Chuck Liddell retired a legend Saturday night by knocking out Randy Couture with a booming right hand to retain his UFC Light Heavyweight title in the second round.

In a match that saw a tactical opening round, the “The Iceman” utilized movement and clever strike selection, which ultimately proved the perfect setup to the finisher. It was the second defense of his title which he won from Couture last year.

Couture came out in the first reserved, and looking to set up a takedown, loathe to over-commit as he did in their second bout.

He countered with a few short right hands, as Liddell stuck to mostly probing jabs and the occasional cross. But Liddell’s constant movement kept him off-line for Couture’s takedown shoot.

Late in the round, Liddell stunned Couture with a right cross followed by a vicious right uppercut as Couture battled to establish the clinch. Couture, seemingly in trouble, shot back and nailed a takedown. The quick momentum switch was quickly nipped in the bud, however, as Liddell immediately worked his way back to the feet.

In the second, Liddell let Couture lead once more, and the ex-champion was caught with a perfect right hand, going down in similar fashion in their second fight. Liddell immediately pounced on him, landing four punches before the bout was stopped.

Couture told Joe Rogan in his post fight interview, and the viewing audience, that this was it.

“This is the last time you’re gonna see these gloves and these shorts in this Octagon,” Couture said. “I’m retiring tonight. That’s it for me. I’m ready to do something else.”

Liddell, meanwhile, seemed as sharp as ever in his performance, using a blend of angles, patience and calculated aggression to retain his belt.

“We knew Randy was either going to lay back or come at me hard,” he said.

In an upset, Marcio Cruz pounded out comebacking ex-heavyweight champ Frank Mir at 4:10 of the first round. Cruz stuffed an early takedown attempt by Mir and cut him over the left eye with a strike as Mir was on his back. After taking Mir to the ringside doctor to check the cut, Mir indicated he was willing to continue even though he apparently could not see out of the eye.

The Brazilian grappling standout exploited the advantage, landing a stream of workmanlike punches and elbows, bloodying Mir further and eventually forcing a stoppage.

It was a tough setback for Mir, who came in as -280 favorite en route to a hoped-for shot at champ Andrei Arlovski.

“I am greatly disappointed. I’ve got to keep going,” Mir said after his first fight since suffering a broken leg in September 2004 motorcycle accident. “I have no choice but to keep going.”

Renato Sobral took an opening and sunk home a rear naked choke in the first round, finishing Mike Van Arsdale in a light-heavyweight bout. Sobral was never in trouble and has clearly established himself as the top contender for Liddell’s Light Heavyweight crown.

Brandon Vera scored a crowd-pleasing knockout in the first round over Justin Eilers. After some trading in the opening moments, the two clinched with Vera reversing off the cage. Vera landed a few good left kicks from his southpaw stance. That eventually set up a pinpoint left high kick, with the shin hammering home on Eilers’ head, dropping him. Vera sprung in for the finisher, landing a right knee as Eilers went down and then a right hand on his dropped foe.

In a welterweight showdown, Joseph Riggs took a unanimous decision over Nick Diaz, in a bout that could’ve gone either way. Most of the action was standing, as Riggs, seemingly parceling out his energy instead of using his usual aggressive stance, moved back and countered with punches as Diaz pressed the fight.

Diaz looked to have won the first round by stunning Riggs with a crisp right cross. Riggs recovered his faculties, however, and came back to land some good lefts, with Diaz showing a very strong chin.

In the second, Riggs let Diaz lead, a tactic he would employ to let his Stockton, California foe walk into punches. But Diaz, unfazed by a massive fight-time size disadvantage of some 20 lbs, simply shook them off, pressing Riggs. In this round, Diaz attempted an oma plata and a knee bar, but Riggs was able to escape from the holds. By now, Diaz’ face was bloodied from the heavy shots Riggs was landing, but Riggs seemed to be more vulnerable to flush strikes.

In the third, the stretch run saw both fighters landing punches with Riggs seeming much more tired, but Diaz wasn’t able to do enough to convince the judges, who scored the bout 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. This writer scored the bout 29-28 for Riggs, but it was a very close match.

Paul Buentello got back on the winning track with a second round stoppage of Gilbert Aldana.

The fight opened with heavy striking from both ends, as Buentello got the better of it. But Aldana landed a few heavy shots on his own and showed considerable resilience, especially considering it was his first fight in the UFC. Buentello picked him apart on the feet and eventually landed a string of strikes from the top position in the second. Buentello’s attack included some clever spinning back kicks and good uppercuts in close, and he got a badly-needed win after his loss to Andrei Arlovski at UFC 55. 

Jeff Monson made a successful return to the Octagon, scoring a knockout win out Brandon Lee Hinkle at 4:35 of the opening round. The referee waived off the action when Monson rendered Hinkle unconscious from the choke, which Monson delivered from north-south position. Both men were aggressive in the opening round and traded position on the ground, but Monson’s superior ability from the bottom ultimately proved too much, as he was able to reverse position and neutralize Hinkle’s strikes when on his back.

Alessio Sakara dominated UFC veteran Elvis Sinosic, winning a completely one-sided unanimous decision to earn his second win in as many trips to the Octagon. The judges scored the bout 29-26, 29-26 and 29-25. Sakara lost a point for a downward elbow, thus the three scores of 29.

In the walkout bout, Keith Jardine defeated fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” season two contestant Mike Whitehead by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the bout 29-28. After a career spent at heavyweight, this was the 205-lb debut for both fighters.

Source: InsideFighting.com