| Liddell admits to after-hours rounds before bout with Jackson |
LA Times reports Chuck Liddell admits he made after-hours rounds of Las Vegas nightclubs in the week before his Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight title defense against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.
What Liddell disputed Wednesday was the notion that early-morning partying cost him his belt Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"It’s nothing that I’ve never done before; it was just like any other fight," Liddell said. "I just go and hang out. I don’t drink. I just kill time, hang out with friends at whatever club they’re at. I’ve been doing that as long as I’ve fought in Vegas."
By decking Liddell with a right and finishing him off after only 1 minute 53 seconds with a flurry of five punches on the mat, Jackson ended his opponent’s streak of seven victories — all by knockout or technical knockout. Then he said Liddell’s partying "is an issue. You can’t fight me going out to those clubs that late at night."
Juanito Ibarra, Jackson’s trainer and manager, said he was told early last week by members of Jackson’s entourage that they had seen Liddell partying at clubs such as the Hard Rock Hotel’s Body English and The Mirage’s Jet.
Ibarra seized on it as a motivational tool, arguing against Jackson’s initial response of, "That’s Chuck’s business."
Said Ibarra: "That shows disrespect and I told Rampage that, ‘He doesn’t respect you, son,’ I know I’m old school but if that was my kid out there I’d be [upset.] If he thinks he’s so good, that he can take me so lightly to think he can stay up so late … that’s disrespect."
Irvine’s Jackson, 28, already owned a victory over San Luis Obispo’s Liddell, 37 — in a 2003 PRIDE Fighting Championships Grand Prix event. But the challenger said he adhered to a strict fight-week routine, and was in his room by 10 each night.
Dancing, Jackson said, "is a good workout, but not that late and not that close to the fight. I went out and backed my thing up on Saturday night. It was a good time."
Liddell dismissed the importance of his clubbing, insisting he’s a nocturnal person who sleeps late, usually trains at night until about 9, then visits with friends. He said he did the same things before beating Tito Ortiz twice in Las Vegas.
"If you lose, people are looking for a reason other than the fact I just got beat," Liddell said. "I obviously made a mistake [in the octagon]. I did something I’ve been told for years not to do: throw a body shot to the outside like that. It seemed like [the opening] was there."
It wasn’t. Jackson reared back and delivered a counter right hook to the jaw that floored the UFC’s most popular fighter.
While Jackson is making the rounds of sports television shows and letting his "kids play with the belt" this week, Liddell promised Wednesday that he’ll be back.
"I’ll put another big run together again," he said.
I think that liddell is still the most exiting fighter to watch, and the fact that he knew he made a mistake without hesitating to own up to it shows that he has championship character. There is always someone bigger stronger and better but i still think that Chuck has the best fighting charisma out of all of the UFC fighters. I don’t think that staying up in clubs with friends had anything to do with the outcome of the fight. It was a good look and a clean punch, thats all it takes in this business. I know liddell will be back and i will be rooting for him all the way.