Issue 055
October 2009
One of the most popular fighters to ever enter the Octagon, Chuck Liddell perfected the art of sprawl ‘n brawl. The Iceman’s tricks may seem unusual but can easily be trained.
Scrambling
Liddell is as hard to keep down as he is to take down. The moment he hits the mat he springs back up without hesitation.
In the Gym
Work rounds of standing back up from takedowns. Have your wrestling partners throw you from front and rear body locks and double and single leg attacks. The moment you touch the mat start scrambling back up. Work both in the centre of the cage and against the fence.
In Action
During Couture vs Liddell 2, Randy was able to take Liddell down against the fence, but Chuck stood back up before Randy could consolidate his position.
Footwork
The real key to Chuck’s knockout power is his ability to throw the full weight of his body behind his punches.
In the Gym
Move your feet as you punch: Slide across with left hooks and step forward when coming forward with your right hands, or angle off to the outside as you step back. This ‘drag step’ and ‘pivot step’ will help you put your body weight behind your punches, just like the Iceman.
In Action
Take a look at Liddell’s fight from UFC 33 against Murilo Bustamante. Chuck knocked the Brazilian down with right hands while coming forward and counter-punching off the back foot.
Sprawl
You can’t say the words ‘sprawl ‘n brawl’ without thinking of Chuck Liddell. Chuck’s defensive wrestling and solid stance have made him one of the greatest anti-grapplers of all time.
In the Gym
Shadow box opposite your training partner. Have them throw an exercise ball at your legs or hips as you move around to test your reaction speed. Sprawl on the ball, making sure to pop back up as quickly as possible.
In Action
Look at Liddell’s early UFC fights against Jeff Monson, Amar Suloev and Kevin Randleman. Liddell sprawled on all of them because he predicted the timing of their shots perfectly.
Power punching
Chuck’s striking style differs considerably from conventional boxing and Muay Thai. His guard is wider and lower and he throws his shots at unusual angles, sneaking his fists through his opponents’ guards.
In the Gym
Use a maize bag to throw overhands, uppercuts and screw-shots in combination.
In Action
Check out Chuck’s fight against Couture from UFC 52 and 57. Liddell stayed out of the clinch, stepping back and clearing Randy’s tie-ups by throwing lefts and rights over and under as Couture reached out for his neck.
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