It was the end of 2006 and Chuck Liddell (Pictures) was at the pinnacle of the MMA universe. His second thrashing of archrival Tito Ortiz (Pictures) had drawn an estimated one million pay-per-view buys, and he had not tasted defeat in three-plus years. As the face of a burgeoning sport, Liddell seemed destined for fighting immortality.

On top of his in-ring accolades, Liddell was prominently featured in an episode of HBO's hit series "Entourage." He was also the focus of every UFC-related advertising campaign, especially in the lead up to his UFC 71 title defense against Quinton Jackson (Pictures).

"The Iceman" was mixed martial arts, and rightly so after handily dominating the marquee division in the sport since taking the belt from Randy Couture (Pictures) in 2005.

If you haven't figured it out yet, a lot can change in one year.

Flash ahead to December 2007, and it is not hard to imagine what kind of trip it has been for Liddell. Since his TKO win over Ortiz, Liddell dropped a pair of fights -- losing his title to Jackson in May and his aura as a top light heavyweight in many people's eyes after his disappointing decision loss to Keith Jardine (Pictures) in September.

Throw in the reports of Liddell clubbing the week of his championship showdown with Jackson -- the last man to have beaten him -- and a bizarre promotional appearance on a Dallas morning television show in which Liddell looked incoherent before the segment was cut short, and you have the complete antithesis of the previous year.

After such a rocky stretch, the most amazing thing is the fact that you would be hard-pressed to identify the 2006 or 2007 versions of Liddell if they were standing side by side. He has always maintained a stoic front, both in the cage as well as when dealing with adversity. Hence the "Iceman" moniker -- nothing has ever seemed to bother him.

Perhaps at 38 years of age Liddell has the benefit of half a lifetime in the fight game to draw upon in tough times. Perhaps he understands that his run was bound to come to an end. Most likely, he realizes that he is still afforded the opportunity to do what he has always loved: fighting professionally and getting paid handsomely to boot.

In addition, he will finally be facing the man he has been pining to square off against for years: Wanderlei Silva (Pictures).

This is a fight that has found any number of ways to frustrate fans and fighters alike. The match looked like it might happen in the PRIDE FC 205-pound tournament in 2003, before Jackson ended Liddell's run prior to being knocked out by the eventual champion, Silva.

Then there was the UFC 61 debacle, where both fighters entered the Octagon and hyped a fight that never would be. Dubious negotiating tactics by a near-defunct PRIDE FC seemed to have scrapped the super-fight for good.

No one was more frustrated than the fighters themselves. Liddell openly displayed his frustrations over the way things were handled. Silva, also upset about the circumstances, continuously questioned Liddell's intent to fight him.

When Silva finally inked a UFC deal this summer, all the stars were finally aligned for the biggest fight in MMA history -- for hardcore fans anyway -- to happen.

Enter Jardine.

A second lackluster performance had, according to UFC President Dana White, likely scuttled the bout that just would not be made. White hinted that Liddell might have even been contemplating retirement.

Pundits and fans alike began to question everything from the lifestyle Liddell leads to his training regimen. The powerful right hand that had everyone singing his praises had turned into his only weapon. According to many, he was just a one-trick pony.

Those words did not fall on deaf ears. Liddell, the former Cal Poly San Luis Obispo wrestler, heard them all.

"People are saying, ‘He's doing this and that.' You never said a word about it when I was winning," said a dismissive Liddell. "But you lose a fight, and what you are doing is wrong."

One thing he did acknowledge was a hint of complacency in his routine. His long-time trainer John Hackleman told Sherdog.com that while he sees this camp as "business as usual," he understands the implications for his charge have been dialed up a couple of notches.

Both fighters are coming off of consecutive losses, and this fight has become a battle for relevancy among top light heavyweights. With so much at stake, Hackleman recognizes he has to make sure his star pupil is as sharp as he can be come fight night. In fact, the trainer has seen a difference in Liddell's urgency as he has prepared for this match.

"Chuck has been really focused," Hackleman said. "It's been one of his best camps yet. He understands what needs to be done and he is doing it."

Why keep pushing yourself after such a long, distinguished career? Liddell is quick to chime in, stating that two losses in a row is not "the way he wants to go out."

As for the retirement talk after his last bout, Liddell has seemingly put any rumor of it to rest for now.

"I want to be number one in the world," said a defiant former champ. "I want to prove that I'm the best in the world at what I do and I want to get back there. I was there at one point and I'd like to be there again."

And if that doesn't happen?

For the man who used to fight when paydays were a fraction of what they have recently become, love of the sport and the competition is the fuel that feeds his fire. Noting how hard it will be to finally hang up his gloves, Liddell got in a jab at those pesky critics who have come out of the woodwork after the rough stretch he has endured.

"I always think I got a shot. If nothing else, I can always be that one-trick pony for you guys," said Liddell, grinning from ear to ear. "I'll be almost 50 and be out there, and I'll still have a knockout punch. I might not be able to land it very often, but I'll still have it. I'll just throw one big bomb: ‘Oh, it didn't work guys. Sorry about that.'"

That day has not come just yet, but here he is, staring at a three-fight losing streak and a chance for a return to championship glory hanging in the balance. Nearly a year to the day since his last taste of victory, Liddell is poised to recapture some of the cache he wielded so powerfully in the not so distant past.

He expects a knockout and a return to prominence in the UFC light heavyweight division, but he kept his exact prediction, in trademark Liddell fashion, short and sweet.

"It should be an exciting fight," quipped the former champion, "as long as it lasts."

Oh, and if you are wondering whether the "Iceman" is losing any sleep over the countless predictions of his demise, don't fret.

"I don't think people have quite given up on me yet," declared Liddell. "Well, we'll see. Not that it matters too much to me. … I don't worry about that too much."

2006 or 2007, the more things change for Chuck Liddell (Pictures), the more they stay the same.