Chuck Liddell plans on “Slapping around” Tito Ortiz some more after TUF 11

Published on: 7th December, 2009

Chuck Liddell plans on "Slapping around" Tito Ortiz some more after TUF 11 | read this item

During this past Saturday night’s broadcast of The Ultimate Fighter “Heavyweights” finale on Spike TV, UFC President Dana White announced that former light heavyweight champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz would be the coaches for the upcoming season of the show. We also got our answer about the future of ‘The Iceman’, who will continue to fight on and put retirement on hold. It appears that Liddell, who coached season one of TUF wants the satisfaction of getting another win on ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy’ before calling it a career.

In a interview with Sergio Non for USA Today Liddell is asked about re-opening the book on his rivalry with Ortiz who coached on season three of TUF and how he plans on going about it.

“I don’t mind slapping him around. I’ve been arguing with Dana about wanting to fight again for a while. It’s another year, I guess. I still feel great.”

Within the last year or so, Liddell has been knocked out in his last two fights against the likes of Rashad Evans back at UFC 88 in September of 2008. Followed by another KO loss to Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua this past April at UFC 97. Liddell’s close friend UFC President Dana White said that the former champ will be retiring, but since that time White has dropped his stance. whte has now stated in several interviews that he is not his father and can make the decision on his own.

So with that said, Chuck will be making his return and coming back to face a familiar foe as Liddell also adds that he has been working on some new techniques as well while spending some time at 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu under Eddie Bravo.

“I’m always working on stuff,” Liddell says. “I’m always trying to learn new things and new training techniques.”

However, Ortiz who like Liddell has been out for a longer period of time having undergone extensive back surgery and has just made his return last month at UFC 106 in a loss to Forrest Griffin, but believes now that he is feeling better than ever can defeat Liddell in their third encounter which Chuck has won both at UFC 47 back in 2004 and the rematch two years later at UFC 66 in late 2006.

But, is this a matchup that the fans want to witness again, or are delighted to see another great fight make a top pay-per-view and live gate record go down once again?