CHUCK LIDDELL NEWS

The abrupt end to Chuck Liddell's participation in an international USO tour to support American troops has raised a few eyebrows.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion was part of a contingent of five celebrities joining a U.S. Marine general on an eight-day, five-country USO tour this week.

Liddell made the first part of the trek on Monday to Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, with rap duo the Ying Yang Twins, model and singer Mayra Veronica and comedians Gabriel Iglesias and Edwin San Juan. However, Liddell pulled out of the tour on Tuesday due to what both the USO and his management team, Zinkin Entertainment, deemed to be an unspecified illness.

However, unconfirmed reports quickly surfaced following Liddell's decision to bow out, including one that he was asked to leave by the USO after members of his entourage were found partying with minors, and a separate report that he was arrested while in Alaska.

A Zinkin representative told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the report about Liddell's arrest "completely false," and that statement is supported by a public affairs officer at Eielson, who said that Liddell was "not detained or arrested" while on the base Monday.

According to Zinkin, Liddell is back home in California resting and was "disappointed" in not being able to continue the tour.

On the surface, the reason behind Liddell's bail out on the tour seems to check out. However, rightly or wrongly, Liddell's fondness for the nightlife often leads to speculation that goes beyond public statements.

Liddell is expected back in the octagon in February or March.