LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 5: BIG BROTHER: CELEBRITY EDITION -- Chuck Liddell on the first-ever celebrity edition of Big Brother airing on the CBS Television Network. As previously announced, the special winter edition will feature multiple episodes per week during a three-week run, and include the series' signature Head of Household and Power of Veto competitions and live evictions. (Photo by Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty Images)

UFC 222’s Zak Ottow plans to play a chess game against Mike Pyle if the fight goes late

UFC 222’s Zak Ottow plans to play a chess game against Mike Pyle if the fight goes late by James Lynch

Reports of a multi-million dollar deal between former UFC champion Chuck Liddell and Bellator have surfaced on Friday.

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is reportedly close to signing a multi-million dollar deal with Bellator according to Chris Taylor of BJPenn.com.

Breaking! According to sources close to the situation, former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is closing in on a multi-million dollar fight deal with Bellator MMA. — Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) March 2, 2018

Liddell, 48, hasn’t fought in MMA since his loss to Rich Franklin at UFC in June 2010. That loss marked the final fight in a three-fight skid with additional losses to Maurício ‘Shogun’ Rua and Rashad Evans. Since his departure from the sport, he’s appeared in multiple movies and TV shows including his short stint as a cast member of Celebrity Big Brother.

Rumors have been circulating for more than a year that Liddell was potentially considering a return after he posted a photo of himself and another former UFC champion, Tito Ortiz.

Why not? A post shared by Chuck Liddell (@chuckliddell) on Jun 3, 2017 at 9:02pm PDT

UFC President Dana White shot down the idea of the match-up recently when approached by TMZ about the possibility.

No, I couldn’t do that fight,” White said. “I love Chuck Liddell. I love him. And as a friend, I don’t think he should fight. Chuck’s almost 50 years old … 50-year-old’s shouldn’t be fighting.”

Ortiz also echoed the sentiments saying he was happily retired, but we all know that’s never stopped Ortiz before and he’s already expressed his desire for the fight to happen.

“I’m very comfortable in retirement now,” Ortiz told MMAjunkie. “I guess Dana put the kibosh on me and Chuck, so I don’t know. It is what it is. I’m being the good guy by listening to the bosses at the end of the day. (I’m) not making decisions on myself, and if it’s meant to be, I’ll put it in God’s hands.”

The pair has met twice previously, once at UFC 47 and again at UFC 66, Liddell captured the victory both times.

Liddell has not competed in nearly eight years and retired with a 21-8 professional record.