Sherdog’s Top 10: Fighters of the 2000s

8. Chuck Liddell

There was no one quite like Liddell. “The Iceman” made his pro debut at UFC 17 with a unanimous decision over Noe Hernandez and spent the next three years getting his feet wet. He paired exceptional takedown defense with ferocious knockout power and killer instinct. Liddell’s long list of victims includes Kevin Randleman, Murilo Bustamante, Vitor Belfort, Alistair Overeem and Wanderlei Silva, but his rivalries with Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz helped push the Ultimate Fighting Championship to unprecedented heights. Between April 2, 2004 and May 26, 2007, he was at the forefront of the UFC boom. Liddell captured the light heavyweight crown by knocking out Couture at UFC 52 in April 2005 and successfully defended it on four different occasions before ceding the throne to Quinton Jackson more than two years later. A Santa Barbara, California, native, Liddell became the UFC’s first legitimate crossover star, appearing on the cover of ESPN the Magazine and in various films and television shows. He also competed on Season 9 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” reality series. Liddell was enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame on July 11, 2009.

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