FRANK SHAMROCK: THE MMA PIONEER SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE STATE OF THE SPORT

Posted on | April 22, 2007 | No Comments

By: Rich Bergeron

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Frank Shamrock laments that he’s “old and tired,” but he’s still keyed up to put a hurt on Phil Baroni in June in the next EliteXC card that will be televised on Showtime in June. “I’m getting ready to beat up Phil,” he said in a recent interview. “I’m just training right here at my martial arts school, and I’m having a good time.”

Looking back to his last appearance on Showtime in the cable debut of Mixed Martial Arts, he’s not optimistic about a rematch with Renzo Gracie to clear up all the controversy behind the disqualification loss he suffered. “Oh of course, but I don’t think he’ll rematch me, but I would love to do it,” he said about fighting Gracie again. “If I got knocked out during a fight, I most certainly wouldn’t be rematching the guy.”

Shamrock has enjoyed being part of the burgeoning ProElite league. “I got four more fights with them, and I’m gonna fight with them in September,” he said. “I’ve just been telling my coaches I want to fight every four months.”

As one of the early pioneers of mixed martial arts, Shamrock is excited about the recent growth the sport is experiencing. “I think it’s fantastic. I always thought what we’re doing is the most challenging and inspirational sport in the world,” he said. “It’s nice to see the community and the masses support it.”

Looking ahead, he is most intrigued about molding the next great champions from the raw talent that he trains every day. “My biggest goal is to teach mixed martial arts to as many people as possible and expose them to the positive lifestyle that it brings,” he said. “I teach classes every day, and I train all the instructors. I teach about two to three classes a week. I work with the kids class, the womens class, and the mens class.”

The sport has transformed Shamrock over the years, and he’s come a long way since he first took it up. “Mixed martial arts really changed my life and made me who I am: a professional martial artist and a happy and successful person,” he said. “My goal in teaching is to give as many people as I can the same opportunity.”

Even in the face of PRIDE Fighting Championships merging with the UFC’s parent company, Shamrock is hopeful some of the smaller leagues can join together and mount a challenge against the big dogs of the sport. “I mean it’s gonna be tough, they got a monopoly on the market, and they got more money than God, but good business is good business,” he said. “And the product is very popular, so anybody doing good business and providing a good product can be successful.”

Looking back at his own experiences in the UFC, Shamrock noticed that the company succeeded more out of luck than it did out of any miraculous transformation inspired by Dana White. White, looked upon much of the MMA scene as “the man” and something of a cult hero, has had a rough relationship with Frank Shamrock over the years. The two have such animosity for each other that White has actually offered to double Phil Baroni’s purse and pay all his training expenses if he beats Shamrock on June 22. Baroni has also expressed an interest to enter the UFC. Check out this video for more: PHIL BARONI INTERVIEW

Shamrock even offered to come back to the UFC once in October of 2006 if Dana White would take on his partner and promoter Scott Coker (FRANK SHAMROCK VIDEO) in a match-up not unlike the one proposed between White and Tito Ortiz. In an interview posted on www.Ironlife.com (IRONLIFE.COM INTERVIEW WITH FRANK SHAMROCK) Shamrock went into detail about what he really thinks of White. “Well, basically Dana White tries to belittle people. I do know that Dana has lost $20 million dollars of Lorenzo’s (owner of the UFC) money and that he is frustrated,” Shamrock said in that interview. “I know what goes on with him and his business deals but he doesn’t know what goes on with me. That makes him angry.” He later called White an “uneducated businessman” in the same piece.

Shamrock retired from the UFC in 1999 having defended his title five times at Middleweight. He spent some time in retirement before re-emerging in the sport, but he never retired his ill feelings for White.

Shamrock elaborated on what he meant in the Ironlife.com piece by explaining how White lost so much money. “I’m assuming when they bought it in the early days of the UFC, he just had a lack of understanding of the brand and the product right out of the gate,” he said about White. “Everything was ill-planned and unfocused in the spending. I really think they were successful by accident, and it was never really anything they had a solid plan for.”

Both Shamrock brothers have departed the UFC, with Ken coaching an IFL team now after a few tough defeats he suffered against Tito Ortiz. “I’m sure it was just him getting beaten up, and he didn’t have such a good run at the end,” said Frank Shamrock about Ken’s departure.

The new league has had a positive impact on the older Shamrock so far. “He loves it, he absolutely loves it. I’ve really been taken by surprise with the professionalism of the IFL, and the team aspect is a very unique one,” said Frank Shamrock. “He’s a coach there, and he absolutely loves it.”

Frank is sure his brother’s fighting days are not over, and he’d even consider getting a sibling rivalry fight off the ground between the two. “Ken will always get in there, he’s a fighter,” said Shamrock. “We haven’t talked about it personally, but we do have a general feeling and understanding that we would fight if it makes good money for the families, and who cares if we take a few lumps doing it.”

Shamrock is happy to see the IFL and other small leagues gaining attention and popularity. “The IFL is a very professionally run and well-orchestrated business,” he said. “The UFC is questionable.” As far as the way these smaller outfits are starting to make bigger moves, Shamrock is all for a level playing field where one powerhouse can’t take charge of the whole sport. “I love it. I think it’s important. For every Pepsi there’s a Coke,” he said. “That’s essential, because the worst thing that could ever happen is the UFC could have a monopoly and completely standardize the whole market. Every time there’s a monopoly, somebody suffers. I’m just so excited to see the sport growing, and it will continue if there’s enough money for everybody, and if there’s enough TV for everybody.”

He is really amazed by how the Internet has improved the sport. “That’s what saved and kept this sport alive when no one else could do or see it,” he said. “Many people forget that. At one point it was only on cable, and at one point it was only on satellite TV, and at that time satellite TV was only in a small amount of homes. Fans on the Internet kept the entire sport alive.”

Shamrock feels a certain duty to the next generation. “Fighting is a very small part of being a professional martial artist,” he said. “If you’re a good person, you’re willing to give back to your community, and I’m committed to that and to learning to be a complete martial artist. That’s what makes you a star.”

He only hopes to be able to bring a little more respect to the game that he sees others out there soiling. “When this sport got money, a lot of the wrong people were in position to take advantage of it,” he said, “ And that’s been unfortunate.”

Asked if he had anything else to say, Frank gave a shout out to his supporters. “I just wanted to thank my fans for supporting me. Don’t believe everything you read. The truth is far down the line, especially in this business.”

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