Kevin Randleman recounts how he and Chuck Liddell "Beat 'Cro Cop' together"
Former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin "The Monster" Randleman is almost as known for his candid answers to questions about his inspiring, wild, and all-around epic life, as he is for slamming opponents to the mat. So, MMA Roasted host Adam Hunter likely thought he was about to get a stack of lurid sex tales when he asked Randleman about his time as a superstar fighter in Japan, groupies, and how many "trains" he ran on the local talent along with friend, UFC superstar and notorious party animal Chuck Liddell.
Randleman's answer was shocking, but not in an X-rated way. After denying ever taking part in the types of exploits Hunter suggested, he did reveal that Liddell and him did team up once - to beat Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.
"We did tag-team 'Cro Cop,' Randleman joked.
"We beat 'Cro Cop' down together."
Back in 2004, the former NCAA wrestling national champion Randleman was in Japan to face feared striker "Cro Cop." Randleman was on a two-fight losing streak, while his Croatian opponent was riding high on a two-fight win by stoppage run.
"The Monster" was a serious underdog against Mirko, but he had a secret weapon in his camp, on fight week - former UFC opponent Chuck Liddell. Liddell had knocked Randleman out three years prior in the UFC, but the two became close friends, so much so that "The Iceman" helped the Buckeye prepare for "Cro Cop."
"Chuck Liddell, for six days straight, right before I fought 'Cro Cop,' trained me," Randleman explained.
"I didn't know anything about fighting a Southpaw, or fighting a kickboxer...literally, what he showed me is why I knocked him out."
Randleman surprised "Cro Cop" by beating him at his own game, and knocking him down with a left hook that sent the kickboxer falling to the mat. From there, Randleman added a few forearm strikes to the jaw, and got the shocking first round KO victory.
"[Liddell] showed me stances," Randleman detailed.
"He showed me all the preparation like, when a guy goes to throw a kick, all the little tells that they give, and how to attack.
"If a guy is trying to kick me with his right leg, attack his left shoulder. Push him off balance. He's going to hit you, it's just not going to be the powerul hit that it would have been if you didn't push the shoulder. So, finally, the day of the fight I said, 'Chuck, can I just throw a hook and hit him?' And, he said, 'That's it! That's exactly what you should do!' And, sure enough, I hit him with the left hook and dropped him."
Listen to the full, excellent conversation with MMA legend Kevin Randleman below to hear about the upcoming book he has planned, a recent hip surgery, old school, anything goes, bare knuckle tournaments in Brazil, and just how badly he still wants to get his hands on former UFC champ Tito Ortiz.
