It’s a family affair in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) for the Shamrocks.
Last week 43-year-old (soon to be 44) Ken Shamrock announced he was coming out of quasi-retirement to fight alongside his son, Ryan, for EliteXC. Ken’s younger adopted brother Frank is the reigning middleweight champ for Strikeforce — a promotion under the ProElite banner along with EliteXC.
The brothers have had somewhat of a behind the scenes feud going on for years. A fight between the two has been talked about for a while and now its finally going to happen. Frank confirmed a fight with his older brother will take place early next year, according to MMAWeekly.com.
Here’s a snip from Frank on the match up:
“Oh yea. Unless I die, it’s going to happen.”
It’s an odd time for Frank to be announcing his plans for a fight in 2009 when he’s putting his Strikeforce middleweight title on the line against a very dangerous Cung Le on March 29.
Apparently Frank felt it was important to announce the fight now so there would be plenty of build up to what he is calling, “the biggest fight in mixed martial arts history.”
Here’s more from Frank:
“This will be the first fight that has a solid 13 to 14 months of marketing behind it and real story lines, real stars. I think this is the fight that’s going to change the sport of mixed marital arts, make it more talent oriented instead of company oriented. This is the story that everyone can understand. Even if you don’t like fighting, you get the story. You get the storyline. You get the characters. You get the players. I think this is what breaks our sport open to the masses, for real.”
I have to agree, there is nothing like a fight to settle a sibling rivalry. I’m looking forward to this one. Even if these guys are getting up there in age, there’s still something appealing to me about two brothers trying to settle years of frustration with their fists.
While Frank is the 185-pound champ, Ken has fought most of his professional fights at heavyweight. It would no doubt be a little much for a 44 year old fighter to cut down to a weight he’s never fought at before.
Therefore, the two agreed to meet in the middle and will fight at light heavyweight.
Final snip:
“I do know the weight will be at 205. That’s what Ken wanted. The where doesn’t matter. The when will be the first quarter of 2009. The how will be right hand, left hook, right hand, and then that will be it.”
Ahhh yes … what better way to start the hype then with some good old fashioned shit talking. With at least a year until the fight expect to hear more of the same in the months ahead.
Stay tuned.
28 Comments »
Frank via TKO in round 1. Ken decided not to evolve as a fighter and become a true MMA guy.
2009? I guess they’re waiting for Ken to get one year older before they fight.
this is good and bad news.
good: we’ve all been wanting to see this fight
bad: it may be too late, ken is too old
Good fight
why do they call it blood brothers when they are really both adopted? I dont see how ken can win this fight unless he hits a one punch or kick knock out.
I think Tank has a better chance of beating Kimbo than Ken beating Frank…
Randy vs Fedor commercial
Last night on Inside MMA, they showed the filming of an ad for Affliction clothing. The commercial featured Randy and Fedor squaring off, nose to nose, similar to a pre-fight snipit.
I don’t know about you, but this commercial gave me chills!
Just seeing those two together squaring off like that was awesome. This fight is looking more and more like it is going to happen no matter what Zuffa tries to do to stop it.
Who cares about a couple of adopted-sibling-has-beens fighting? Frank is gonna win. They both are a couple douche bags anyway. Both of them have ego’s as big as George Lopez’s head. You would never see the Gracies do pull bulls*it like this. And whats with the date being set at a year away? So they can be a year older and even more past their prime when they fight? Does it need that much marketing? I think by time time the fight happens, everyones attitude toward the fight will be “Who gives a S*it!” Its not a payper view that I would order, just like that dumb as fight that Fedor had (yeah i know it was on HD Net, but I still didnt watch that crap-my sleep was more important). Its the crap like this thats gonna put MMA back below boxing. If Ken and Frank really want to help the sport, and not their ego’s, they should both retire. God forbid they actualy fight someone thats in their prime.
Frank is the unstoppable force
Kens stronger , Frank faster which is where Ken has had problems in the past…including against saku
Okay Ken didn’t even evolve at all during the 3 times he fought Tito, so are we really going to be surprised at how this one will end?
Frank’s going to conjure up repressed frustrations from childhood due to having Ken as an older brother and being adopted in order to whoop that old ass.
I just hope both shamrocks will beat the piss outta one another much like Chuck and Wanderlei. Forget MMA, if they hate each other as much as they do just let them go at it for 25 minutes in a cage. Hell, as Frank describes it he hates Ken more than anyone else in MMA, if he gets a choke on him he’ll probably pull a Babalu/Heath until Ken completely passes out.
I het both guys but I gotta give the nod to Frank.
Personally, I think this is a little strange. Frank’s assertion that it will be the biggest fight in MMA history is beyond idiotic. It’s really a freakshow matchup – and one that IMHO makes MMA look “bush league”.
[quote comment="273090"]I think Tank has a better chance of beating Kimbo than Ken beating Frank…[/quote]
ugh…… that makes no since at all, because Tank is gonna beat up kimbo i guarrentee… but ken will lose to his little bro.
why they have to do this, they’re brother.. desperate to earn alot of money
That’s a pretty long wait. Whoever wins this, will end it early. I dont think Frank will be able to overpower Ken or anything so the odds could be closer than most people think.
I really hope Ken doesn’t embarass himself. It’s a shame to see a hall of famer like Ken going downhill.
Geez Mania
My comments are always awaiting moderation when I never say anything offensive.
This fight shouldn’t happen ever, i’m a massive fight fan but i would never fight my brother just because he had a fallen out(my dad would beat anyway lol). I don’t see any good coming from this fight they might get a good pay check but whats the point in having a family if your just going to punch a hole in the guys head.
[quote comment="273104"]Who cares about a couple of adopted-sibling-has-beens fighting? Frank is gonna win. They both are a couple douche bags anyway. Both of them have ego’s as big as George Lopez’s head. You would never see the Gracies do pull bulls*it like this. And whats with the date being set at a year away? So they can be a year older and even more past their prime when they fight? Does it need that much marketing? I think by time time the fight happens, everyones attitude toward the fight will be “Who gives a S*it!” Its not a payper view that I would order, just like that dumb as fight that Fedor had (yeah i know it was on HD Net, but I still didnt watch that crap-my sleep was more important). Its the crap like this thats gonna put MMA back below boxing. If Ken and Frank really want to help the sport, and not their ego’s, they should both retire. God forbid they actualy fight someone thats in their prime.[/quote]
Well IMO I have to say that the Gracies have big egos to, especially their poster boy Royce.
i think the 2 will try to stand and bang, they both have such pride, maybe both will wait for the other to shoot, whos afraid of getting hit!
Ken and Frank both need to hang it up. It’s embarrassing. They’re pathetic, old, and nowhere near fight shape. Gotta realize when it’s time to call it quits. I could give a shit less about his fight. What does it do? Does it further anything? Will it even be a decent fight? HELL NO. IT WILL SUCK. Like anything with the name Shamrock.
[quote comment="274662"]Ken and Frank both need to hang it up. It’s embarrassing. They’re pathetic, old, and nowhere near fight shape. Gotta realize when it’s time to call it quits. I could give a shit less about his fight. What does it do? Does it further anything? Will it even be a decent fight? HELL NO. IT WILL SUCK. Like anything with the name Shamrock.[/quote]
ummm Frank is fighting Cung Le for the belt. Were you referring to just Ken?
This just proves what I already knew. The Shamrocks are pieces of shit. Yeah, lets make a public spectacle of our ridiculous innability to get along. Maybe Jerry Springer can host this fight. The Shamrocks are cocky assholes who are their own biggest fans. Frank really thinks this will be the biggest fight ever? Dude, wake up. This is a battle of two sub-par fighters with overblown egos. The only credit ken shamrock deserves is the number of opponents hands he has broken with his face, and Frank is a dillusional freak, thinking he is the best fuighter in the world.
[quote comment="293079"]This just proves what I already knew. The Shamrocks are pieces of shit. Yeah, lets make a public spectacle of our ridiculous innability to get along. Maybe Jerry Springer can host this fight. The Shamrocks are cocky assholes who are their own biggest fans. Frank really thinks this will be the biggest fight ever? Dude, wake up. This is a battle of two sub-par fighters with overblown egos. The only credit ken shamrock deserves is the number of opponents hands he has broken with his face, and Frank is a dillusional freak, thinking he is the best fuighter in the world.[/quote]
hahahahahahaha, well said.
what would make this fight better is to get Tito in Frank’s corner
[quote comment="322448"][quote comment="293079"]This just proves what I already knew. The Shamrocks are pieces of shit. Yeah, lets make a public spectacle of our ridiculous innability to get along. Maybe Jerry Springer can host this fight. The Shamrocks are cocky assholes who are their own biggest fans. Frank really thinks this will be the biggest fight ever? Dude, wake up. This is a battle of two sub-par fighters with overblown egos. The only credit ken shamrock deserves is the number of opponents hands he has broken with his face, and Frank is a dillusional freak, thinking he is the best fuighter in the world.[/quote]
hahahahahahaha, well said.
what would make this fight better is to get Tito in Frank’s corner[/quote]
LMAO U never know about anything no more so anything can happen, but Frank did say in an interview that if Elite XC signs Tito and if he wants the fight to happen he will fight him and this time he said he will knock him out, i would love to see that.I still think Tito has a way better chance of actually beating him than Ken does, Ken`s days are over but too bad he doesn`t realize it, look at his past four fights he has became “the world`s most clumsy man” he fights like shit and too slow for a man of his skill, thats another reason he gets his ass whooped. Frank is an egomaniac too but he is a bit more prepared physicaly and mentaly than Ken and more well rounded.
I was never more pleased in my life than to see Cung Le break Frank’s arm! After all the disrespect this scumbag has shown his opponents over the years it was nice to see him get what he had comming! The people who fallow MMA that believe in behaving like respectful proffesionals not ex-con thugs are sick of Frank and his arrogant B.S.!