THE TORCH: THE #1 WORLDWIDE BRAND IN COMBAT ENTERTAINMENT COVERAGE - OVER 250 MILLION VIEWS & LISTENS PER YEAR REREACHING MORE FANS EVERY WEEK THAN ANY OTHER INDEPENDENT SOURCE • VIA THE WEB, MOBILE, PRINT NEWSLETTER, AND ITUNES
Opinion & Analysis
:
Reader Reax
Reader Reax - Batch #3: If Liddell weren't retiring, who'd you like to see him face? And what should be next for Cro Cop?
Coming out of UFC 115, it sounds like neither Chuck Liddell nor Mirko Cro Cop will fight again. However, if they were to have one or two more fights, which match-ups most intrigue you? We asked MMATorch readers to send us their picks. The following is the second batch of suggestions...
===
MMATorch reader Dylan writes:
(1) If Chuck Liddell has one more fight in the Octogan, it's against Tito Ortiz to wrap up TUF. Other than that, Liddell is done. The shot from Rich Franklin that put him down was weak at best. His chin is gone, and when a stand-and-bang fighter's chin is done, so is he.
(2) Cro Cop is a fighter used for his draw. His Pride days are long since gone. Barry could have finished him in the first round if he wanted, but didn't take care of business (due to broken hands, probably). There is no way Cro Cop could deal with someone like Cain Valasquez, Frank Mir, Minotauro Nog, Shane Carwin, and definately not Brock Lesnar. He proved that by getting worked by a striker like Dos Santos for three rounds. His ground game maybe underrated, but any of the top ten heavyweight wrestlers/BJJ'ers would show how bad his ground game would be. A few big wins would probably put him in contention for a chance at a tittle shot only because the fans would wanna see it. Not that he could beat that current champ. But hey, he has a kickers chance.
===
MMATorch reader Joe Burgers writes:
(1) If I'm Chuck Liddell, I have two main stipulations to want one last fight. (A) I want to win. (B) I want want to make a lot of money. The only last fight from Liddell I want to see would be very unorthodox, but really make a lot of sense. Chuck Liddell vs. Kimbo Slice in a catchweight bout at 215; but not through UFC. Here's why it makes sense- they could hire an experienced boxing promoter and put on an independent fight card where they make the bulk of the revenue. There's not a fight fan in the world that doesn't know the Iceman and Kimbo, and a standup war between these iconic brawlers would sell itself. Obviously Liddell would be favored, but with Kimbo's size and Chuck's record lately, it's not an easy call. Still, Liddell would have a good chance of going out on top in a fight fans have never seen (unlike Chuck vs. Tito). Kimbo would also have an opportunity for his first high-profile win, and both fighters stand to make more money in one night than they would in years of UFC fights. Together with the promoter they could find some Paul Daley-type free agents and put together an exciting card with a main event that would have every casual fan buzzing.
(2) As far as CroCop's next fight I think Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera would be prime. A matchup between former Pride warriors, where the winner is restored some legitimate relevance, with the winner fighting Frank Mir this fall. I'd also like to see the Ben Rothwell fight happen, or Cheick Kongo. If Pat Barry is able to rebound from the loss with a win or two, I would definitely like to see a rematch down the road.
===
MMATorch reader Bruce Dean writes:
(1) I'd like to see Chuck Liddell face a pure wrestler, a Chael Sonnen-type of fighter, just to give him a chance to win a final fight. If he didn't have to fear a punch, and since he's known for great takedown defense, this could be a good showcase for him without too great a risk of a concussion.
(2) If Cro Cop fights again, and it sounds like he's not going to, I'd like to see him against Randy Couture. Their careers paralleled each other and didn't cross. It's an intriguing match-up style-wise and a way to see a fight we thought we might never see. It's a lot more interesting than Randy Couture vs. Mark Coleman.
We want to hear from you on the following topical questions. We'll publish batches of your responses in coming hours...
-Dana White has guaranteed that Chuck Liddell's career as a UFC fighter is over. If Liddell were to fight again, though, what opponent would you like to him against. You can make it clear you don't want to see him fight again when naming the opponent you'd be most interested in seeing him fight if you knew he was going to fight again.
-Mirko Cro Cop got a big win over Pat Barry. Dana White says he Cro Cop told him he wants to finish his MMA career in UFC. What do you think should be next for Cro Cop? Is he a title contender now, one fight away, or several big wins away?
Send your responses to mmatorch@gmail.com.
Also, check back every day this week as MMATorch editor-in-chief Jamie Penick will be writing a five-part series of Career Retrospect articles on Chuck Liddell. Relive his career if you've watched it from the start or learn more about what he accomplished in his career if you've joined in the middle or near the end.
ALERT: Every Tuesday night, listen to the MMATorch Livecast from 9-10:30 p.m. ET or listen now to the most recent shows by clicking here. Listen live this coming Tuesday as Jamie Penick, Rich Hansen, and Matt Pelkey discuss the latest MMA happenings. Online listen at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mmatorch or call into the show at 646-716-8090 to either just listen or participate.
"There's still a large contingent of people, that they just want to see these guys almost die, or the other guy almost die and come back, and sometimes fights are like that. Certainly they are. But sometimes you get technical masterpieces too, and to hate a beautiful, technical fight - you're not really a fight fan...
Diaz has a granite chin, possesses perhaps the best recovery in the sport, his pace and conditioning are second to none and he sets records with the volume of his punches almost every time he steps into the cage. Nick Diaz is simply designed to fight the way he fights, and not many other fighters are...
"There was a lot of poison going on around there and I'm really disappointed because we had a good thing going. It was a good thing and I think people's egos got in the way. Well, not people just Javier, his ego got in the way, and too many cameras in the gym and him trying to build himself up and his brand, his AKA brand...
PART OF THE USA TODAY UFC GROUP