Chuck Liddell
Active 1998–2010 · rated in 1 edition · peak overall 85.0
Scouting report
Chuck Liddell wrestled at Cal Poly from 1988 to 1993, compiled a 20-2 amateur kickboxing record with 16 knockouts, and trained with John Hackleman at The Pit. He knocked out Randy Couture in the first round at UFC 52 on April 16, 2005 to win the light heavyweight title. He defended it four times and lost it to Quinton Jackson at UFC 71 on May 26, 2007. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on July 10, 2009.
Peak ratings
Chuck Liddell: a Cal Poly wrestler who became the division's best-known striker
His four defenses were Jeremy Horn by fourth-round TKO at UFC 54, Couture by second-round knockout at UFC 57, Renato Sobral by first-round TKO at UFC 62 and Tito Ortiz by third-round TKO at UFC 66. He beat Ortiz at UFC 47 in April 2004 as well, and lost to Couture at UFC 43 in June 2003. After the Jackson loss he dropped decisions and knockouts to Keith Jardine, Rashad Evans, Shogun Rua and Rich Franklin. Franklin's first-round knockout at UFC 115 in June 2010 was his last UFC fight.
Liddell, one rating at a time
Boxing. 90, his best. Couture was knocked out with one punch at 2:06 of round one at UFC 52.
Kickboxing. 82. His amateur kickboxing record includes two national titles.
Wrestling. 84. He wrestled at Cal Poly from 1988 to 1993 and graduated in 1995.
BJJ. 68, well below his other scores. None of his five title-fight wins ended in a submission; all five were knockouts or TKOs.
Strength. 85. Jeremy Horn said he could not see, and the fight was stopped in round four at 2:46 at UFC 54.
Durability. 80. Evans knocked him out at 1:51 of round two at UFC 88 in September 2008, and Rua stopped him at 4:28 of round one at UFC 97.
Cardio. 78. He tore an MCL before UFC 66 and dislocated a tendon in his left middle finger during the fight, and still stopped Ortiz in round three.
Fight IQ. 82. He added American Top Team to his training in late 2008 to round out his skills, after a hamstring injury forced him out of UFC 85.
Boxing at 90 and a title that went through Couture and Ortiz
He knocked out Couture in 2005 and again in 2006, and stopped Ortiz in 2004 and 2006. He also beat Wanderlei Silva on a unanimous decision at UFC 79 in December 2007. The overhand right is the draft reason.
BJJ at 68 and the end of the run
Jardine took a split decision at UFC 76 in September 2007, and the finishes followed. He announced his retirement on December 29, 2010 and became a UFC vice president. In April 2018 he announced a comeback, and Ortiz knocked him out in the first round at 4:24 on November 24, 2018. He retired again on March 3, 2020.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Chuck Liddell, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Volkan Oezdemirbest boxing 89 · weakest bjj 70
- Rampage Jacksonbest boxing 89 · weakest bjj 74
- Ion Cutelababest strength 86 · weakest bjj 70
- Dominick Reyesbest boxing 90 · weakest bjj 74
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Chuck Liddell's strongest attribute, Boxing.
Draft Chuck Liddell into your build
Chuck Liddell enters the pool on any spin landing on light heavyweight between 2010 and 2013. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Chuck Liddell is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Chuck Liddell's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.