Photo by Rochelle Brodin/Getty Images
Skip to 30:21 for the “Iron” Mike comments.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion, Chuck Liddell, was not unlike former heavyweight boxing titleholder, Mike Tyson, in that both combatants were the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) draws of their respective eras.
And both won most of their fights by way of thunderous knockout.
While Liddell trained in all facets of mixed martial arts (MMA), Tyson only had to concentrate on the “sweet science,” though it’s not uncommon to find forum threads speculating on who might win between the two aging fighters.
“In a street fight, I’d win,” Liddell told Ed Mylett. “I mean, he’s got a puncher’s chance. He’s got a chance to catch me coming in. But other than that, it’s over.”
Like this, perhaps.
Liddell, 49, competed as recently as Nov. 2018, where he was knocked out by longtime rival, Tito Ortiz, under the Golden Boy MMA banner. As for Tyson, 53, he retired at age 38 after losing to the unheralded Kevin McBride back in June 2005.
Fortunately for both fighters, the only place we’ll ever see them go head-to-head is in the UFC video game by EA Sports. Perhaps the winner can move on to fight Bruce Lee or Muhammed Ali for title of “Baddest Mother Fucker.”