Who defeated Chuck Liddell for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 71?

Quinton Jackson defeated Chuck Liddell for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 71. Jackson scored a first-round knockout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 26, 2007.

The victory was especially notable because it was a rematch from their earlier Pride Fighting Championships meeting in 2003, when Jackson had also beaten Liddell. Liddell entered UFC 71 as the reigning champion and one of the promotion’s biggest stars, but Jackson quickly disrupted his rhythm with powerful counterpunching.

Jackson dropped Liddell with a right hand and finished the fight with ground strikes at 1:53 of the opening round. He became UFC light heavyweight champion, while Liddell’s reign ended after four successful title defenses.

A common mix-up is confusing Jackson with later Liddell opponents such as Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans, or Forrest Griffin. Those fighters were important figures in Liddell’s UFC career, but Jackson was the man who took the belt at UFC 71.