Most people were introduced to Chris “The Crippler” Leben in January of 2005 as one of the sixteen cast members on the first season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. It didn’t take long for people to see the immature side of Chris Leben; in the show’s first episode, Leben drank heavily and urinated on the pillow of another cast member as a bizarre joke. Before long, it was clear that Leben was not only immature, but also very emotional. After his initial loss on the show, he openly cried and expressed his frustration with the outcome of the fight. He seemed unwilling to accept the loss, and many of the coaches and teammates pointed out that emotional toughness was something Leben was lacking. This immaturity and sensitivity lead to a career with a bipolar level of highs and lows for the Portland, Oregon native. Fast-forward ten years, and Leben is once again looking the part of the emotionally unstable fighter.
This week, Leben was sentenced to 120 days in custody and three years probation in connection with a break-in at the apartment of his estranged wife in June. This is not the first time Leben has been in trouble with the law, having been arrested twice before for DUI. While this latest arrest followed the trend of poor decision-making set by Leben, it still came as a shock to many. Following his retirement from the sport in January of 2014, it had seemed Leben was headed in the right direction. He announced he would be focusing on coaching a talented group of young fighters, and had even been rumored to be working on a book. Unfortunately, the controversy that surrounded Leben during his professional career seems to have followed him into retirement and has further tainted the reputation of the somehow loveable fighter.
Looking back on the career of Leben, it is hard to believe that he accomplished all he did with the demons that surrounded his life. Alcohol and drug abuse seemed to prove too hard to kick, even causing him to be suspended by the UFC for a year following a positive test for prescription painkillers. Somehow through all of this, Leben managed to experience great success inside the Octagon. At one point he was 15-1 and was just one fight away from fighting for UFC gold before losing a fight to a newcomer from Brazil, Anderson Silva. After the loss to Silva, Leben began his up and down ways before righting the ship and eventually being named comeback fighter of the year in 2010. Following the suspension, Leben made the following statement:
“I would like to make it known that I fully accept this suspension and apologize for embarrassing the UFC, my friends and family, and sport of mixed martial arts. I’m learning that I’m my own worst enemy sometimes. I can’t succeed in the octagon or in life behaving this way. I’ve got to make some real changes over the next year, and I’m going to focus on getting my life and career back on track. Again, I’m sorry to the UFC and fans that have supported me since my days on ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’”
Leben proved over and over that he had the drive and determination to compete at the highest level of the sport, even if a championship would elude him. While his emotions and immaturity may have gotten the best of him outside of the cage, Leben’s passion for the sport and his love of competition made him an undeniably polarizing figure inside of it. His most recent transgression will certainly leave a mark on his record, but it won’t stop people from pulling for “The Crippler” as he once again tries to find a high amongst the lows.
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