Liddell was inducted into the Cal Poly Hall of Fame in 2009. In college, he wrestled at Cal Poly, where he attended from 1988-93, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in business/accounting in 1995. In high school, Liddell was a four-year starter on the football team at San Marcos High School, playing center and linebacker, and he also excelled at wrestling. As Liddell wrote in his book Iceman: My Fighting Life, he often found himself in fights with drunk college students older than he. While growing up in Santa Barbara, he often frequented the Del Playa Drive, a street popular for parties in the UCSB college town of Isla Vista. Liddell began studying Karate at the age of 12 the tattoo on his scalp reads 'Koei-Kan' (幸栄館). Early life īorn in Santa Barbara, California, Liddell was raised by his single mother and maternal grandfather, who taught Liddell and his siblings boxing techniques from a very young age. On July 10, 2009, Liddell was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. He retired in late 2010, then came out of retirement for one match in 2018, a loss, bringing his career record to 21-9. Known as 'The Iceman', Liddell achieved a 16-6 UFC record, and an overall record of 21-8, with 16 of his wins coming by way of knockout. He is widely credited, along with fellow UFC fighter Randy Couture, with helping bring MMA into the mainstream of American sports and entertainment. He even answers the burning question of “Who was your toughest opponent?” and shares his thoughts on where the sport is going now.San Luis Obispo, California, United StatesĬharles David Liddell (born December 17, 1969) is an American retired mixed martial artist (MMA) who held the title of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion.

We dive deep into his transition out of the ring and how he was able to give up a part of his life that, for so long, made up his entire identity.Ĭhuck is a prime example of how you can channel your passion to become a positive influence and live your purpose. We discuss what makes him so fearless, the impact his grandfather had on him and how he fell in love with martial arts.Ĭhuck was gifted with heavy hands, but in this interview, he gets real about the truth behind what really set him apart from the rest.

Spending an hour with one of the toughest guys on earth was a powerful experience. In this interview, I sat down with my friend Chuck Liddell and talked about his journey, from the beginning stages of his career to life after UFC, and how his successes, struggles, and hardships are life lessons for us all.Ĭhuck is the most well-known UFC fighter of all time. The world’s most successful people are the ones who can take life‘s punches and never give up. The best fighters are the ones that can take the hits.

Chuck liddell the iceman