Chuck Liddell calls out the UFC fighting style he can't stand

UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell has voiced frustration with a tactical approach that has become increasingly prevalent in modern mixed martial arts: control-heavy wrestling that prioritizes stalling over finishing.

During a recent livestream appearance, Liddell was asked which current fighters he dislikes watching. Rather than name an active competitor, the former light heavyweight champion critiqued the wider wrestling strategy itself. "I don't like the guys who try to wrestle and hold," Liddell said, clarifying that his objection is not to wrestling or grappling as disciplines.

Liddell's complaint centers on wrestlers who use top control as a means to accumulate points or run out the clock without actively pursuing damage or submission opportunities. "They're not trying to finish. I've got nothing against wrestling. I like wrestling," he explained. "Good ground and pound? Great!" The distinction, he argued, lies in intent: effective wrestling should drive toward a concrete goal, whether inflicting strikes from top position or working toward a submission.

Interestingly, Liddell also distributed blame to fighters on the receiving end of such tactics, suggesting that bottom players share responsibility for the prevalence of control-focused wrestling. "It's the guy on the bottom's fault for not getting better at getting up, too, right? He's kind of causing some of the problems," Liddell said, implying that defensive improvements and better escape technique would naturally discourage stalling behavior.

Liddell's comments reflect a broader debate in MMA about rule incentives and judging criteria, with many observers arguing that modern scoring systems can reward control without aggression, a dynamic the former champion clearly finds unentertainable.