Once a Champ, Always a Champ

Once a champ, always a champ. That's how I see it for someone who's managed to climb to the top of the UFC mountain, and that's how I see it for someone like Ricco Rodriguez, who years ago defeated Randy Couture to earn the heavyweight belt then lost it to underdog Tim Sylvia the next time he stepped into the Octagon. On Thursday, September 20th, Rodriguez will return to action to face Ben "Bad Motherfucker" Rothwell at the IFL. It will be the former champ's toughest test in years and Rothwell's toughest opponent ever. It's also a masterstroke for the promotion, as they've finally matched up their untouchable star against someone who could very well kick his ass. Bravo for all involved. Back in February of 2003, I was writing an article called "A Tale of Three Fighters", and I had gotten the before-, during- and after-bout perspective from three competitors who were at very different stages of the fight game. Rodriguez was my champion's perspective, and he was friendly and more than happy to talk about everything leading up to his UFC 41 rendezvous with Sylvia. Then his reign as king came to an abrupt end, and after the bout, the only thing Rodriguez had for me was, "Sorry Jim, but no interviews at this time." I respected that. He had been the UFC champ - he deserved all the respect in the world. And it doesn't matter if he wins or loses against Rothwell, as he will always deserve respect.