“The nice thing about Conor is that if you have someone with a mouth like him who can produce fights, and actually fights the way he talks, then that’s awesome. He brings a casual observer to the sport and they get to see a great fight. “Conor talks a lot and comes out and fights a lot,” Liddell tells Sport360° when asked about UFC’s new main man.

There have even been reports of him bringing a leopard on a lead into a press conference.īut to Liddell, the man whose stage McGregor has inherited, the fundamental factor for the Irishman’s famed showboating is that he is backing it up with inspiring performances in the octagon. He sports canes, top hats, straw hats, pocket watches and wears sunglasses like Karl Lagerfeld. McGregor is seen as the key to really igniting the popularity of UFC in Europe. Then came indestructible grappler Ronda Rousey – now with 13 straight wins – before a cocksure Irishman named Conor McGregor began to take centre stage. Jose Aldo was the man to win the affections of South America, with the Brazilian now unbeaten since 2005.

Pierre and Randy Couture stood at the pinnacle of their sport, and were household names in America.īut despite the impressive knockout punches and submission moves, UFC’s ticket numbers, pay-per-view figures, and interest levels were still relatively low – only hardcore fans paying attention away from its US heartland.Īt times all it takes is one athlete to spark a trend and turn an organisation into a machine of worldwide popularity. Liddell – a former light-heavyweight champion – was UFC’s poster boy and widely credited as playing a key role in bringing mixed martial arts into the mainstream of US sports and entertainment.įigures like Liddell, George St.

The iceman chuck liddell