FOXSports.com's UFC 66 preview will run tomorrow. But for starters, here's a sampling of reader opinion on who will win the main event between Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell. I received more replies for this than any fight all year, so if you don't see your response here, feel free to chime in with your opinion in the comment section:
Liddell wins - my head says because his long reach makes for great standup, my heart says because he has class, and doesn't act like a punk! -- Ed
Simply put, Tito is younger, faster, stronger, and more athletic than Chuck. Chuck has the advantage with the standup, but overall, Tito is at the top of his game right now. This could be another retirement party... think Ken Shamrock. Hopefully, this time there will not be three fights! An'dre, Bellingham, WA
Liddell will win! Not taking away from Ortiz, but with the championship-winning experience Liddell brings to the fight with having beaten several of the best numerous times over (i.e.: Couture) he will be hard to beat. Ortiz has never faced the someone as quick to adapt and overcome as Liddell. I do see Ortiz as the next champ in the near future, but it will not be due to his defeating Liddell. The Iceman will prevail. Chuck will win again. Tito's game plan is to get inside so he can use his power to get Liddell to the mat and start using his ground-and-pound. It is a strategy that he uses very well, but there are two problems with his plan. One, Liddell has proven numerous times he will not stay on the ground, no matter how strong Ortiz is. Second, in order for Ortiz to get Liddell to the ground, he has to come within striking range. Ortiz does not have the best chin as was shown when he fought Patrick Cote at UFC 50. Cote did not know how to follow up and finish or he would have knocked Ortiz out. Liddell has proven he is the best closer in the business. Once he stuns someone, he moves in for the kill. I see this fight going back and forth until the third round when Liddell catches Ortiz trying to come in one time too many. This time Ortiz will not be able to use the excuse of being thumbed in the eye. -- Jim, Travis AFB, CA
I have sat back and watched two things during the past year or so .... I have watched Tito's lackluster performances (He beat a washed up Shamrock twice. He received a gift decision over Forrest). I have also watched Liddell knock out quality opponents. The only interesting thing about this fight will be to see how violently Chuck will end Tito. -- Jason, San Diego
My prediction is Chuck Liddell winning by either a late round KO or TKO. I think that this fight is going to be similar to the second Liddell vs. Horn fight. Tito is going to be looking for every opportunity to take Chuck down and Chuck Liddell is going to sprawl and brawl his way to a fourth or fifth round knockout of his rival Tito Ortiz! - Matt, PA The "Iceman" cometh, the "Bad Boy" cryeth -- John, Ft. Worth
Tito wins because he has proven to be at a new level of fight preparation. He proved it in his coaching ability and his training techniques. All he's got to do is avoid Chuck's initial barrage, attack him, take him down and "Pound, pound, pound". Liddell is a great warrior but, he is due to loose and Tito's timing is right. See you at the fight. -- Big J, Baton Rouge
Chuck Liddell has the deadliest hands in the business. Tito wasn't able to get past the strikes the first time, Randy Couture failed twice, and Sobral also fell victim of Liddell's kick and punch in both of their fights. The only people that stand a chance of giving Liddell a run for his money and a pay-per-view worth purchasing will come from PRIDE. If the UFC is not successful in finding more light heavyweights of Liddell's caliber his reign can stretch up to another three, maybe four years. It's not like his fights go the distance, with him ending them in the first and second rounds he limits the punishment his body takes giving him a longer career. Tito hasn't fought anyone significant to challenge Liddell, he struggled against Griffin and beat a Shamrock who doesn't know when to retire. No doubt Liddell will knockout Ortiz and no doubt that Liddell is a Hall of Fame fighter, but for him to become the best in the world he will have to beat the best. I would like his international legacy to begin with seeking revenge on Quinton Jackson ,and then Silva if he wins. --David, Llamas, CA
Liddell wins by knockout yet again. Tito can not stand and trade with him just like every other light heavy weight in the UFC. Also he is not as good of a wrestler as Randy Couture was and we all know what happened the past two times Randy fought Chuck. I say bring on the Rampage rematch and Pride's Silva. -- Eric, Astoria, NY
This is hard to call, but I am going with Liddell. Tito tends to beat up on lesser foes. Then he can't step up to challenges. I figure Chuck's right hand, and his unbelievable take-down defense is what is the difference. I think it will be a 2nd round KO by the Iceman. -- Manuel, Phoenix
Liddell wins hands down. Forget about there first fight. Take a look at Ortiz-Griffin. Griffin gave Ortiz all he could handle and he's a standup fighter who's nowhere near as polished as Chuck. Chuck will be calm and confident and just avoid takedowns and wait for his opening while Tito, with anxious aggression will end up walking into something. Tito might as well stop working on his boxing skills because Chuck's been doing it for too long. -- Ben, Hesperia, CA Tito by KO or ref stoppage. To me it's pretty simple. If Liddell can't get his patented eye poke in when he's getting tired, he's done. Before you say it. Let's look at his last 4 fights (his last 4 real fights). Rampage stayed on him & punished him, result- lose. Tito 1 nice "accidental" open handed punch to the left eye. result cheap KO, on a 1/2 blind fighter. Couture 2 another "accidentail" open handed punch. result- another cheap KO. Hey wait a minute, didn't they change that rule after Tank Abbott? Couture 3, Couture was already retiring after the fight. I question if Couture even trained or wanted to win. He's a wrestler & didn't try to shoot after 20 sec. into the match, after a KO in the second fight. result - ko of a 1/2 hearted Couture. Now look at his other wins: no one, nobody, no chance, & how the hell did he get a title match?. I don't see Tito having many problems imposing his will on Chuck, unless McCarthy & Dana White let the "golden boy" oops I mean "Iceman" use the Rick Flair eye poke again. Liddell is OVER RATED!!!! -- Mike, Oklahoma City Liddell is going to knock Ortiz out. Ortiz got a big mouth. That gaves Liddell a bigger target to hit. Liddell second round KO.
-- Chris, Bronx-- Justin, Richmond If the fight is a stand up, the advantage goes to the Ice Man, but if TO can get in to the clinch and take CL to the ground, it will be over... All of CL losses came while he was on the ground.... To bad that RC wanted to stand up and fight, if he would of just do what he was strong at he would of beaten CL again... But that is history... We will just have to watch and find out soon.... -- Jeff, Illinois
This is definitely one of the toughest fights to pick in recent history. Even though I'm a fan of both Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, I'm gonna have to go with Tito. I believe Chuck might just take Tito a little too lightly, and I feel Tito is very determined to get his title back. There has been a real changing of the guard lately in the UFC, and I think UFC 66 just might follow suit. -- James, lives in Tampa but represents New Orleans
Liddell puts Ortiz to sleep before the end of the third round. Ortiz will try to get Chuck to the ground. Having failed, Ortiz' pride will get the best of him and he'll make his fatal mistake...going toe-to-toe with the best knock-out artist in the game. Sweet dreams Bad Boy. -- Paul, Holmen, WI
I have to give this one to chuck even though Tito has improved. Chuck takedown defense is at its best. Tito could not keep Randy Couture down so there is no way he can keep Chuck down. In the stand up battle I don't think Tito's striking has improved that well to knock out Chuck. I think with all the bad blood and anger Chuck has to Tito, I think Chuck will be in great shape and will go for the knock out -- Carlos, Houston
Although Chuck Liddell has great standup skills and the uncanny ability to defend the takedown, I look for Ortiz to exploit a major weakness in his game. In past fights Chuck has learned to better his footwork. He now likes to circle the octagon. He does this for several reasons: first to create better angles for his devastating punches/kicks and secondly so he can stay close to the fence. In the case of Liddell's takedown defense the fence serves as a tool to help him get back to his feet...and usually fast. Being a former wrestler, Chuck is not in the most comfortable position when he is on his back. Despite possessing the ability to defend from his back, it's not a good place to be with Tito. (After all, Tito is renowned for his ground and pound.) In past fights Chuck has used the fence in his favor. For instance in his second fight against Couture, Chuck was warned several times by Big John to not grab the fence. In my mind this came at a pivotal time in the fight. If Liddell had been unable to use the fence Couture probably would have been able to stage an attack where he was at his best-on the ground. This time around Tito has not only been doing his usual training at Big Bear but has also decided to include a new training regimen. One that in my opinion is overlooked and underestimated...watching film on your opponent. Watching former fights may have made Tito more aware of Liddell's tendencies. Couple this with a number of other factors and it seems as if Ortiz may not be such an underdog. Let's face it, nothing is more important to the former champ than the gold. Plus, the Bad Boy seems to have grown up. He no longer deals with as many personal issues. Whether or not we want to believe it...Jenna may be a positive influence. Who wants to lose in front of their infamous gal? On the other hand Chuck comes into the fight more confident than ever. I mean after all he has already beaten Ortiz. However, that may work to his own demise. Will Chuck look past Ortiz? Probably not, but Ortiz will certainly be looking to avenge his loss and regaining the coveted belt. This fight will actually be one that lives up to the hype. What has always been Liddell's antidote for putting opponents to sleep (a strong right hand) will ultimately be what causes his own nightmares. Tito Ortiz will avoid a right hand haymaker and find a way to get Liddell on the mat in the center of the octagon. This will be uncharted waters for Liddell and will push the "Iceman" to the limit. In the end, Ortiz will have to execute a flawless game plan. Also, he must not become frustrated when some of his takedowns are stuffed out. When all is said and done though, I believe Ortiz will work the fight to his advantage and test Chuck's cardio and ground game. Not to take anything away from Chuck but he isn't known for his later round expertise. Plus you can't win em all. (Refer to fight versus Quentin Jackson) All this will result in a decision win or late round KO for the Huntington Beach Bad Boy Tito Ortiz. -- Justin, Ashland, KY
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