The Iceman Goeth

Wow - amazing night last night, not that I saw it myself. I read on UFC's website that Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell fell to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson last night on the Pay-per-View event that I didn't have the time or money to view.

Amazing. Chuck Liddell puts the "bad" in bad-ass, and yet Rampage took it to him. I eagerly await the recounting of the fight in the news media, which is as yet absent this morning. I also await the trickling down of the fight to free TV (I love the UFC on SpikeTV).

Liddell/Jackson was just one in a long line of upsets last night, at least in my mind, and I imagine it was a worthy evening for Pay-per-Viewers. Chris "The Crippler" Leben, a UFC hero of mine, lost a decision. It was his third loss in four fights and not representative of his power and ability. Ivan Salaverry, nearly superhuman in the fights of his that I've seen, lost a TKO in the first round. Sean Salmon, who I saw perform impressively in the past against Rashad Evans until what I consider a lucky kick to the head separated him from his senses, lost in the first round last night as well.

Conventional wisdom and expectation were on hiatus last night, as almost every fighter I would have confidently picked as a winner lost, and lost quickly. Some outcomes that were not surprising included a successful Karo "The Heat" Parisyan. I just got done watching his tremendous fight against Diego Sanchez in a rerun on SpikeTV - although Karo could not find a way to beat Diego and ultimately lost this past fight, he fought tenaciously, with the heart of a warrior. Just an animal, and I am not amazed at all to see him doing well.

I must remember to send flowers to my nephew Chad, whose MySpace page sports some eye-popping media and an "Iceman" Liddell makeover. I am sure he is more stunned this morning than I am.