Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell versus Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua as billed as the big fight of UFC 97. Did it live up to the hype? Probably not. It certainly didn’t last long, with Rua knocking Liddell out in the first round.
Shogun successfully managed to soften The Iceman up before delivering a brutal left cross which saw Liddell crash to the floor. This being Liddell’s fourth defeat in five matches, and the fact he’s 39, has led many to suspect this will be his last ever MMA fight.
Liddell even admits it might be but promised to talk about it with everyone, his coaches, family, and friends, before making a final decision. It probably is time for him to hang up his gloves for good though.
The other big clash of UFC 97 saw Anderson Silva successfully defend his crown against fellow Brazilian Thales Leites. The match was dull, with The Spider winning thanks to a unanimous decision by the judges.
