Chuck Liddell at all times most well-liked dealing with his enterprise contained in the cage.
The UFC Corridor of Famer earned a status as one of many nastiest knockout artists within the historical past of the game, however he by no means actually discovered the necessity to settle any beefs with previous rivals in a public setting. After sitting just some toes away from watching Sean Strickland launch himself at Dricus du Plessis at UFC 296, the previous mild heavyweight champion recounted the closest he got here to a avenue struggle whereas he was nonetheless in the course of his struggle profession.
To precisely no person’s shock, Liddell’s grudge was towards Tito Ortiz after the at all times outspoken “Huntington Seaside Dangerous Boy” made some ill-fated feedback throughout a radio interview whereas selling considered one of his fights.
“Tito, when he was preventing Vitor Belfort, was doing a radio interview in San Diego and mentioned, ‘I don’t date white trash b****** like Chuck,’” Liddell relayed on the Street Fight podcast. “A bunch of men referred to as me up and so they’re like, ‘What’s up with this?’ So I wasn’t actual pleased with him.”
Liddell mentioned he attended the cardboard the place Ortiz defeated Belfort at UFC 51. The 2 longtime rivals have been then slated to seem at a post-fight social gathering, the place a run-in between them was nearly inevitable.
The dangerous blood between the UFC legends was so palpable that it seemed as if a full on brawl may escape between the fighters and their mates. So, in an effort to maintain the peace, Liddell revealed that he was approached about settling his grudge towards Ortiz with a dialog somewhat than letting his fists go flying.
That’s when Liddell says he laid down an ultimatum earlier than Ortiz, particularly when it got here to any dialog relating to his private relationships.
“There’s an afterparty and John Huntington was selling it, a buddy of ours,” Liddell defined. “He comes as much as me and he’s like, ‘Hey bro, you’ve obtained to squash these things with Tito, as a result of your guys are going to struggle his guys. I don’t want any bother in right here. I don’t want any issues. Please squash this.’ I mentioned, ‘Yeah, no drawback.’ I went over, they obtained Tito to return over, and really Vin Diesel was there too, he was negotiating I suppose. He got here up and was making an attempt to get us to speak and be cool.
“I’m like, ‘Tito, first off, that is my girlfriend — apologize. Second, you ever discuss my household and mates on a radio interview once more, I do know the place you reside and I’ll come beat you in your f****** lounge. You perceive that?’”
Previous to their heated rivalry, Liddell counted Ortiz as a coaching companion and buddy, which meant they knew one another fairly nicely. In different phrases, Ortiz completely understood that Liddell was severe whereas laying down his problem.
After all, Liddell mentioned Ortiz’s rationalization about the entire scenario was additionally somewhat dumb, however that’s a dialog for a distinct day.
“[Tito said,] ‘No man, I obtained it, I’m sorry, I wasn’t speaking about her, I used to be speaking about Juliette Lewis,’” Liddell mentioned. “Us Journal had mentioned I used to be courting Juliette Lewis for some cause. I’m like, ‘She’s not white trash, bro. She performs characters which might be in films, fool.’
“I mentioned, ‘OK, we’re cool, I’m not going to trigger any bother.’ He knew from after we skilled earlier than, we skilled collectively, he heard tales about me — I’m severe.”
That incident didn’t result in an outside-the-cage altercation, however it actually didn’t settle the lengthy simmering rivalry between them. They met for the second time within the UFC lower than two years later, with Liddell scoring a third-round knockout over Ortiz to defend his mild heavyweight title for the fourth consecutive time.
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