UFC star Liddell: from cage to dance floor

Chuck Liddell likes to party. When he's not mixing it up in an Ultimate Fighter Championship cage, he's is mixing it up on the dance floor in various nightclubs throughout Las Vegas and his native Southern California.

Now The Iceman will trade in his gloves for dancing shoes as he was announced as a participant in season nine of Dancing with the Stars.

"I like to dance, but I don't know how to dance," he said in a prepared statement.

The 40-year-old UFC Hall of Famer, who has faced combatants such as Randy "The Natural" Couture, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua will now compete against the likes of, Tom "The Hammer" DeLay, Melissa "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" Hart and Aaron "I Want Candy" Carter.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion has expects a varied reaction from friends and fans alike. But he's using the opportunity to introduce mixed martial arts to a new demographic.

"I'm (going to) go out and be myself and show what kind of people we do have in this sport," he said. "I'm sure the reaction will be mixed. My friends are (going to) be excited and I'll never hear the end of it because they'll make fun of me, but it should be fun and I think everyone will like it."

Asked about his chances making it to the finals and winning the contest, Liddell took the same approach when answering the same questions in the UFC.

"I want to win," he said. "I don't like losing in anything, so I'll work as hard as they let me."

The show, which pairs 16 celebrities with professional dancers in a contest for rug-cutting supremacy will debut on September 21.