5 Fights That Would Pull Randy Couture Away From Acting For A Moment

Randy Couture is an MMA legend.  We’re talking about a guy that has helped MMA and the UFC grow as much, if not more than any other modern day warrior.  Due to this, hardcore fans all remember when Couture announced his retirement after his final fight with Chuck Liddell in the Octagon.  But later, of course, that fire began to boil inside of him again.  And instead of staying retired, he came back to defeat Tim Sylvia for the UFC heavyweight title. 

That said, it appears that the man they call “The Natural” is considering hanging the gloves up again, or at least is admitting that he’s at a different point in his career.

“I don’t think I’m going to make any public announcements because I don’t think anybody’s going to buy it,” Couture said on Thursday’s edition of ESPN’s MMA Live. “I did that once (announced retirement) and came back. I don’t want to be like Brett [Favre]. I do feel like I’ve had my wars, I’ve had my battles. I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I am competing and training and feel better than I ever felt physically but I don’t see myself making another run at the title, at heavyweight or light-heavyweight, being honest.”

Couture, who is clearly focused on his acting career after a role in the Expendables this past summer, spoke of how his recent fights have been novelty ones (against James Toney, for example).  “They didn’t really matter in the division, they didn’t really put me any closer to a title, and I have to make a decision at some point,” he said. “So I think I would entertain another novelty-type fight. I could still compete but I don’t see myself making a run at the title any time soon.”

Okay, so given this- what fights are still out there for him to partake in?  Here are five that I think would cause Couture to tape up his hands and come out swinging gladly.

Fedor Emelianenko: For years, this was the fight that MMA fans wanted to see.  With Couture dropping bouts to Brock Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira recently, the luster has faded some. Emelianenko losing to Fabricio Werdum didn’t help any either.  Still, it holds that PRIDE vs. UFC feel and would be a bout that Couture would definitely jump back into the fray for. 

Of course, it won’t happen unless the UFC can somehow persuade Emelianenko to sign in the future.  And time has nearly run out.

Wladimir Klitschko: Okay, this is a fight that will never happen.  That said, Klitschko is the current IBF, IBO, WBO and Ring Magazine heavyweight boxing champion.  So this is as big a novelty fight as there could be, and that’s what the UFC Hall of Famer wants.

Chuck Liddell: UFC President Dana White has already said that Liddell won’t be fighting in the UFC again.  But what happens if “The Iceman” wants to come back?  Well, then White is between a rock and a hard place.  A possible solution? 

How about a novelty fight against a guy that doesn’t have a lot of stand up power (thereby reducing the chance that Liddell gets KO’d again).  That would leave Tito Ortiz and Couture as possibilities.

Lyoto Machida: This would actually be a fight that would put “The Natural” back on the light heavyweight radar.  It’s also a bout he once spoke of wanting to engage in.

A man with a traditional background vs. one with a wrestling background.  Come on, admit it.  You’re interested.

Anderson Silva: “I’ve said a number of times when asked if I’d like to fight Anderson that that would be a great fight,” Couture said back in August. “I think that I’d do well against him. He’s a very graceful, amazing athlete, and one of the best guys in our sport. Those are definitely the kind of guys you want to fight.”