| UFC 76 Knockout Officially Announced! |
Press Telegram reports - After getting knocked out for the first time in three years, and losing his title on the same night, Chuck Liddell will get his first chance to fight his way back up the 205-pound division for another shot at the crown in Southern California on Sept. 22, the UFC announced Wednesday.
Liddell will headline the return of the UFC to the Honda Center for the first time since last September when the "Iceman" faces hard-puncher Keith Jardine at UFC 76: Knockout.
"This is going to be a good stand-up fight, and it will be a very exciting fight for the fans," Liddell (20-4) said. "But I will beat him. I’m going to knock him out … I’ll go in there and pound on him until he goes down. I want to knock him out as fast as I can, win the fight, and then go get my belt back."
Jardine is also coming off a loss as he was upset by newcomer Houston Alexander at UFC 71.
Also on the card will be light heavyweight phenom Maurcio "Shogun" Rua, who will be making his much-anticipated UFC debut when he faces the popular Forrest Griffin (14-4).
Rua (16-2) fought for Pride FC the last four years and has beaten some of the best fighters in the world in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Ricardo Arona, Cyrille Diabate, Kevin Randleman and current UFC 205-pound champion Quinton Jackson.
Rua last fought in February and pummeled Alistair Overeem en route to a KO win.
Griffin bounced back from knockout loss to Jardine in UFC 66 with a unanimous decision over Hector Ramirez in June.
"Shogun is coming into the UFC because he wants the same thing, to get in the race and ultimately prove he is the best light heavyweight in the world so UFC 76 is going to have a huge impact on the 205-pound division and who we could eventually see fight Dan Henderson or (Jackson) for the title," UFC president Dan White said.
Additions to the card will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Aug. 4.
