Tito Ortiz challenges Chuck Liddell to a fourth fight - this time in the UFC!
Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell are known to have harbored one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history, and apparently, it hasn't ended yet. In the aftermath of UFC 262, Tito Ortiz issued a callout to his long-time "frenemy" Chuck Liddell, asking him to run back the fight for a fourth time. Unlike their last outing, Ortiz wants the fight to take place at the world's largest MMA promotion, the UFC. Asking for yet another rubber fight, the 46-year old wrote on Twitter-
"@ChuckLiddell we need to run it back in @UFC!"
Ortiz was perhaps prompted into action after seeing 'The Iceman' present at UFC 262.
The rivalry between Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell
Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell started their Mixed Martial Arts journey as friends and training partners. They were the two best fighters in the world at 205lbs and were both managed by Dana White up to a point. According to Ortiz, the two fighters were unwilling to fight each other for a long time, but Liddell accused Ortiz of ducking him, using 'friendship' as an excuse.
By late-2002, Liddell and Ortiz were no longer on speaking terms, and the public started getting involved in a call for the fight. Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell were long on a collision course, and it was inevitable that they would have to go toe-to-toe against each other at some point in their career. The two finally faced each other in a massive event at UFC 47 on April 2, 2004. Chuck Liddell was dominating from the onset and finally knocked Ortiz out at 00:38 in the second round.
Tito Ortiz would soon leave the UFC at the end of his contract for a 16-month layoff. On his return, Ortiz went on a five-fight win streak that re-established him as a top contender and earned him a title shot against Chuck Liddell. Rekindling the rivalry, Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell faced each other for the second time in December 2006 at UFC 66. In an outcome resembling their first meeting, Chuck Liddell knocked out Tito Ortiz in the third round to defend his title.
The trilogy fight between Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell came to fruition 12 years later, in November 2018, under the Golden Boy MMA banner. While Ortiz finally exacted revenge with a first-round knockout, both fighters were clearly way past their prime.