Written by Doug Jeffrey
Photos by Joshua Hedges |
 During his fight with Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell's (right) eyes were filled with intent.
Put yourself on the African plain during the middle of summer. It's a sizzling 114 degrees and you're a zebra.
I heard a lot of people say a lot of different things about the Chuck Liddell-Wanderlei Silva fight at UFC 79. Descriptions like "Awesome," "Exciting," "One of the best ever" and "Powerful" were common in the days after the fight, but I didn't hear anyone say anything about Liddell's eyes.
Lava has got to be cooler than the crusted, dry ground, so you lay low, waiting for the heat to let up so you can mosey down to the river to get a drink.
Finally, a gentle breeze stirs, generating a ray of hope for you and the rest of the group. You look around and also notice that the sun is a finally a little lower in the Western sky. It's time.
And if you didn't see them, you really missed something.
I first noticed his eyes about midway through Round 1. Liddell, 38, was stalking Silva, driving him backward with relentless pursuit.
In the process, Liddell's eyes were locked on Silva like a heat-seeking missile. If Silva bobbed, Liddell's eyes remained riveted. If Silva weaved, Liddell eyes precisely pierced. If Silva danced, Liddell's eyes penetrated.
As you make your way to the water, you notice the reeds bending in the breeze. You direct your attention back to the river when suddenly a blur of golden brown stops you dead in your tracks while sending your heart racing. You lock eyes with a lion.
His eyes are wide, determined and filled with intent. You're his target, and there's nothing that can stop him.
As the fight progressed, Liddell's concentration and focus never wavered. His eyes were as intense as a surgeon, meticulously performing open-heart surgery. Nothing could distract him. Nothing was more important than the task at hand.
His eyes were wide, determined and filled with intent. Wanderlei Silva was his target, and there was nothing that would stop him.
A DIFFERENT STANDARD
In team sports, a team typically has to lose five-to-eight games in a row before anyone sits up and notices. In Major League Baseball, it's the same for a pitcher. He has to lose at least a handful of games consecutively before someone notices.
In the mixed martial arts, it's a different ballgame.
If a fighter loses two in a row, everyone notices. If he happens to be 38 years old, such as Liddell, everyone says he is done.
After watching Liddell defeat Wanderlei in Las Vegas, let's hope that "The Iceman" obliterated any doubts about his skill, age, stamina or desire.
His eyes certainly told the story. If you didn't notice, go back and watch the tape. You'll see that they were wide, determined and filled with intent.
Until next time.
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