Is Chuck Liddell's career finish?

[PulsarX]

Liddell KO gives Evans shot at UFC light heavyweight title


Rashad Evans' overhand right knocked out Chuck Liddell in the second round.
By Beau Dure, USA TODAY
ATLANTA; Chuck Liddell came into this crossroads city with a clear path ahead. Beat Rashad Evans, then take a shot at regaining his Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight belt.

Instead, Evans will have a shot at the title. Liddell, UFC's breakout celebrity, left with renewed questions about his future.

Liddell and Evans changed paths with one powerful punch in the main event of Saturday's UFC 88 card. Evans waited patiently for a chance to counterpunch. With 1:51 gone in the second round, Evans found the perfect opportunity and landed the perfect punch, dropping Liddell instantly.

"My coach and I went over that overhand right over and over again," Evans said. "We said that's the punch that's going to put Chuck down."
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Though Liddell (21-6) remained down for several minutes, he gamely appeared at the postfight press conference, where he deflected a question on what he'll do next. "I've always said I'm going to decide if I'm retiring in the training room, not after a fight," Liddell said.

But the 38-year-old didn't sound like someone who was giving up his quest to be a champion once more in the sport he helped to popularize. "It's still my goal to get back in there, but obviously, it's going to take a bit longer now," Liddell said.

Liddell's popularity was obvious among the announced sellout crowd of 14,736 at Philips Arena for UFC's first card here. The crowd roared whenever the "Iceman" appeared in a montage of video highlights on the arena's screens throughout the night, booed when Evans was introduced and erupted when Liddell made his entrance.

"I expected it," Evans said. "They were all going to be rooting for Chuck. I like Chuck, too."

Evans (17-0-1) didn't presume he would be next in line to fight light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin, who has Georgia roots and drew a roar when he smiled and waved to the crowd. But UFC President Dana White confirmed that the former Michigan State wrestler would fight Griffin at a date to be announced.

Also on the card, former middleweight champion Rich Franklin (26-3) dropped Matt Hamill (6-2) in a light heavyweight bout with a hard kick to the body in the third round after wearing down his close friend with kicks throughout the fight.

Yet Franklin, like Liddell, wasn't sure what comes next.

"I don't know," Franklin said. "I just came off of a win, and I'm thinking about how beat up my face is from that right now. I know if I'm going to stay at 205 (pounds). I'm going to have to put some effort into putting on some more weight. Then perhaps I can keep swimming with the sharks here."
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He's lost 3 out his last 4. I think his last big fight was against Silva. i don't think he can get it up for another big fight again. What do you think?