Old meets new has become a familiar theme of late in the UFC. The light heavyweight tilt between
Chuck Liddell (Pictures) and
Rashad Evans (Pictures) at UFC 88 on Saturday in Atlanta encapsulates that eternal struggle.
Liddell has played the role of mixed martial arts rock star for years but may be on the back end of his career. Evans, the hungry up-and-comer, may not be ready to take on the boogeymen that populate his weight class.
If good matchmaking centers on answering questions, than the UFC 88 main event will prove quite enlightening.
Ht/Wt: 6’2”/205 lbs.
Age: 38
Hometown: Santa Barbara, Calif.
Fighting out of: San Luis Obispo, Calif.
MMA record: 21-5
Despite having worked as a bouncer and bartender in his early days, Liddell actually holds a degree in accounting from California Polytechnic State University. It is there that he first developed the takedown defense that has proven vital to his MMA success.
Long one of the faces of the UFC, Liddell has spent the better part of the last seven years as the light heavyweight division’s resident grim reaper, his atomic right hand substituting for the scythe. However, his status as an unquestioned juggernaut now stands on unsteady footing.
A pair of losses to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and
Keith Jardine (Pictures) did not reveal any weaknesses that were not already obvious to anyone with a discerning eye, but they did reveal that his opponents had finally learned how to hone in on them. Or perhaps “The Iceman” had lost a step after so many years of dominance. He does turn 39 in December.
Answers came when Liddell stepped inside the cage with
Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) at UFC 79 for a bout that took place after an eternity of anticipation. While it was not the all-out war for which many had hoped, it did reveal that Liddell had finally evolved and no longer had to rely on landing a perfectly placed punch to win a fight.
Will Liddell’s approach pay off against the new breed of light heavyweights set to supplant him? That question haunts many a Liddell fan and perhaps Liddell himself.
Wrestlers toss and turn at night when they think of fighting Liddell, who has an uncanny ability to force takedown-minded foes into a slugfest thanks to his incredible takedown defense. Evans struggled to score takedowns on
Tito Ortiz (Pictures), who dwarfed the undersized Greg Jackson protégé at UFC 73 last summer, and he may be in for more of the same against Liddell.
Time cuts down many an athlete, and Liddell’s definitely not the fighter he once was. While the aging former champion remains a dangerous proposition for most, Evans has a non-stop motor and the quickness to give Liddell fits.
Hamstring injuries are some of the most difficult from which to rebound for athletes, and Liddell’s coming off a particularly muscle hamstring tear that had him on the shelf for months. If his legs are not up to the task, Liddell’s impenetrable takedown defense may end up more wide open than the presidential election.
Photo by Sherdog.com
Evans, who fights at 205 pounds,
won the heavyweight division of
Spike TV's "The Ultimate Fighter 2."
Ht/Wt: 5’11”/205 lbs.
Age: 28
Hometown: Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Fighting out of: Albuquerque, N.M.
MMA record: 11-0-1
Another success story from “The Ultimate Fighter,” Evans may also be one of the most mercurial graduates of the UFC’s reality television bonanza.
After winning the heavyweight competition on the show’s second season, Evans promptly dropped down to the 205-pound weight class and proceeded to rack up a pair of insomnia-curing decision wins over
Sam Hoger (Pictures) and
Stephan Bonnar (Pictures). They consisted primarily of impressive takedowns from Evans, followed by his utter disregard for the concept of guard passing.
Just as the masses wrote off Evans, he got back into the good graces of the MMA cognoscenti by scoring a pair of spectacular knockouts against
Jason Lambert (Pictures) and
Sean Salmon (Pictures); they lent credence to the UFC’s relentless trumpeting of its latest golden goose.
Evans, however, appears content to prove the consistency of inconsistency. He has since struggled in bouts against Tito Ortiz and
Michael Bisping (Pictures). While that undefeated mark remains as glossy as ever, there is not much on the Evans resume to suggest he can keep it intact.
Evans has the wrestling pedigree -- he wrestled collegiately at Michigan State -- and style that pose problems for Liddell, as most of his takedowns come via the shot. That means he will not have to risk Liddell unloading on him while he sets up a clinch. Better yet, Liddell struggles with opponents who use footwork to cut off his angles, and Evans is fleet of foot.
Evans had to wait for Ortiz and his reconstructed knees to run out of gas before scoring a takedown. That does not bode well for him in this bout, as he will likely end up knocked out before Liddell gasses.
In a division loaded with titans who cut significant weight, Evans consistently faces the challenge of outwrestling opponents who dwarf him. While Evans has managed the task admirably thus far, the UFC has wisely kept him away from the likes of Liddell -- until now.
Say what you will about Liddell’s predictable style and unorthodox striking, but the fact remains that there is not a wrestler alive who’s enthused by the idea of facing “The Iceman.” Evans has the technique to take down Liddell, but he cannot keep him there. Standing, Evans will be in no man’s land. That “Sugar” moniker Evans carries around will look awfully out of place when Liddell turns him into highlight reel fodder.
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