Around The Horn

Lots of action in the MMA world today, let's get to it:

First off, congrats to Irish Whip Fighting for their 500th post. That's quite an accomplishment, although not as good as the 600+ members that THE MMA Ad Net currently boasts.

Cheers to Lyoto Machida, who will be stepping in for Quinton Jackson at UFC 98. While I think Jackson/Evans would have been the more exciting fight, I don't think that anyone deserves this opportunity more than Lyoto Machida.

Jeers to Ken Shamrock, who tested positive for steroids. Typically, I'd go on and on about how sad this is and how Shamrock needs to hang 'em up, but I've been giving him that speech for three years now. He doesn't listen.

Finally, a sad farewell to Mask, co-founder of the brand TapouT.

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Ken Shamrock Interview (Our Second)

Ben Zeidler recently chatted with legend Ken Shamrock about his own future in MMA, the future of his son, a potential match up with brother Frank, and of course…Dana White.

Ben Zeidler: What do you think of the IFL changing to a true camp format?

Ken Shamrock: I think that they tried to start out with one concept and it wasn’t working. No one could keep the teams together. We [Nevada Lions] were the only ones who could really do it. Since the guys don’t really train together all the time, they were going in different directions. Now, you can just pull the people in your camp who are ready and it’ll work out well.

Ben Zeidler: Can the IFL serve as a viable opposition to the UFC or should we not even be comparing the two organizations.

Ken Shamrock: They’re not even the same competition. The UFC has been there since the beginning and they’re a brand of individual fighting. Of course, it takes a team for an individual to get there, but saying that the IFL can or should compete with the UFC is very premature. The UFC is so strong because guys like me and Randy [Couture] and Royce [Gracie] built it into a strong brand.

Ben Zeidler: Recently, one of your biggest adversaries, Tito Ortiz, has been expressing the same displeasure you’ve exhibited regarding Dana White and how he handles his business. Why would Dana purposely cut off all of his “legends?”

Ken Shamrock: Everyone understands that he wants to be the show and if anyone threatens his popularity or strength, whether he’s right or wrong, Dana will go after them. He always says, verbatim, “I’m gonna bury him.” It’s this power thing for him and it’s gonna work for a while because myself, Chuck [Liddell], Tito [Ortiz], Randy [Couture] built this thing up. We gave Dana White the strength to do what he’s doing now but he’s hurting everything that we built. He can’t stop and just admit that this isn’t about him. It’s about the guys who went the distance with the UFC and kept them strong. Dana handles the UFC hall of fame and he inducted me. Even then, he had to be the center of attention. He needs to learn that it’s not about him. He calls fighters out. He calls managers out. Is Dana White a promoter or a fighter?

Ben Zeidler: Is it possible that Dana White is jealous of Tito’s success with The Apprentice and Punishment Athletics? Maybe Tito is becoming too big for Dana’s liking.

Ken Shamrock: Tito is not a “yes-man.” Dana White has a hard time people who have some edges and we all have them. We all know that being a fighter, you have to have some edges. One thing that I can say is that if you look down the history of the UFC and track and see what has happened with different guys, you’ll se a pattern. If you don’t follow Dana’s rules, he’ll pack up his toys and go home and he won’t let you play with his toys anymore. Somewhere along the line, as time goes on, the guys who built this will make him answer to his actions.

Ben Zeidler: I recently read that you’re in the best shape of your life. Can you talk a little bit about how you got there so late in your career?

Ken Shamrock: Unfortunately, I’ve gone through injuries stemming from my cutting weight. I blew my knee out and then that took some time to get that where it needed to be. Then my shoulder went out and I needed some things replaced. One after another plagued me during the last few years. I’m one of those guys who will not quit and I’ll keep fighting, which is important to me but I know it means even more to my fans. My injuries restricted what I like to do, which is grapple, and I haven’t been able to do that due to my serious injuries. I’ve fought through those and now I’m able to sit back and go, you know what? I’m back. I can go into training and grapple punch, kick, take down, throw in leg locks, and I don’t get tired or worse during training. I get better. It’s a good feeling, man, and it’s been four years since I felt this good. I need to get some matches under my belt now. I’ve got a fight on March 8th and I’m gonna put a hurting on him.

Ben Zeidler: Let’s talk about this fight. You’ll be fighting at Cage Rage 25 against Robert Berry. What do you know about this guy and what’s your game plan for the fight?

Ken Shamrock: He’s 11-7, 6’3”, 250 pounds. He doesn’t like to go past the first round and I respect that he doesn’t want it to go to a judge’s decision. I respect a guy like that. I’m looking forward to stepping in there. For four years, I’ve been struggling and it’s time. Knock on wood.

Ben Zeidler: I was gonna say. You better be careful during training.

Ken Shamrock: (Laughs) I know it, man. I’m gonna give it back to the fans. I know it’s been a hard time and it’s been very frustrating. But now, I can give it back.

Ben Zeidler: Your son, who is 1-0 in MMA competition, is also fighting at the event. What is more exciting, your comeback or your son’s first mainstream fight?

Ken Shamrock: Definitely my comeback, but when my son is on the same card, that’s great too. It’s never been done in MMA fighting. People ask me if I’m scared about his fighting. I don’t get scared, I know what the dangers are, I know what he faces, and I am comfortable with him going in. I know that he’s trained well and he’s trained properly and he’s in no more danger than in a school fight.

Ben Zeidler: He’s probably safer than he would be in a school fight. He’s got a referee, a cutman, and set rules.

Ken Shamrock: Exactly! He’s definitely safer.

Ben Zeidler: What pieces of wisdom have you passed along to your son?

Ken Shamrock: Well, you know, one thing that comes to mind is when we were traveling on a train going to an IFL championship fight. I like to take the train, it’s about a two day trip, and they have a whole restaurant on there and everything. Anyway, he was still doing culinary arts school and fighting never entered my mind for him. If he wanted to, I would support it, but they had never expressed any interest in fighting as a profession. I’ll let their minds float and they’ll do what they want to do. So he says “Dad, I want to talk to you about something.” I was really nervous, but then he goes “I want to put college on hold and try fighting.” For me, it was just…wow. I stepped back for a second and asked him where this came from. He told me that he had been training and it was something he wanted to do. I told him that it was great, but I made him promise me that if we put college on hold, you’re gonna go back. He told me that it sounded good and that he just wanted to be able to focus 100% on his first few fights.

Ben Zeidler: Would you ever support him signing with the UFC?

Ken Shamrock: You know, the UFC is something that I built with the help of other people. White has taken that away from me and it’s not his to take. I’m hoping that options will open up and my son will able to fighting there and take back the UFC. For now, I want to be able to control his opponents until the changes are made to the UFC where Royce [Gracie] and Randy [Couture] could have their kids fight and not have to worry about the politics.

Ben Zeidler: Yeah, if he went in now, theyd probably throw him to the sharks. First opponent: Sean Sherk.

Ken Shamrock: Dana White hasn’t always been that way. He really loved the sport and now he’s let some animal take over.

Ben Zeidler: I’ve read that a fight with Frank [Shamrock] could be in the works. Can you confirm that with us?

Ken Shamrock: Yes. I have already said that this is something that I want to happen. Frank made the challenge and I accepted it. Frank loves that hype and then finds a way to drop the fight. We have lots of difference and we don’t see eye to eye and that’s why we’re gonna fight.

Ben Zeidler: Brother vs. Brother. That should be a media circus.

Ken Shamrock: I’ve done lots of firsts in MMA. First with my son and then my brother.

Ben Zeidler: If you do fight Frank, what would your game plan be? Where do you have the edge?

Ken Shamrock: Mentally. I have beaten him down so many times mentally, he’s never gotten the best of me and he knows that. Frank won’t wait though – we’ll do this soon. He keeps doing this show with his countdown but the date keeps getting pushed back. I think it’s a countdown of me getting older.

Ben Zeidler: I think it’s a countdown until you’re on your deathbed.

Ken Shamrock: (Laughs) Yeah, that’s when he’ll want this fight.

Ben Zeidler: He’s getting older too, though.

Ken Shamrock: Yeah, but he’s still ten years younger!

Ben Zeidler: Okay, okay, anything to say to your fans that have been waiting for the old Ken to return?

Ken Shamrock: I appreciate all of the support through the ups and downs. The last few years have been so difficult and I know it’s been difficult for you guys. These next couple of years, hey Ben, I’m giving those years back.

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Ken Shamrock Interview

In this recent interview, Ken discusses the possibility of a fight with his brother, Frank, and Dana White's treatment of him. An Interview By Ben Zeidler

Ben Zeidler: Hey Ken.
Ken Shamrock: Hey, what’s up?

BZ: Can you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to watch your son fight? The Gracie's have been multi-generational for a while, but I think you’re the first of the true new MMA stars to have his son compete. What does he feel as a father, as a trainer, as a promoter when your son goes into the cage?
KS: You know, everyone was asking me if I was going to be nervous and I honestly didn’t know. But when it came for the fights of my nephew Jeff and son Ryan, I was calmer than when the fighters I train fight. I knew that they’d been to the fights before and knew what to expect, and I’ve been doing this for a while. I know what the worst thing that can happen is. I just felt comfortable out there…I don’t know, maybe when they get on a bigger stage, it will feel different.

BZ: Frank has openly stated he's willing to fight you. Is the feeling mutual for you?
KS: Do you want the complete and honest truth?

BZ: Yeah, let’s hear it.
KS: Frank is the kind of guy who will only fight someone if he thinks he can beat them. He won’t fight me unless he talks enough crap that he gets pushed into it by the fans. He might even price himself out of the fight just to get out it. He’s done that before. He walks around saying he’s the Lion’s Den guy and this and that. He was probably my third best guy when I was training them all, behind Bohlander and Mezger. Also, Frank has problems against people who can take him down and he knows I would take him down. Look at his fight against Renzo! I can knock him down and punch him out. He’s my brother and all, but don’t think for a second that I wouldn’t fight him.

BZ: You’ve had a long and storied career. What’s the biggest win?
KS: The third time me and Royce fought. They called it a draw but he had to be carried out at the end. Everyone knew who won.

BZ: Yeah, usually if you get carried out, it means you lost.
KS: Royce knew he was in trouble with me and that’s why the Gracies put in the time limit. They knew what was up. Royce would’ve been a part of the mat if they didn’t do that. But I do have great respect for Royce, and if it wasn’t for me and him, the sport wouldn’t be here.

BZ: What’s your take on this Randy Couture situation? Couture says Dana White lied to him when he said he's the 2nd highest paid athlete in the organization-
KS: (interrupting) Dana White did that to me!

BZ: So is Couture right to suggest that the UFC is lying? Does this sort of thing happen all the time?
KS: It’s a real shame what happened to Randy and he wouldn’t lie about what the UFC did to him. There are a lot of good fighters and good people out there, but Couture is special. He’s the guy you want your kids to watch fighting. There’s toughness, a will to win, and a certain professionalism that he brings. He just does things right. I know him as a person inside the organization. I don’t know his outside personal life, but he wouldn’t lie. For an organization to do that to a guy like Randy tells us a lot about their character.

BZ: Can you explain how the UFC screwed you?
KS: I’ve been getting this sport on top of the world since it began. Most of the highest gated events had my name on them. And before it was me and Tito, it was me and Royce, and before that, me and Severn, and before that, me and Kimo. This is a billion dollar industry and for me to get it where it’s at then cut me? This is like in the NFL where all the players who made the game so popular get screwed out of benefits because they just don’t want to pay for their investment in the sport. All those guys were out there on the picket lines saying that the sport was inhumane and we stuck with it the whole time. We fought through that. And then people like the Ferttitas and Dana are making all this money off of us. We had people call us animals and stand up against us. We went through all that and stayed because we love the sport and now they step on us and say we don’t belong?

BZ: Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with the IFL?
KS: When I heard about the IFL, I loved it right away. I love the idea of team fighting. In the earlier days, it was way more team oriented and people would jump in thr ring after a win and go crazy and cheer. You always had that team following you. MMA has gotten away from that and the IFL brings it back. Now, the teams are always together, working for a goal. Everyone is getting benefits for winning and at the end of the day the best team gets rewarded with a ring. Even better if your team isn’t good, your best guy can go to the Grand Prix and win a belt. There’s really an option for everyone. The only problem we’ve run into is that teams don’t stay together due to injuries and other factors. I’d say that the concept is good, but the sport needs more consistency and rules.

BZ: Who are some of the best guys on your squad?
KS: John Gunderson has a really good shot at that Lightweight belt. Pat Healy in Welterweight is very promising. And Roy Nelson, our Heavyweight, has a great shot at that belt as well.

BZ: Maybe Randy will follow you and get his own IFL team now that he's gone from UFC. All the former UFC guys seem to be doing that these days.
KS: Randy has a lot to give back and he chooses that path, I’m sure that he would not have a lack of guys who wanted to be on his team.

BZ: Are there any sponsors that you’d like thank?
KS: You can go to the site Kenshamrock.com and see it all there.

BZ: Do you have anything to say to your fans?
KS: I’m training and I have some things fixed and I’m back fighting. There are some fights out there for me and I’m looking forward to getting 2 or 3 more before retiring. The UFC breached my contract with one fight remaining, but that won’t stop me. I’ll be fighting next year so look for it.

(Originally conducted for MMAMadness.com)

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UPDATE: Shamrock v. Bisping

Last Monday rumors of Ken Shamrock facing Michael Bisping were floating around the Internet, claiming Shamrock to be Matt Hamill's replacement for UFC 75.

Despite the rumors about Shamrock and Bisping, former opponent Matt Hamill is still set to face Michael Bisping on September 8th's UFC 75 event.

Matt Hamill (3-0) was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 3 television series and currently trains under Tito Ortiz. Hamill's most recent win was at UFC 68: The Uprising, where he pulled the victory against Rex Holman via TKO (due to strikes), just four minutes into the first round.

Looks like Ken Shamrock is going to have to join the audience and sit this one out.

Last Monday's article can be found here.

The Lianger

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UFC 75: Bisping vs. Shammy?

The rumors claim yet another addition to UFC 75's card. According to The Fight Network, The Ultimate Fighter 3 light heavyweight winner Michael Bisping (13-0) will go toe-to-toe with UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock (26-12-2), in place of Matt Hamill, at UFC 75 in London, England on Sept. 8.

Shamrock suffered a loss to Franklin, Sakuraba, and Ortiz twice, all by way of TKO in his most recent MMA matches. With Shamrock's string of bad luck upon his return, who knows what Bisping, who is undefeated in the Octagon, has in store for good ol' Shammy. Bisping's three wins in the Octagon have all been way of TKO.

This would be the 43-year-old Shamrock's chance to pull a "Randy Couture" and come out with a victory.

Stay classy,
The Lianger

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The Next Big Thing

Brock Lesnar is no longer The Next Big Thing. That title has been emphatically usurped by MMA and the UFC in general. Over the past two years (relatively no time at all in the world of sports entertainment), the UFC has risen from limited notoriety to international recognition. Boxing and professional wrestling, the older bullies of sanctioned fighting, are now getting tapped out by a younger, faster, and more fun sport.

In 2005, the UFC debuted "The Ultimate Fighter," choosing a perfect timeslot after WWE RAW. The popularity steadily grew following this weekly syndicated show, spawning three more seasons before the current fifth.

With this increased popularity, UFC's pay-per-view buy numbers exploded. UFC 52, the first event after the completion of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, drew a pay-per-view audience of 280,000, nearly double their previous benchmark of 150,000 set at UFC 40. Following the second season of The Ultimate Fighter, the UFC's much-hyped rubber match between Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell drew an estimated 410,000 pay-per-view buys at UFC 57.

For the rest of 2006, pay-per-view buy rates continued to skyrocket with 620,000 buys for UFC 60, 775,000 buys for UFC 61 which featured the second fight between Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz. UFC 66, featuring Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell in their second match, garnered 1,050,000 buy rates, the current PPV buy rate record for the UFC and MMA in general.

If you aren't impressed with a rise like that over the short course of 2 years, consider this: The UFC broke the pay-per-view industry's all-time records for a single year of business, generating over $222,766,000 in revenue during 2006, surpassing the WWE and boxing. The UFC grossed more revenue in 2006 on PPV than any promotion in history, and yet, the sport has still been cast to the end of the line in terms of media coverage and inclusion as a legitimate sport. It is now impossible to deny, if you didn't already believe it, that the UFC is THE next big thing.

If those numbers don't command your respect, then I believe there's a man named Chuck Liddell who would like to speak with you personally.

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