UFC president Dana White has been calling for former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell’s retirement for quite some time.
Following back-to-back knockout losses to Rashad Evans and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, White had declared that Liddell was done. “The Iceman” talked him into another shot in the Octagon. Liddell was unceremoniously knocked out by Rich Franklin at UFC 115, making that five losses in six fights, four of those losses by way of knockout.
However, “The Iceman’s” career in the UFC is certainly not over. Though he turned in his fighting gloves, he picked up the title of UFC’s executive vice president of business development,
The 41-year old Lidell briefly addressed the media and his longtime fans, thanking the UFC for a memorable career and explained he was looking forward to his future in the number one mixed martial arts promotion.
“I love this sport, and I’m ready for a new chapter in my career,” he said.
Liddell retires with a 21-8 record, including a 16-7 mark in the UFC. His 16 wins in the organization were a previous UFC record. He won the UFC’s light-heavyweight title in 2005 and made four consecutive title defenses before losing the belt to Quinton Jackson in 2007.
