Chuck Liddell is arguably one of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time, a UFC Hall Of Famer and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. With those credentials, he knows what it's like to step into the octagon and the pressure that goes into it, which is why he’s now question former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey’s mental capabilities as she returns to action after a knockout loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193.
“It’s hard for her at her stature to come back at a smaller fight,” Liddell told TMZ Sports. “But (as a coach), I would’ve gotten her a warm-up fight, just to get mentally back in the game. Amanda Nunes is a tough, tough opponent. If you want to come back, that’s the one to come back and show you’re back.”
Liddell sites current UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo as an example of how to return after a devastating loss, as Aldo was knocked out in just 13 seconds by Conor McGregor at UFC 194.
“A guy like Aldo gets knocked out, he wanted to fight that day. He wanted a shot at (McGregor) that day. That’s a fighter. That’s a guy that’s got it together up here (mentally). ‘I made a mistake, I know what I did, I want to win now.’ She folded, I don’t know what happened," said Liddell.
UFC 207 takes place on Friday, December 30 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada with Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey headlining.
