Chuck Liddell Does Learn, Just Very Slowly

If you thought there was something familiar about the way Chuck Liddell got himself knocked out against Rashad Evans, you’re right. It’s almost the exact same scenario that precipitated his loss to Rampage Jackson: Liddell throws an uppercut while not troubling himself to defend his chin, Liddell eats a hard right counter, Liddell goes down and Dana White gets sad. It’s almost enough to make you wonder if fighting with your hands nowhere near your face isn’t such a good idea. You know, because there’s always that slim possibility that your opponent might also decide to throw some punches.

Fortunately, Liddell is starting to ask himself the hard questions:

“I guess that’s a bad habit,” Liddell said. “I see that shot and I land it a lot, but I guess I leave myself open when I throw it. I need to get back in there and stop doing it. It’s something to work on.”

Well, that only took two knockout losses for him to realize. At this rate he’ll be able to figure out where he went wrong against Keith Jardine and avenge that loss some time in early 2010. Will he still be in the game by then? Hard to say. Liddell said he would “take a little time” after this loss, but added, “I’ve always said that when I retire, I’ll decide in the training room and not after a fight.”

Maybe that’s why he intends to stay out of the training room for a while.