Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA Rivalries

8. Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz

Once friends and training partners, Liddell and Ortiz were signature players in the light heavyweight division for more than a decade. According to Ortiz, they made a pact in which they agreed to never fight each other. However “The Huntington Beach Bad Bay” became UFC’s promotional poster boy and champion at 205 pounds. Soon after, Liddell surfaced as the No. 1 contender. Tension grew between the two, and their rivalry became so heated that the UFC produced a DVD about it.

Liddell denied Ortiz’s claims and indicated he had never agreed to a deal, demanding his opportunity to fight for UFC gold. Their fight was delayed repeatedly, and it appeared as though Ortiz wanted no part of “The Iceman.” A contract dispute and other factors led to Ortiz being removed from the picture and the creation of an interim championship: Liddell fought and lost to Randy Couture. “The Natural” then dominated Ortiz to unify the titles.

Finally at UFC 47, Ortiz met Liddell and was on the receiving end of a second-round knockout. Liddell later avenged his loss to Couture, became the undisputed champion at 205 pounds and tore through the division with seven straight finishes. He capped his run with a knockout against Ortiz in the third round of their rematch.

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