Chuck Liddell vs. Shogun Rua UFC 97 Fight Pick
Rua is the underdog, but can he bite back?
Both were among the greatest light heavyweights the UFC had to offer and both were so feared that they often won most fights in their respective organizations (UFC and PRIDE in Japan) before they even stepped into the ring or octagon.
Now, they clash on Saturday in Montreal at UFC 97 with the hopes of reviving their sagging careers. For Liddell, a brutal knockout at the hands of Rashad Evans was the fight that made everyone suddenly start asking if the Iceman should retire from the UFC.
His style seemed behind the times and slow.
Liddell Revamps Style for UFC 97?
Liddell has always had a wide-open, swing-for-the-fences, anti-defense stance that leaves his chin wide open. Evans and Keith Jardine and Rampage Jackson all exposed it by drilling him with some huge shots, knockout blows in the cases of Rampage and Evans.
Liddell is said to finally be emphasizing keeping his hands up more and he'll need to against Shogun Rua, a devastating strker.
Rua at UFC 97 Against Liddell
The muy thai game has always been Rua's most impressive attribute and Liddell hasn't really fought anyone with the complete muy thai technical skills that Rua has. Rua also has a tendency to gas out in fights and against Mark Coleman he did just that. He is finally getting healthy from his injuries though and that should be the x-factor in this ufc 97 fight.
Rua doesn't have the knockout power that Liddell has by any stretch but he is quick enough and skilled enough on his feet that he can pick his spots and stay out of knockout range from the Iceman in this fight. Of course he will need to come into the fight in better shape than he has in the past but that is what is likely to happen or at least should happen considering the importance of this fight.
If Rua wins this one he can vault back up into contention for the UFC light heavyweight title but if he loses he could be relegated to undercard material in a hurry and lose a ton of money in the process, especially with up-and-coming UFC light heavyweight stars on the horizon such as Ryan Bader and Luiz Cane lurking.
Rua needs this fight badly which is why he should come out ready to go. Of course, Liddell needs it just as much. But Rua has youth on his side which is always an advantage considering both fighters are quite experienced at this stage of their MMA and UFC careers.
Shogun Rua vs. Chuck Liddell: UFC 97 Fight Pick
Making a prediction for the Liddell/Rua fight is hard to do, but since Liddell is favored and has so many fans who will keep the odds up in this one, it might be a good idea to bet on Rua. Rua is a wild card because he hasn't fought like his old PRIDE self but his best probably will beat Liddell's best in this one at UFC 97 in Montreal so he's worth a shot in this fight.
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