Video: Liddell plays peacemaker at George Floyd protest

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Anyone under the presumption that fighters are inherent violent should see Chuck Liddell de-escalate tensions at a protest.

UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell joined one of the many protests rallying against systemic racism and the killing of George Floyd this weekend. In Huntington Beach, CA ‘The Iceman’ was captured playing peacemaker, attempting to de-escalate flaring tensions and advocating for non-violent protesting.

In the video above, the former UFC champion can be seen successfully talking down passionate protesters and getting in the middle of potentially aggressive confrontation.

“It’s good to see people defending their city,” Liddell told ABC 7 (ht MMA Mania). “It’s terrible. Violence begets violence. Violence doesn’t help anybody. We all know what happened was wrong. Everybody I know thinks it was wrong. It’s hard to watch. This doesn’t help it. Destroying cities, destroying people, hurting people does not do any good for anybody. Hey, protest all you want; just do it peacefully.”

The United States has seen mass protests in multiple cities since George Floyd died after being pinned under the knee of then-police officer Derek Chauvin. Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for at least seven minutes despite Floyd telling him he could not breathe. An autopsy determined that Floyd died from asphyxiation.

Chauvin, and three other officers who were at the scene of Floyd’s death, were fired from the Minneapolis Police Department after video footage of the incident went viral. Chauvin has since been charged with manslaughter and third-degree murder.

Liddell reportedly told MMA Fighting that he was “horrified” by the death of Floyd.

Multiple other figures in the world of MMA have spoken out against Floyd’s death and police violence. Last weekend’s UFC event was dedicated to Floyd’s memory.