Scott Coker Willing To Make Liddell vs. Ortiz Rubber Match
Over the last month or so, rumors regarding a potential return to action for former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell began to swirl. In addition to that, Liddell teased a trilogy bout with fellow former UFC champion and longtime rival Tito Ortiz, which led to the two going back-and-forth on social media.
Both men are currently retired, as “The Iceman” hasn’t competed since 2010, while Ortiz hung up his gloves after scoring a submission victory over Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170 last January.
Given the age of both men, Bellator seems likely the landing spot for a trilogy bout between Liddell and Ortiz if it were to actually take place. Scott Coker has gained a bit of reputation for creating ‘legend fights’, and it turns out that the Bellator president would be willing to book a bout between Liddell and Ortiz:
“If Tito wanted to do it, would I do it? I think I might do it,” Coker told MMA Fighting. “To me, why not? If they all pass their medicals and their physicals. It’s a fight that I would love to see. But I think Tito is retired and we’re talking about hypotheticals that [probably] won’t happen.”
Despite saying he would indeed make the fight, Coker saying that it probably ‘won’t happen’ may serve as a sigh of relief to fight fans who are sick of seeing their favorite veterans return to the cage long after their primes.
An interesting thing to note, however, is that Coker has met with Liddell recently, although he claims it was simply to discuss a brand ambassador role:
“Chuck, he’s a guy I grew up watching fight on pay per view,” Coker said. “I think he and Tito and Randy Couture basically were the building blocks of the future and the success of the UFC.”
“As far as his legendary status, [Liddell has] already done everything he can in the sport,” he continued. “When we’ve met, he has not talked about fighting. So we’re just talking about a brand ambassadorship at this point.”
Would you like to see Liddell and Ortiz run it back a third time?
