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UFC has plans for Liddell after retirement

Dann Stupp is founder and editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, a content-partner site of Yahoo! Sports. For daily MMA and UFC news, visit www.mmajunkie.com.

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By Dann Stupp, Contributing Writer Updated 10:13 PM Sunday, April 19, 2009

The big news coming out of UFC 97 – aside from Anderson Silva’s bizarre and disappointing decision victory over Thales Leites in the April 18 main event – was the retirement of MMA legend Chuck Liddell.

Liddell suffered a first-round TKO loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in the co-main event of UFC 97, which took place in front of a North American MMA record crowd of 21,451.

Once considered the world’s most dominant fighter, former UFC champ Liddell (21-7 MMA, 16-6 UFC) concluded his career with just one victory in his final five fights.

However, while a truly storied career ends, another one is only beginning.

Soon after confirming Liddell’s retirement after UFC 97, Dana White, president of the UFC, confirmed the fighter will remain with the organization in an official employee capacity. And don’t expect it to be a mere ceremonial gig.

“He’s not just going to get a paycheck,” White told the Dayton Daily News. “I want him to play a role in this [company] and actually come in and work and do something. I’m going to give him a real job.”

The Mohawk-wearing, head-tattooed professional butt-kicker doesn’t exactly instill visions of Corporate America, but with his international popularity and notoriety, Liddell could do some real good in helping White and UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner stump for legislation in markets such as New York and Massachusetts, which currently don’t regulate the sport.

White hinted at some international projects, as well.

“I think he’d be great to go out there to talk to legislators and go into these other countries and help us get these [shows] open,” White said.

But perhaps the role Liddell is best suited is the one he and White have yet to discuss publicly. Following a heavily criticized UFC 97 title defense, Silva, the UFC’s middleweight champion and arguably the world’s top pound-for-pound fighter, was confronted by reporters who wanted to know how such a dominant fighter could put in such a lackadaisical performance.

Liddell, a true “company guy” who’s never mentioned a single gripe with his employers, quickly came to Silva’s side. He chastised one reporter’s assessment of the fight and demanded someone ask a better question.

Sure, it made the media’s job more difficult. But a beleaguered fighter knew one of the sport’s greats had his back, which surely took some of the sting out of the questions.

“We’ll see,” White said. “There’s a lot Chuck can do for us. He’ll always be a part of the UFC.”

Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, a content-partner site of Yahoo! Sports. For the latest MMA news and rumors, go to www.mmajunkie.com.

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LYDELL IS AND WAS WHAT THE PUNK WHITE TRASH WANTED.

CRAZALOID HAIR CUT , RETARTED FACIAL GRIMICE AND NATURALLY SOME BODY TATUTING..

WHY DO ALL THESE FIGHTERs NEED TO RUEIN THE SKIN WITH SUCH SKIN DISTORTION.. PERHAPS THEY NEED BRANDINGS WITH HOT IRONS!!.

it all a carnivel circus atmosphere.
give them BREAD AND WINE ..

BURNING TURTHS
6:22 PM, 5/15/2009

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liddel said he wud retire wen he had the fight where he just gets dominated, i believe that was the fight, he cut shogun but i didnt see the ko power he once had, hes also got ko'd three of his last four fights, i want to remember him as a champion not some old washed up fighter thinkin he has one more. hey then again maybe he has one more and if does it shouldnt be agaianst a top 10 competitor.

big D
3:22 PM, 5/13/2009

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Ive watched chuck fight since he came into the ufc and hes the man i think he should have the chance to fight one more time,To see if hes really done,people can get in a rutt sometimes so give him another chance,besides he still got one fight left on his ufc contract..

chris horne
8:29 PM, 5/10/2009

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dont take that job chuck your a fighter not a desk worker you will be danas little ***** plz dont sell out

chance
2:46 PM, 5/10/2009

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Dave did you mean really good wrestlers like 3x Olympic alternate and 3x NCAA all-american Randy Couture? 2x NCAA champ Kevin Randleman? Brazilian national champ Babalu Sobrol? Pac 10 champ and 2x Abd Dhabi champ Jeff Monson? Or were you talking about a former Div I wrestler named Tito Ortiz? Those guys hold quite the wrestling resume. Chuck had plenty more than a big right hand, just go back and watch the Wanderlei Silva fight.

Billy
1:26 AM, 5/9/2009

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