Dogged by questions about the effects of his age, physical fitness and tendency to go night-clubbing as fight night has neared, Chuck Liddell says his Saturday night Ultimate Fighting Championship bout with Keith Jardine will dismiss the doubters.
"I made a mistake, got caught trading a body shot for a right hand, and that's where it ends," Liddell, 37, said as he concluded training in Anaheim for his fight at the Honda Center. "It wasn't because I'm older, not because I'm losing a step, not because I'm out late. I'm not making any excuses."
Liddell was at the pinnacle of his UFC popularity in May when he defended his light-heavyweight belt for the fifth time, against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. A UFC weigh-in was televised by ESPNews for the first time, mixed martial arts received Sports Illustrated cover treatment, and Liddell, from San Luis Obispo, appeared as a guest on the popular HBO series "Entourage."
Then, instead of avenging his 2003 loss to Jackson or producing his eighth consecutive victory by knockout or technical knockout, Liddell was floored in the first round by a Jackson punch and subsequently pummeled on the canvas until the referee gave Irvine's Jackson an upset TKO victory.
Afterward, Liddell's flabbiness and the pre-fight, late-night sightings of him partying in Las Vegas left him defending charges of complacency.
"You start worrying about all the things people say and you lose focus on the task at hand," Liddell said.
Yet, Liddell (20-4) appears far leaner now than he did Memorial Day weekend. He hired a personal chef, and implemented a carbohydrate-protein-fat diet that has left him better sculpted and two pounds lighter than he usually is three days before a fight.
He wasn't supposed to be fighting the 31-year-old Jardine on Saturday. UFC President Dana White first tried and failed to sign former PRIDE Fighting Championships middleweight champion Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva before the Anaheim card had to be finalized.
So, White selected Jardine (12-4-1), a tough striker who upset respected light-heavyweight Forrest Griffin earlier this year. Jardine, however, was then stunned in May by a first-round knockout loss to UFC newcomer Houston Alexander -- in 48 seconds.
"I win that [Alexander] fight 99 times out of 100, and I think UFC guys know that," Jardine said. "The way I fight is fun to watch. I'm an aggressive, stand-up fighter. I'm not a point fighter. I try to put the guy away as fast as I can."
