Yaad hai woh early UFC days Jab MMA matlab bas “arre yaar kuchh bhi ho raha hai.” No rules no weight classes. Jungle ka kanoon. Aur us jungle ka sher Chuck Liddell. Iceman. Kya swagar tha! Woh mohawk, woh tattoos, woh aankhon mein shanti… bande ko dekh ke lagta tha “yeh toh pagal hai isko darr nahi lagta.” Seriously woh jo nickname mila na usko “Iceman” bilkul sahi tha yaaar. Uska coach bola fight se pehle sab ke nerves tight hote hain par yeh banda aisa lagta tha jaise park mein walk karne aaya ho! Kya baat hai!
Woh bachpan se hi na thoda differnt tha. Joint problem, chalne mein thoda limp. Soch! Par dada ne bola “chal punch marna seekh.” Woh bhi WWII vetran police officer. Bhai seedha ring mein bitha diya tha bachpan mein! Aur school mein Ek football team mein toh usko second-last choose kiya tha last mein ek ladki thi! Imagine! Iss baat ne usko itna khualaya na ki college mein woh wrestling mein sabka band baja raha tha. Bar fites ka toh kya hi bolu… “Jab tak paanch log Liddell ke saamne na aayein fight fair nahi hoti.” Kya image thi! Apna uncle nahi hota jo do peg ke baad Hulk ban jaata hai Waise hi tha yeh.
Phir aaya uska coach John Hackleman. The Pit. Jungle ke beech mein gym poisonous bushes ke beech mein ring. Knockout ho gaye toh knock ka dard jaayega par bushes ka dard rahega. Kya training! Yahi se uska kickboxing career bana 22-2 ka recrd. Aur phir UFC bulaya usko! UFC 17 1998. Banda bas ghusna chahta tha cage mein kisi ko punch karna chahta tha. Smiple!
Woh Brazil mein fight yaad hai Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons ke against. Vale Tudo rules. Chuck ko tringle mein pakad liya. Soch woh bande ko hosh hi nahi raha so gaya woh submision mein! Aur kya kiya uske baad Ghar gaya rooya Nahi! Doston ke saath karaoke karne chala gaya! Bola “Sab theek ho jaayega.” Isiliye toh Iceman hai. Kya cool banda! Woh dekho yehi toh hain suprising details. Koi normal fighter karega kya aisa?
Aur phir aaya Dana White. Us time toh Dana khud Chuck ka manager tha. Kya connection tha! Dana aur Fertitta brohters ne UFC kharida aur Chuck ban gaya unka superstar. Light Heavyweight divison ka king. Kevin Randleman ko 1 minute 18 seconds mein sula diya Mazaa aa gaya tha woh fight dekh ke.
Par bhai jo Tito Ortiz se uski rivaly thi na woh toh alag hi level thi! “Friendly relations” bol ke Tito fight refuse kar raha tha. Chuck ko pata tha kya frinedly. Woh sparring mein har baar Tito ko bajata tha Isiliye toh darta tha Tito. Yaar woh Randy Couture se interim titel fight haara na Chuck pata hai kya bola “I deserved this loss… to lose like a man is beter than to win like a coward.” Wah! Kya attitude!
Phir jab Tito finlly maana UFC 47 mein kya dhamaka hua! Ring mein ghusa smile kar raha hai seedha Tito pe attack. Tito bechara… Chuck ne usko pin kiya cage pe aur phir jo barsaaye punch… “Meri arsenal se jabs straight hooks… jitni tezi se ho sakta tha utni tezi se maara jaise speed bag pe kaam kar raha tha. Bas yeh speed bag Tito ka chehra tha Sunn ke hi rona aa gaya tha Tito ko us din.” Kya dhulai thi! Dhulai matlab asli dhulai.
Champion ban gaya Chuck Randy Couture ko dobara harake. TUF season 1 kiya UFC ko bachaya bankrupcy se. Woh din Chuck Liddell se bada koi star nahi tha MMA mein. Paisa fame sab kuch tha. Par usko bas ladna pasand tha boss. “Life is beautiful when you do what you love!” Kya line hai!
Lekin yaar har superstar ka ek downfall hota hai na Chuck ke saath bhi wahi hua 37 ka ho gaya. Rampage Jackson ne usko titel fight mein knockout kar diya. Woh fight jab Iceman ki legendary jaw pehli baar kaanpi. Bahut dukh hua tha yaaar. Trainer John Hackleman ne bola tha body punch ke baad combo cover karne par Chuck ne nahi kiya. Bola “Meri galti thi! Kya asli mard tha!”
Phir Wanderlei Silva se woh war… kya fite thi! Par wahi Chuck par woh reaction nahi woh endurance nahi. Teen losses back-to-back. Log bol rahe the Chuck bas kar yaar. Par woh toh cage mein jaana chahta tha Life mein fights ke alawa usko kuch dikhta hi nahi tha.
Aur phir 2010 mein finally gloves utaare. Emotional tha banda aankhon mein aansu. Par kya laga kahani khatam ho gayi Nahi bhai! Yahi toh dusri suprising detail hai! Dancing With The Stars kiya films ki. Sab theek. Par woh keeda! Woh fighing ka keeda! 2018 mein 48 saal ki umar mein wapas aaya! Aur kiske saamne Wohi Tito Ortiz! Teen din wohi rival! Log bol rahe the Chuck kya kar raha hai tu Par woh toh born to fight Aur haara woh fight. Brutal knockout. Kya hi bolu.
Koi hass raha tha koi upset tha. Par Chuck Liddell toh Chuck Liddell hai. Woh banda jo 3 saal ki umar se punch marna seekha woh natural fighter. Aaj bhi jab UFC ke legnds ki baat hoti hai na toh Chuck Liddell ka naam sabse upar aata hai Woh UFC ka flag-bearer tha. Hum sab unhi gints ke kandhon pe khade hain. Aur Chuck Liddell woh toh ek Everest tha. Kya bolu aur Uske fights ki highlight reel dekh ke na abhi bhi goosebumps aa jaate hain. Bas light aati toh do round aur dekhte Chuck ke fights!