Michael David Smith spoke with Matt Hughes earlier this week about Chuck Liddell potentially retiring.  Hughes thinks that Liddell shouldn't retire and below is his take on it:

"Chuck is still dangerous to anybody. Anybody that thinks that if Chuck Liddell hits them they won't go down is wrong. Chuck is a threat to anybody. As a friend I hope he doesn't leave the sport for two reasons: Number one, I like him and I like watching him. Number two, I still think he's good enough to do some serious damage to people."

Umm...newsflash.  Most people like watching Chuck Liddell fight, but that's not a good enough reason for him to keep going out there at this point in his career.  Also, it's funny that Hughes mentions he likes watching Liddell fight.  He must have missed his last 3 or 4 fights, because his analysis of Liddell's skills is WAY off for a couple of reasons:

1. Liddell hasn't finished anyone since Tito Ortiz at UFC 66.  Which just happens to be 2 1/2 years ago. 
2. Liddell hit Keith Jardine for three rounds, and Jardine was still standing at the end of the fight.  Hell, he won the fight(it shouldn't have been a split decision either).  Liddell hit Wanderlei Silva with everything he had, and still couldn't finish him.  Liddell hit Rashad Evans a couple of times, and Rashad shrugged it off like it was nothing.  Liddell hit Shogun last weekend a couple of times, and didn't go down.  Liddell isn't going to submit anyone, so I don't see how he's such a threat being that his once sturdy chin has turned into playdough nowadays.

Maybe there's some truth to the question I posed in October 2008, asking if Liddell has lost that KO power?  It's natural to want your favorite athletes to go out on top.  However, what's more important is that we should be able to realize when those same athletes just can't perform like they used to.  There are so many examples out there for Liddell to learn from in terms of hanging on too long.  Let's hope he doesn't have a group of "yes men" in his ear telling him to go for it one more time.  His time has come.