Issue 104
August 2013
Counter striking and counter wrestling, Chuck Liddell was perhaps the greatest counterfighter in MMA history. FO tells you how he did it
COUNTER STRIKING: PUNCHING ON THE BACK FOOT
Often faced with grappling-inclined opponents (Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Jeremy Horn) who sought to close the distance and tie up dangerous kickboxer Liddell and drag the fight to the floor, ‘The Iceman’ became a master of circling away from his opponent and landing devastating counter strikes.
EXAMPLE: VS. RANDY COUTURE, UFC 57, 2006
When Liddell fought Randy Couture for the third time, his excellently timed counter punches were decisive. Chuck used his footwork, circling left and right to prevent Randy from rushing him to the fence and tying him up. As Randy lurched in with a hook Liddell backed up, then planted his feet and threw his punch ‘down the pipe,’ dropping Couture.
OVERHAND RIGHT
Liddell’s famous looping overhand came over the top of his opponent’s defense. The strike was one of Liddell’s most potent weapons, largely because he used it as a counter to the jab. When an opponent reaches out the jab, the opening for the overhand right appears.
EXAMPLE: VS. ALISTAIR OVEREEM, PRIDE TOTAL ELIMINATION 2003
Study Liddell’s fight with a lighter Alistair Overeem (now a UFC heavyweight) from the Pride 205lb grand prix in 2003, and Chuck’s ’04 and ‘06 fights against Tito Ortiz, to see how he waits for openings for the overhand right.
COUNTER WRESTLING: THE SPRAWL
Chuck’s incredible knockout ability wasn’t solely down to his accurate and powerful punching. Liddell possessed superb defensive wrestling skills, which allowed him to stay standing, and take advantage of the openings left by opponents desperate to get the hard hitting Liddell down on the mat.
When fighting at close range, Liddell kept himself tucked in, punching tight from the hip, not flaring the elbows. This style allowed him to punch his weight at short range, and keep the wrestling lines of defense intact by leaving his forearms low, ready to jam the tie-up or takedown.
EXAMPLE: VS. ‘BABALU’ SOBRAL, UFC 40, 2002
Study Liddell’s classic performance against Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral from 2002 and utilize his tactics. Babalu waded forward, but Chuck was able to maintain his lines of defense, blocking the shot with hands and forearms and throwing tight, compact punches from the hip.
DRILL: BLOCKING THE SHOT
Have your training partners try to rush you and either tie you up high or take you down to the mat. Stop them at the neck with your forearms or block the shoulders with your hands. Don’t get into overhooks and underhooks that will prevent you from striking with your hands and give a grappling specialist a chance to take you down. Keep blocking and putting in short strikes until you can break away and land a decisive shot.
