ESPN Mixed Martial Arts Blog

Posted by Jake Rossen

David S. Holloway/Getty Images

Do you want give a nice farewell to Chuck Liddell? Send him into the Hall of Fame.

Fanhouse passes word that UFC 100 will induct two new members into the promotion's proprietary Hall of Fame the weekend of July 11.

Not too crazy about promotionally dictated balloting: It would seem to favor athletes on good terms with management, not contentious ex-employees who delivered in the cage. (Both Frank Shamrock and Tito Ortiz are anvil-subtle choices; I would peg their chances of showing up in July only if it begins raining frogs in Nevada.)

Since there are no published criteria for entry, there's really no way to handicap potential inductees -- but if Dana White really wants to drive a nail into the retirement of Chuck Liddell, this would be a pretty big hint. (Then again, current members Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn, Randy Couture and Mark Coleman are all still on the circuit.)

Oleg Taktarov, who had the constitution of a leather boot when the UFC was at its most savage and dangerous, seems promising -- but there are questions surrounding the integrity of how he got to the finals of UFC 6. The same holds true for Don Frye, a 10-1 Octagon pioneer who's faced allegations he benefited from Mark Hall throwing their semifinal fight at the Ultimate Ultimate 1996.

Process of elimination would leave Liddell and possibly Charles Lewis Jr., the late Tapout founder who was an early and vocal supporter of the sport. The latter choice invites some controversy from purists who want only athletes admitted, but that ignores the massive contributions those outside of the ring have made in order for the sport to exist at all. The International Boxing Hall of Fame has a "Non-Participant" class, and there's no reason the UFC couldn't adopt the same policy.

To that end, Helio Gracie should have been the first inductee. Still time to correct the oversight.