Fight of the Day: Chuck Liddell vs. Jose "Pele" Landi Jons
After winning his first pro MMA bout — a decision over Noe Hernandez at UFC 17 in May 1998 — Chuck Liddell was somehow convinced to take a vale tudo match in Brazil against Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons at IVC 6 (8/23/98), with no gloves and a single 30-minute round. Pele (13-2 at the time, with all wins by stoppage) was already a minor star on the vale tudo circuit, and the unknown American challenger wasn't supposed to be anything but an opponent for him.
The Brazilian controlled the first five minutes of the fight, at one point flooring Liddell with a head kick. But he seemed to gas early, and the Iceman took advantage. A punch flurry that begins at the video's 6:17 mark leads to a beating that forces Pele to jump through the ropes to escape. The rest of the fight is marked by Liddell's takedowns and top control, a long stalemate with Chuck kicking Pele from above (you can pretty much skip past 11:40-15:00), Liddell throwing headbutts and knees to the head on the ground, and a final sequence where a helpless Landi-Jons eats a few dozen punches to the face. It's a brutal look at the early days of a legend, so if you have the time, check it out.
(Props: SKARHEAD on the UG)
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Perennial Says:
Bring back the glory days.
Fuck The Iceman by the way.
Anonymous Says:
im pretty sure wanderlei silva was on that same card fightin somone and won, i remember seein this entire fight card on the fight network a few months back couldnt believe they were showin
Anonymous Says:
ps. you should get that silva vale tudo match
ben Says:
Yeah, it looks like W. Silva knocked out Mike Van Arsdale on the same card. I'll try to find it.
WalksInTheDarkness Says:
Yep, the first time that the Iceman and Wanderlei appeared on the same card... Absolutely amazing from both of them, I love it when Wanderlei is given all of his weapons (headbutts, stomps, knees, elbows etc) he really does become the wild man from Brazil. It's all from IVC 6 and Braga submits Van Arsdale with the ring rope...
fightfan Says:
I watched this fight about 3 or 4 years ago.....And I recommend that you save yourself the 30 minutes of your life. Nothing against the fight, it is just that the fight could be wrapped up in a 30-60 second clip instead of painfully sitting through a half hour. Espcially the 3 or 4 minutes that CP points out that you should skip....There are also other lulls in the action.
Hexdizzle Says:
Wow! So thats how Chuck looks with out his Big beer Belly. He really looks like a fighter in this video.
Hexdizzle Says:
Wow! So thats how Chuck looks with out his Big beer Belly. He really looks like a fighter in this video. Get back in shape Chuck!!
teachbug Says:
Its so stupid you had to say it twice.....congrats you're a dumbass.