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The line ended in the early evening at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada with former UFC heavyweight champion, Randy Couture (10-5), as the moderate underdog at +170 against the (12-1) 33 year old knockout star, Chuck Liddell. Couture nearing 40 years of age, chose to fight in the 205 pound division for the first time in his career. The match was billed as the future vs the past, with Liddell winning his last none matches and Couture losing his last two. The "Ice Man", as Liddell was aptly nicknames, had won IFC World Light Heavyweight Championship back in 2000, but this was his first major championship, and it was for the UFC Interm Light-heavyweight title. Couture had previously held gold, as he won the UFC Heavyweight championship against Kevin Randleman at UFC 28.
The title match was held at the Thomas and Mack Center on June 6, 2003. UFC 43. During the course of the evening's event, prime superstar, Vitor Belfort, also at light-heavyweight, had just scored a technical knockout of Marvin Eastman who sported one of the worst head injuries in the history of MMA with a wide gash from Belfort's knee, that went straight down across the forehead to the left eye. Liddell came out to a very "humorous" opening promo by Baz from the TAPOUT Crew. The crowd was absolutely electric as both men were fan favorites. But many had thought Liddell would just simply be too much for the aging Couture. Hardly anyone gave Couture a chance, which was exactly what Couture had anticipated when he once fought a similar opponent at UFC 15, in the undefeated Vitor Belfort.
Finally, here it was, the chance to meet the knockout star. Couture would defeat the odds at Mandalay Bay and serve up one of the greatest upsets at the time, and set the stage for what will be one of the single greatest trilogies in UFC history. Couture would become the first MMA fighter to win championships in two different weight classes at age 39. It wouldn't be the last time he would deny the critics and Las Vegas odds.
Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell UFC 43
The title match was held at the Thomas and Mack Center on June 6, 2003. UFC 43. During the course of the evening's event, prime superstar, Vitor Belfort, also at light-heavyweight, had just scored a technical knockout of Marvin Eastman who sported one of the worst head injuries in the history of MMA with a wide gash from Belfort's knee, that went straight down across the forehead to the left eye. Liddell came out to a very "humorous" opening promo by Baz from the TAPOUT Crew. The crowd was absolutely electric as both men were fan favorites. But many had thought Liddell would just simply be too much for the aging Couture. Hardly anyone gave Couture a chance, which was exactly what Couture had anticipated when he once fought a similar opponent at UFC 15, in the undefeated Vitor Belfort.
Finally, here it was, the chance to meet the knockout star. Couture would defeat the odds at Mandalay Bay and serve up one of the greatest upsets at the time, and set the stage for what will be one of the single greatest trilogies in UFC history. Couture would become the first MMA fighter to win championships in two different weight classes at age 39. It wouldn't be the last time he would deny the critics and Las Vegas odds.
Randy Couture vs Chuck Liddell UFC 43
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