Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva — Fight recap

Chuck Liddell defeated Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision over three rounds on December 29, 2007, with referee Herb Dean officiating. Liddell's wrestling proved decisive, landing both of his takedown attempts at 100% efficiency while controlling the cage for 1:09 compared to Silva's negligible 0:02.

The striking exchanges favored Liddell, who landed 58 significant strikes at 33% accuracy versus Silva's 44 at 24%, though Silva managed one knockdown during the bout. Liddell's head strikes comprised the bulk of his offense with 51 of 163 total head strikes attempted, demonstrating his focus on Silva's chin throughout the fight.

Despite Silva's reputation as a striker, Liddell's grappling advantage and superior striking efficiency secured all three rounds on the judges' scorecards. The victory solidified Liddell's status as light heavyweight elite heading into 2008.