading haymakers and Chuck gets the better of it, with Ortiz dropping to the mat after one of the shots caught him square in the face. Liddell's unleashing all his fury, Ortiz is covering up, and Yamasaki calls the fight at 3:59 as Liddell retains his title.
Liddell calls the victory the most satisfying of his career in his postfight interview. Ortiz doesn't make excuses and credits Liddell.
credit FOXSports.com
