Watching Cro Cop get demolished by Alistair "Demolition Man" Overeem at Dream 6 made me think of Chuck Liddell. I was struck by how far each of these legendary fighters has fallen in the last eighteen months. In that time they have both compiled a 1-3 record.
I would have to give the nod to Liddell in terms of “strength of schedule” and “quality wins” (or should I say win). If this were “BCS style” then Liddell would be ranked higher, if that’s any consolation. Regardless, both these fighters face serious questions about their future.
People have written articles calling on Liddell to consider retirement. If he does stay in the UFC where does he safely land? Should he fight a tomato-can, move up to the heavyweight division, or should he try and secure a “super fight” with Anderson Silva or Rich Franklin?
I am sure people will start writing the same thing about Cro Cop. Does he stick around in Dream? Does he rematch Overeem only to be destroyed again? Perhaps he sticks around and slips into MMA mediocrity by fighting fighters he knows can’t destroy him.
The “demolition man” was quoted as saying “Cro Cop has one style, but I can fight many ways, so it's easy for me to adapt to him, tonight I was kicking his ass, I destroyed him.” This statement symbolizes what Brett Puddy talked about in his recent article.
In the article “They All go into the Dark” he discusses the timely issue of “the need to change & evolve” if fighters want to thrive & survive in MMA. If these once dominant strikers want to remain relevant they have to adapt and/or grow their game to compete.
Or perhaps they ride into the white light with that got them to greatness. I wouldn’t mind the UFC bringing Cro Cop back to face Liddell. The winner stays and the loser goes. Pride Legend vs. UFC future hall-of-famer. One strike to rule them all.
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about 1 month ago
The idea of Liddell vs Cro Cop appeals to me on many levels, although Chuck would never agree to banishment from the UFC--that and Dana White are all he has left.
about 1 month ago
You are spot on. Dana still has millions to make of of the Liddell Brand. I would love to get your thoughts on who you think they might pick for Chuck to fight next?!
about 1 month ago
Brian,
Excellent article. I would have to say that Crocop has fallen further, especially since his embarassing showing against Alistair Overeem. In Chuck's defense, all I can say is that he is still fighting worthy opponents. Keep up the intelligent analysis.
Peace, brother.
from 15 days ago
WTF why is everybody shitting on that Overeem fight.
Let's put it this way: who wants to get kicked in the nuts twice and is still dancing like Micheal Jackson...
about 1 month ago
Great article! That fight would be huge..if it were ever gonna happen. One thing is for sure though, no MMA fan wants to see the UFC and DREAM turn these two stars into what Kimbo Slice is. That would be such a sad day in the MMA.
about 1 month ago
You raised a great point. In an effort to make great and/or entertaining fights happen, it should never get to the point where we think of our fighters as disposable commodities. We owe them our respect for everything they have given to their fans. While these two fighters are down, they have had amazing careers and provided their fans with many great moments. Thanks for adding your needed comment.
about 1 month ago
Liddell is in a position where, because of his history and popularity, a loss won't hurt him as much as much as it would someone else. Even a few losses won't ruin Chuck's drawing power. The main thing to realize about the UFC is that wins and losses don't matter as much as the impression you make on the fans. Yes, a good record will make an impression on the fans, but look at someone like Clay Guida, who loses a lot of fights but does so in exciting fashion. Because of that, he continues to be on PPV cards and Spike events -- they know they're going to get something exciting when Clay fights.
I cannot envision a time when Chuck Liddell stops being a pay per view draw; that's not to say it won't happen, but it would take a lot to damage his drawing power. Houston Alexander is another example, and he's one example I have used time and time again. Because of his dramatic first two fights, Alexander was turned into a star, and despite losing three straight since then, he's still incredibly popular. Liddell has that same value, except on a much larger scale.
Chuck's problem is that he's been figured out. Chuck has used the same game plan for the majority of his career; he measures the distance between he and his opponent, and waits for a chance to get the knock out. The problem is that his striking defense is nearly non-existent, and people know what to look for. I still think Chuck can be the Chuck of old, but he has to get in the gym and work on his defense and on changing up his gameplan. The old Chuck didn't have to rely on those things, but the new Chuck will have to adapt or he's going to keep losing.
Mirko Cro Cop is simply not the fighter he once was. His parliament duties in his home country have been taking top priority over fighting, whereas it used to be the other way around. You can tell by watching his mannerisms, both in the UFC and in DREAM, that he just doesn't care about fighting as much as he used to. He's lethargic, lazy, and cautious, all of which were non-existent when he became a huge star in PRIDE. I don't know if it was the Gonzaga kick that did it, but he's certainly been a different fighter since that moment. If *I* had been the guy Gonzaga knocked out with that kick, I'd certainly be skittish and perhaps even terrified of getting knocked out again. The killer instinct is gone, and I don't think he'll ever be what he once was.
All this being said, I would still love to see Cro Cop back in the UFC. They won't pay him the $250,000 he was getting the last time around, at least not until he proves he can be worth it, but I still want to see him fight Couture. There are plenty of intriguing heavyweight fights for the old version of Cro Cop. I'd even love to see Liddell move up and fight him. They'd need to put him on the undercard and not in main events and let him work his courage back up without all the pressure a main event brings.
about 1 month ago
Wow, your analysis is informative, concise, and of high-caliber. I will keep writing articles in anticipation of getting comments such as this. Thank you!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks. I don't know if "concise" is the proper term for my essay-length comments, though!
about 1 month ago
Ha! I think I used concise because you get alot of great information in without it seeming to drag on or go off point. Your comments are both efficient and effective. Keep up the good work!
about 1 month ago
When did Tito come into the conversation? Random. And why the need to use slanderous language ? Are you talking about women who fight in MMA or women you happen to personally know?
about 1 month ago
I agree completely with Jeremy when he stated that Cro Cop is not as interested. I didn't see the same spark he use to have. Personally, i think the way Overeem was behaving before and during the fight just kills the sport and maybe took some "heart" out of it for Cro Cop. I always look to how Fedor and Cro Cop are friends even before, during, and after the fight. That's the kind of sportsmanship these fighters should bring. Liddell is another trash talker so maybe that's why i don't sympathize his losses. Anyways, I still watch Cro Cop videos for inspiration. This particular one, is more of just a sad story than a failure for Cro Cop. Just my $.02...
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