NEWSDWTS Watch: Chuck Liddell Knocked Out
Oct. 14 2009, Published 12:05 p.m. ET
Ultimate Fighter Chuck Liddell was the latest celeb to be eliminated from Dancing with the Stars on the fourth week of competition after his two-step was more like two left feet.
The tough guy and his partner Anna Trebunskaya only got a 17 for their dance on Monday night, with judge Len Goodman sighing, “The quality of your dancing wasn’t good.”
Although both football star Michael Irvin and snowboarder Louie Vito each got lower scores of 16, it was Chuck who bit the dust.
“I was shocked. I thought we would have been able to get more votes than that," Chuck told OK! after the show. "I wish I could have stuck around longer but it is what it is.”
Anna was more candid, exclaiming, “It feels like crap!”
But Chuck, who went from the fighting ring to the ballroom, said he felt he achieved his goal in doing the show. “Hopefully, I got across to America that fighters aren’t a bunch of Neanderthals. That’s why I came on the show, to let people know we’re normal people.”
The 39-year-old fighter said he learned a lot about his body while dancing: “I’m an athlete, sports always came easy, but you’re always in the same position.” So Chuck said it took him awhile to come out of his crouch and display proper posture on the hit ABC reality show. “The funny thing about it is, all my friends are like, something is different about your body now that you’ve been doing dancing. There’s nothing different about my body, it’s just I’m standing up straight and have good posture.”
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Chuck said he and Anna got along because “she has a good sense of humor. I don’t think people get it sometimes. I don’t know how many times I said to her, that’s one of those comments, if they put that on air, people will think you’re a bitch. I think it’s funny.”
The fighting machine told OK! he will continue to dance. “I’ve never been accused of being a good dancer but I’ve always liked dancing. I love to dance at nightclubs. My friends always used to have their girlfriends, if they wanted to dance, they’d say go dance with Chuck. I was the designated dancer,” he smiled.
Pro dancer and OK! blogger Kym Johnson, who performs with Donny Osmond this season, was sorry to see Chuck go. “He’s such a gentle, nice man," she said. "He’s adorable.”
Meanwhile, Donny commented, “He really took it hard tonight.”
But now, the rest of the dance warriors must move on. Next week, it’s down to the final ten. The competitors must learn three dances — an individual number, group hustle, and a dance off routine, which might be required if a couple is in the bottom two. Stay tuned!
By Carole Glines
