Why did UFC finally give chuck strikers when he was already out of his prime?

[moreorless87]

Rampage, Rashad were tough opponents
Jardine and Shogun should be easy fights though

They were all tough opponents as it turned out but I think the UFC had reason to believe otherwise plus I think Dana especially has a tendancy to buy into his own hype.

Chuck himself like Wanderlei would I expect have fought anyone though.

 

[Yung Dilla]

This is why I don't see why chuck is praised so much let's be honest outside of a few names he fought wrestlers and beat them, he beat Vitor back then, however back then he had issues where he'd mentally check out of a fight. Still to this day.

However he was on a run when rampage beat him for a second time and when he lost again he was suddenly out of his prime. Don't get me wrong he was never the same after that rampage ko but he also started fighting better strikers and started to get lit up.

Chuck imo is an all time great I just can't say top 5 but top 10 for sure unless we're talking lhw only then yeah I'd give him top 6

 

[ShreddinMMA]

Which "strikers" did the UFC give him?

This is revisionist history stated by new fans. Rampage was still viewed as a brawling wrestler when he came over. Rashad hadn't shown a striking skillset either, and frankly didn't do a whole lot to Chuck on the feet until that counter punch.

It wasn't until Shogun where Chuck faced a bonafide high level striker. And there is no shame in being outstruck by Shogun of all people.

 

[Private Whatley]

His biggest threat on the feet in his run in UFC was Vernon white, and before that was only Belfort. We only saw chuck in his prime fight strikers in pride.

Do you think if he fought more strikers in his prime, he would have lost more?


Fan or not, the guy was gifted with a murderers row......... Of grapplers in his prime

Because no one knew that he was past this magical prime of which you speak. Prior to the Rampage rematch, he had just dusted off Tito, Babalu, Randy and Jeremy Horn in succession. Strangely, he lost to Rampage previously in 2003 but I guess his "prime" must have begun with the following fight and ended precisely in time for the rematch.

 

[MuyThaiElbows]

Chuck fought longer than people remember. Liddell vs Rampage 1 was before the UFC. He was already pretty old in terms of the fight game when the merge happened and fighters like Rashad and Machida bursted onto the scene.

Plus Shogun/Liddell would have happened sooner but Rua lost to Forest Griffin in his UFC debut so that interfered with what would have been another great striker for Chuck to fight in his prime.

 

[lostdog000]

maybe they found chuck too passive and boring doin the sprawl n brawl vs grapplers?

 

[Davemeddlehed]

His biggest threat on the feet in his run in UFC was Vernon white, and before that was only Belfort. We only saw chuck in his prime fight strikers in pride.

Do you think if he fought more strikers in his prime, he would have lost more?


Fan or not, the guy was gifted with a murderers row......... Of grapplers in his prime

Who was he supposed to fight? Shogun, Wanderlei, Rampage, Overeem, Igor, Minotoro, etc etc etc were all in PRIDE. Who was floating around outside of PRIDE who was better than who Chuck was fighting?

 

[moreorless87]

This is why I don't see why chuck is praised so much let's be honest outside of a few names he fought wrestlers and beat them, he beat Vitor back then, however back then he had issues where he'd mentally check out of a fight. Still to this day.

However he was on a run when rampage beat him for a second time and when he lost again he was suddenly out of his prime. Don't get me wrong he was never the same after that rampage ko but he also started fighting better strikers and started to get lit up.

Chuck imo is an all time great I just can't say top 5 but top 10 for sure unless we're talking lhw only then yeah I'd give him top 6

I'd say that the rot had set in before Rampage though, partly physical decline and partly the habits picked up fighting so many grapplers(less movement, lower hands, etc)

You watch the matches with Babalu and Tito in 2006 and really they are not nearly so impressive as the first time he beat them. Granted he finished Babalu fast but he still took several big shots very quickly and in both fights was basically depending on chin and power

 

[Garnett Silk]

His biggest threat on the feet in his run in UFC was Vernon white, and before that was only Belfort. We only saw chuck in his prime fight strikers in pride.

Do you think if he fought more strikers in his prime, he would have lost more?


Fan or not, the guy was gifted with a murderers row......... Of grapplers in his prime

Excellent post...I've often wondered how chuck would have done vs strikers in his prime

to his Credit he did beat

Guy Mezger
Vitor Belfort
Alistair Overeem

all A level strikers......all when Chuck was in his prime

When he fought Rampage he went up again an overall better fighter than him

Keith Jardine's drunken monk style can baffle anyone

Still Can't believe Rashad KO'd him like that

he was never the same after the Rampage and Rashad beatings

And then Shogun and Rich Franklin put his lights out

(would have been nice to see him fight Forrest Griffin and Machida before father time caught up with him

 

[Pwent]

i like how yall are gonna ignore that he beat pele because it was before his UFC run, when pele was the best fighter at chute boxe

just because there werent many strikers available doesnt mean he wouldve lost to them all