The title of UFC 43 was indeed visionary, as one of the toughest MMA light-heavy fighters, the "Ice Man" Chuck Liddell, chilled the arena in expectation to this title bout. Now that Tito Ortiz had taken De La Hoya's title in the Ice Man's freezer, the frustrated Liddell was hungry. The only thing I can say to Chuck is, having "Vanilla Ice" in the house, and stepping out to his entrance music was a very bad omen. We are talking about a "one hit wonder" whose only hit song was a complete rip off of Queen's "Under Pressure."

Anyone that's been a wrestler at some point in their existence knows that the hardest part is "sucking up" the weight. It is a grueling physical and psychological process, which requires plastics, extra running, spitting, not eating, it makes a very angry man of anyone. Just by looking at Randy Couture's face and especially the dry lips and mouth, you knew that this man had worked his ass off to get here leaner and meaner. He was starving for respect, this man who was the first to go toe to toe with Vitor Belfort, and stunned the MMA world by wrecking the then machine-like Brazilian Phenomena. This is the man who barely edged his way past Pedro "the Rock" Rizzo in their first encounter for the UFC heavyweight title. Although I really felt Pedro had come back and won that first fight, Couture proved that he was pure guts and heart, and indeed the champion in that incredible Greco Roman wrestler vs. Muay-Thai kick boxer battle.

Speaking of Pedro Rizzo, he's back and he's a different man. The greatest criticism of Rizzo is his lack of aggression. (Picture Pedro chillin' by the seaside, smiling, with a bevy of Brazilian beauties dancing in the Bahia breeze. You know, like the Snoop Dog's new video with Parnell.) He is a counter striker who hasn't been turning it on enough for the judge's to favor him. Rizzo has recently lost a couple of decisions because of being "too cautious." The tissue above his eyes has also cost him fights.
Tre "Trauma" Telligman, from the Lion's Den, is one tough and experienced motherfucker. Telligman only fights with the best in the world, and here was his opportunity to redeem himself against "the Rock", inside the Cage. I won't tell you who won, but it was a hard-core stand up smack down fest until the finish.

It was definitely "Samba" night in Las Vegas, and the bottom line is that Jesus was in the house. If this is Vitor Belfort with God as his co-pilot, I would hate to see him driving with Satan. Belfort simply annihilated the local hero Marvin "the Beastman" Eastman. The match was over before I could finish one swig from my beer, and "Beastman" looked like he had encountered an axe murderer by the time they stopped the fight.
This was only the beginning of the crusade, as Kimo Leopold, the only man who ever "hurt" Royce Gracie in the Octagon, faced David "Tank" Abbott. Not even modern warfare can stop Jesus, as the tattooed Hawaiian minister immediately took Tank to the ground and cut of his gas supply. Tank tapped as he was fading and a tunnel of light appeared.

Speaking of Tank there was also a Barn from Lancaster, Ohio in the house. This rookie super hero from the Hammer House proved that he would be dangerous in any bar room brawl anywhere. After Frank Mir toyed with him for the first three minutes, instead of choking him from behind, he attempted an arm bar. But, the lanky "Buckeye" simply stretched his arm out of the triangle lock, drew a blank on the rules, went into a rage, and then proceeded to stomp Mir's pretty face into the ground. The ref was a little late on the tackle, as Mir smiled up, dazed with a black eye from some two stepping. When the big man was disqualified, he proceeded kicking the fence protesting like a farm animal.

Vernon Tiger White showed what fighting for ten years abroad does for a fighter. He was way classier, smarter and more agile than the thuggish looking Saxon Ian Freeman. Freeman looks like he served in the foreign legion as well, but is way more of a brawler, despite the recent Miletich education. With a weight advantage, and "mad dog" guts, he undoubtedly held on and landed some heavy blows in the last round. Although the judges called it a draw, The Lions Den fighter seemed the more deserving, considering he is really a light heavyweight. I can't wait for Shamrock himself to settle this unfinished decision.

"Gun slinger" Yves Edwards walked in from the "Land of the Lost," and landed too many shots for his opponent Eddie Ruiz to counter. The grappler seemed rubbery compared to Yves who seemed very solid as he imposed himself. He threw some wild flying knees and landed a solid foot smack into Ruiz's face, which filled the arena. Yves is rough and tough, and is mentioned in the later part of our 155lbs. "The Land of the Lost," article.

Back to the beginning. All I want to say is that Randy Couture trains with Dan Henderson, in my opinion the toughest American fighting abroad. It is no surprise then that Couture was starving, and really took it to the "Ice Man." He chipped away at him in his own game. Couture was super aggressive and seemed to out power Chuck from early on. Liddell seemed to be frozen in awe of Couture's punching ammunition. This was not the usual "good humor man," the "natural" gentleman Couture. This was a man who starved himself for months before this fight, finally raiding the icebox for some vanilla ice cream. The bottom line was; "Big John stopped the fight in the third round" while Couture made the "Ice Man" bleedeth.
I still believe that Liddell is still one of the best light heavy weights in the world, despite this loss to Randy Couture, who is a myth in Japan.

I would like to see Chuck in the Pride middleweight tournament as well as Tito Ortiz. There they could tag team against Dan Henderson and Randy Couture, and we could see how they fare among the worlds best. Sakuraba, Bustamante, Royce Gracie, Wanderlei Silva, etc…
Randy, you should take your belt to Japan and get your payday. There's a Hawaiian living in Japan whose claim to fame is having beat you. He even printed t-shirts saying so. You know who he is; it's time to clear the record.

P.S. "Rubber Man," Matt Lindland knocked himself out while attempting a throw.