Shogun vs. the Iceman Likely for UFC 97

According to the Wrestling Observer and Figure 4 Online.com, the UFC has announced their main event for their UFC 97 pay-per-view event: Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. This is a highly anticipated light heavyweight clash that was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 86. Shogun had to drop out due to re-aggravating an existing knee injury and needing to have surgery. Liddell instead went on to face Rashad Evans at UFC 88. Liddell was knocked out in the second round by Evans. Following the fight, Evans went on to face and defeat Forrest Griffin to become the new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Griffin defeated Shogun in the Fall of 2007 which prompted a 15 month layoff from fighting for Rua.

Shogun has just defeated Mark Coleman at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland on January 17. While Shogun won the fight via knockout, he looked sluggish and exhausted very early into the fight, much different from his earlier fights in the now defunct organization, Pride FC. Fans and commentators are now putting Shogun's gas tank and stamina into question, and if Shogun can still hang with the best the current professional MMA world has to offer as far as light heavyweights go. Shogun in 2005 won the Pride FC Middleweight Grand Prix tournament. In 2007, Shogun was widely considered the #1 light heavyweight fighter in the world.

Liddell himself has lost three of his last four fights. Two of those losses came from knockouts by Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans. The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion now has a large chip on his shoulder if he wants to prove he can still fight at a high level in the UFC.

UFC 97 will air April 18 in Montreal, Quebec, live on pay-per-view.