Issue 068
October 2010
The Iceman’s three-year reign as the top light heavyweight in MMA inspired many other fighters to hone the art of sprawl ‘n’ brawl: backing up explosive striking skills with impeccable takedown defense. Liddell, a high school and college wrestler-turned-kickboxer, used his grappling base to deliver a string of crowd-pleasing KOs.
COUNTERPUNCHING WITH ANGLES
In his heyday, Liddell had some of the best timing ever seen in the Octagon. He would punish his opponents with counterpunches on the outside, never allowing them to get close enough to grab a clinch or shoot for a takedown. Controlling the distance with his footwork, Chuck would whip his famous ‘looping punches’ over or around his opponent’s arms.
In the gym
Have a pad man simultaneously throw shots at your head and hold a pad for you to target with a counterpunch. Use head movement and footwork to avoid his shots while delivering your own. Aim to throw your punches over, under or around his, making it more difficult for him to defend.
In action
Two of Liddell’s biggest career wins were against Randy Couture. ‘Captain America’ was the first man to get Liddell to the mat, when they met for the first time in June 2003, but Chuck made sure not to repeat the same mistake during their follow-up meetings in 2005 and 2006. He avoided Couture’s clinch and used pinpoint punches to lay the legend out cold.
WRESTLING
A Division I wrestler at California Polytechnic State University, Liddell’s years of training have made him one of the most difficult fighters to take down. He’s a keen advocate of keeping it standing, but Chuck’s offensive wrestling capabilities should not be discounted. His fights with Wanderlei Silva and Rich Franklin showed what he can do to opponents if he wants to take the fight to the floor. Train both offensive and defensive wrestling to build a truly well-rounded game.
In the gym
Sprawling is counter-intuitive, so relentless drilling is essential. The aspect to consider is getting your hips down toward the floor fast. Teach yourself to commit to this aspect and the sprawls will seem like less effort. Vary your sprawls so sometimes you’re landing more on the left hip, others more on the right and sometimes ‘straight on’ by landing on both.
A great way of developing a good sprawl ‘n’ brawl game is through ‘shark tanking’. This is where a fighter stays in the middle of his partners for an entire round, with a fresh body attacking him every 30–60 seconds. As your partners rotate and keep attacking, you’ll have to dig deep and rely on your guts as much as your cardio to see out the round.
In action
It wasn’t often you would see Liddell shoot for a takedown. Chuck’s game was, for the most part, almost all about staying on his feet. He was one of the first truly successful exponents of sprawl ‘n’ brawl, and his takedown defense kept him at the top of the division for years.
STANDING GROUND ‘N’ POUND
A purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu among a division chock-full of black honors, Liddell’s never professed to be a ground fighter. But his style of ground ‘n’ pound relies little on positional control and more on pressure. Preferring to stay disengaged from his opponents, he stands over them and drops punches from all angles, overwhelming the bottom man until the ref calls it a night.
In the gym
Strike down on your training partner from a standing position, making sure to stay out of his guard. Keep control of one of his legs as you punch with your free hand and try to force him to roll to his knees. Do not be tempted to jump on him. Instead, keep your distance and take advantage of his limited visibility to pick your shots.
In action
Liddell used this tactic in his second fight with Tito Ortiz. After failed takedown attempts from the ‘Huntington Beach Bad Boy’, Liddell rained punches from every angle as the motormouth tried desperately to scramble away.
PUNCHING POWER
Liddell was notorious for his punching power. Boxing purists decried his ‘technically incorrect’ style, yet the results speak for themselves. His looping punches scored him 11 stoppage wins – two of his 13 (T)KOs were by head kick.
In the gym
Much of Liddell’s punching power comes from the ‘whip’ he generates in his arm. Keep the arm as relaxed as possible when punching – imagine your fist is a ball of steel attached to a chain. Aim to punch through the target for maximum effect.
To drill this style of punching, start off with a light focus mitt that will allow you to punch through the pad. Keep your arm loose and flick your fist through the target as if throwing a baseball. Don’t rely on the strength of the arm. Instead, use the momentum and weight of your entire body behind the punch to really make it count. Once you’ve got the technique down, move on to a punch bag and add a bit of venom to every punch.
In action
Chuck’s career was a veritable highlight of hard-hitting moments, almost all of which showcased his vicious ability to separate people from their senses.
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