Chuck Liddell is one of the most important figures in UFC history. It’s been many years since he competed in the Octagon, but it’s still very interesting to hear his thoughts on the state of MMA today.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, the UFC Hall of Famer shared his thoughts on how the sport has changed over the years, and made some interesting points.
“When I started fighting, the home run was [making] 150 grand a year,” Liddell said. “That’s if you fought probably three fights to get that. So there wasn’t any big thing. You got guys that liked fighting, and it’s a job where I can keep fighting. You had a lot more pure fighters. Guys that are fighters.
“Today you still have both, trust me, but guys that are athletes that can fight. They’re good athletes, and they can fight. They know how to fight. And sometimes that’s a different mindset. I mean, there’s guys that do well, and that are really kind of not what I consider like real fighters. They’re not great tactically, but they can be intimidated, they can pushed to a point where it’s not a fight.”
That’s an interesting take from Liddell, who was known for his ferocious striking in the early days of the UFC.