White makes weight-loss wager with Liddell, endorses spot on "Dancing with the Stars"

[junbo79]

http://mmajunkie.com/news/16037/white-makes-weight-loss-wager-with-liddell-endorses-icemans-spot-on-dancing-with-the-stars.mma

 

UFC president Dana White recently made his opinion quite clear on fighters who pursue film careers while still active in MMA.

 

But when it comes to semi-retired former champion Chuck Liddell's appearance on the ABC series "Dancing with the Stars," White's all for it.

 

"I think it's interesting," White said. "I think that it's great because Chuck needs something to do with his time right now, and he's taking it serious and he's training for it. It's good to see him fired up and taking something serious and back in the gym."

 

White has publicly stated that Liddell is retired since suffering a TKO loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in April. Liddell has suggested he may not be quite done, but White mentioned the "Iceman" wasn't exactly keeping himself in fight shape.

 

"[Liddell and I] were working out together in Philly (during the week of UFC 101)," White said. "Did you see him in Philly? He was telling me he weighed 232 (pounds). He's full of [expletive]. He looked like he weighed about 250.

 

"I said, 'You've got to weigh 214 (pounds) by [sept. 15].' So we've got a $10,000 bet that that's what he's got to weigh."

 

White admits in retrospect that he may have made a bad wager. The UFC head made the deal before he had knowledge of Liddell's impending "Dancing with the Stars" appearance.

 

"That was before I knew he was on [expletive] 'Dancing with the Stars' and was going to start training for it," White said. "I couldn't believe he was acting so confident about it. Then I found out he was doing 'Dancing with the Stars.'"

 

Following Saturday night's UFC 102, White said he fully expects Liddell to ask for another fight in the UFC after his time on "Dancing with the Stars" has ended.

 

"Trust me, Chuck was texting me all night about fighting," White said. "When he's done dancing, I'm sure he's going to be looking for me."

 

Earlier in the week, at a pre-UFC 102 press conference, White stopped short of ruling a Liddell return out of the realm of possibility, but he also maintained his lack of interest in seeing such an event.

 

"All the [expletive] that went back and forth, [Liddell] made a deal with me," White said. "He's never not kept his word with me. Again, I'm not his dad. I love him, and I don't want to see him fight any more, but if he came to me and said ? listen, I'm not crazy about him fighting any more. I just don't see the point.

 

"I don't know what else there is to accomplish, what else there is to do. The guy's 40 years old. Not everybody is Randy Couture, and let's be honest, Chuck Liddell hasn't been as good to his body as Randy Couture has. I'm over it. I don't want to make a dollar of that kind of money. I just don't."

 

White said he offered Liddell a salary to stay on board with the UFC, though he admitted he wasn't even sure what that role would entail.

 

"I think the hard part for [Liddell] is trying to find out exactly what that next chapter in his life is and what he wants to do," White said. "Think about what it's like walking out into an arena with 18,000 people going crazy and all the things that go along with winning - the excitement and the energy. I'm sure it's hard to give up, but we're working on it. We'll figure it out."

 

And as for Liddell's chances in the dancing competition?

 

"I don't know how good he's going to be at it, but I can tell you this: He likes to dance."