UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell has not exactly confirmed that he will make a return to MMA anytime soon
On the other hand, he has yet to deny it.
“Ice Man” sent the rumor mill into overdrive this summer by uploading photos to social media showing the former UFC light heavyweight champion in tremendous shape. An intriguing (albeit staged) photo showing Liddell facing off with former rival Tito Ortiz did little to dampen those rumors, yet things have cooled off as of late.
Liddell recently told Ariel Helwani on a recent episode of The MMA Hour that there is a chance he could return…under the right conditions, of course:
“I don’t think the itch to fight has ever left me, ever,” Liddell said (transcribed by Shaun Al-Shatti for MMA Fighting). “I mean, I got paid to do what I love for a living, and I got paid very well to do it. So that’s going to always be there. That’s always going to be like, ‘Man, I wouldn’t mind getting out there again.’ That’ll always be there, and then it’s just that battle of should I? Or, is it the right thing to do? That’s what it all comes down to.
“I have had people that I was doing some promotion stuff with go, ‘You know, we had an idea. We should have, like, a legends fight,’” Liddell said. “It’s always that. That conversation always comes up when we’re talking about doing some promotion for a company, or helping them promote their league. The conversation always leads to, ‘Have you ever thought about doing a legends fight?’ Like, ‘We have this new idea, we’re thinking about a legends fight.’ New idea, yeah, that’s brand new. No, it always comes up.
“But it’s just, in the right situation, if they offered enough money, and my body would hold up to getting in shape, I’m not saying I’d say no.”
As for rumors that Liddell may favor a move over to Bellator? The former knockout artist has an opponent in mind, should that ever come to fruition:
“Talk about if I had to pick an easy big-name fight to come back to,” Chuck Liddell said of Sonnen. “If I ease into fighting again, I mean, a warm-up fight, that’s the one you’re talking about.”
