VANCOUVER — What could be the first in a long run of UFC cards in Vancouver was probably the last fight of Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell’s legendary career.
Dana White, the UFC president, was thrilled with the support Vancouver showed for UFC 115 Saturday night and plans to return to the West Coast. A sold-out crowd of 17,000 at GM Place produced a gate of US$4.2 million.
“We will definitely be back,” proclaimed White. “No doubt about it.”
The excitement the charismatic White felt about the Vancouver debut was tempered by a sense of remorse that Liddell’s career probably ended when he was knocked out by Rich (Ace) Franklin with just five seconds left in the first round of their light heavyweight main event.
Liddell, the former world light heavyweight champion, has lost five of his last six fights, four by knockout.
White said it’s time for the 40-year-old Iceman to hang up the gloves.
“I hope he agrees and I don’t think he won’t,” said White. “Chuck has been with me longer than we have owned this company.
“I love him and care about him as a person and a friend.”
Franklin was fighting with a left arm broken by a kick about two minutes into the fight. The former math teacher from Cincinnati used a vicious right hook to crumple Liddell, then delivered another punishing blow while he was laying on the canvas.
The win earned Franklin US$85,000 for knockout of the night and put him in the mix for a shot at the title. It also left him feeling a little hollow.
“Chuck and I are friends,” said Franklin, 35, who had his arm in a sling and covered with ice after the fight. “I don’t want to be the guy labelled as the person that put him out of the sport. I don’t like the thought of that.”
Liddell was taken to hospital after the bout. He was released later in the evening, a UFC official confirmed Sunday.
Vancouver fans, who had waited a long time for UFC to come to town, seemed satisfied with the show. The 11-match card attracted mostly young men, but many women and even some children were in the crowd.
White called the night a success.
“I’m satisfied, very satisfied,” said White. “It was a great night of fights.”
Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic earned US$85,000 for submission of the night when he used a flurry of third-round blows and a rear-naked choke to score a tap-out decision over Patrick (HD) Barry in the co-undercard.
“I was aware that people were (saying) I was too old,” said Filipovic, 35, a former member of Croatia’s elite anti-terrorist unit. “I wanted to prove to everyone I am not old. My preparation for this fight was the hardest in all my life.”
Young Rory (The Waterboy) MacDonald, of Kelowna, B.C., lost his welterweight match against Carlos (The Natural Born Killer) Condit but showed he has the potential to become a name in UFC. The battle was awarded the fight-of-the-night meaning MacDonald and Condit will receive US$85,000 each.
“Rory MacDonald looked incredible,” said White. “The kid looked amazing.
“I expect very big things from him.”
MacDonald, 20, controlled the first two rounds of the fight. He even put Condit on the canvas near the end of the second with a kick to the chest.
Condit, 26, regrouped in the third. He had MacDonald down and pounded him with blows, forcing the referee to end the fight. That brought boos from the crowd.
“In the third I just came out guns blazing and caught him,” said Condit. “I don’t think he ever really recovered from that.”
MacDonald admitted Condit’s late flurry left him in a haze.
“I was confused,” he said. “I was lost.
“I felt like I was close. I hurt him early but I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. I didn’t go after him like a pro. I went after him like an amateur.”
There were two other Canadians on the undercard.
Toronto’s Claude (The Prince) Patrick defeated Ricardo (Golden Boy) Funch. Montreal’s David (The Crow) Loiseau lost a bloody match to (Super) Mario Miranda.
In two other welterweight matches, Mike (Quicksand) Pyle used a triangle choke to score a tap-out win over Jesse (The Ox) Lennox at 4:44 of the third round while James (Lightning) Wilks scored a unanimous decision over Peter Sobotta.
In other fights, Matt Wiman defeated Mac Danzig in a lightweight bout; Ben Rothwell won his heavyweight fight against Gilbert (Hurricane) Yvel; Evan Dunham beat Tyson Griffin with a split decision in a lightweight match; and Martin (The Hitman) Kampmann won his welterweight fight against Paulo Thiago in a unanimous decision.