VIDEO | Chuck Liddell attempts to soothe tensions at Huntington Beach rally

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell did his part to diffuse tensions at a rally in Huntington Beach, California.

Like many other cities across the United States, Huntington Beach has been the setting of rallies and protests in response to the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25. Several of these protests have turned violent, and Liddell was evidently eager to avoid such an outcome in Huntington Beach.

“It’s just terrible,” Liddell told ABC 7 after attempting to deescalate this situation. “Violence begets violence. Violence doesn’t help anybody.”

“We all know what happened was wrong,” Liddell continued, referencing the killing of Floyd. “Everyone I know thinks it was wrong. It’s hard to watch. But this does not help. Destroying cities, destroying people, hurting people does not do any good for anybody.”

“Protest all you want, but just do it peacefully,” he urged.

Chuck Liddell is not the only MMA star to get involved in this fashion. Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones took similar measures in his home city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, confiscating a can of spray paint from a protester.

Liddell last fought in November of 2018, under the Golden Boy MMA banner, when he was knocked out by his chief rival, Tito Ortiz. This marked his fourth straight loss by way of knockout, as he was also stopped by Rich Franklin, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Rashad Evans in his next most recent fights. His last victory occurred in December, 2007, when he defeated Wanderlei Silva by unanimous decision. The UFC Hall of Famer, who famously appeared on Dancing with the Stars, holds a 21-9-0 overall record in mixed martial arts.

What do you think of this gesture from Chuck Liddell?