Saturday, May 26, 2007

Rampage puts Liddell on ice

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson proved Chuck Liddell wasn't invincible, again.
Jackson handed Liddell his first loss since 2003 Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, stopping the UFC light heavyweight champion by technical knockout in the first round of UFC 71.
Jackson dropped the San Luis Obispo-based fighter and former Cal Poly wrestler with a ruthless right hand that sent Liddell to the mat for good (see video). The 28-year-old Jackson (27-6) then pounced on the 37-year-old Liddell (20-4) and finished the fight with a fury of follow-up punches before referee John McCarthy called the fight at the 1:53 mark.
Liddell, known better as "The Iceman," had not lost in the octagon since 2003 when he fell to both Randy Couture and Jackson.
The former Mustang avenged losses to Couture and Jeremy Horn in 2005 but was unable to avenge his last loss to Jackson, a former Pride fighter who defeated Liddell in Japan in November 2003.
"I made a mistake and got caught," Liddell said afterward.

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