Issue 010
December 2005
Outside of Japan, Frank Shamrock was once a relative unknown. In the early 90s, he walked out fighters to the Octagon in the UFC, yet stayed in the shadow of his older, adopted brother Ken.
He had survived a troubled upbringing in various youth homes. Through Bob and Ken Shamrock, he found the world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and forged a successful career in the Far East. He fought in Pancrase, gaining valuable experience in almost 20 bouts. He faced off against such notables as Bas Rutten (three times), Masakatsu Funaki (twice), Minoru Suzuki (twice), and Yuki Kondo.
In his first fight under full MMA rules he lost a war in SuperBrawl against John Lober, but he turned his fortunes around in a classic fight with Shooto Champion Enson Inoue. It was this last performance that earned him his shot at the first UFC Middleweight Title (199 lbs. at the time). His sixteen-second armbar submission on Olympic Gold medalist wrestler Kevin Jackson made the entire world take notice of this athletic and intelligent fighter. His follow-up twenty-two second KO slam of Igor Zinoviev made him look like some kind of superhuman athlete. A last-minute fight against UFC newcomer Jeremy Horn challenged him, but he pulled off a knee bar submission after over fifteen minutes of fighting. He then pounded John Lober into submitting to revenge his earlier loss in his first closed-fist MMA match.
He then returned to the UFC for what many thought to be his biggest challenge to date, meeting the rising star Tito Ortiz. Heavily outweighed, Frank Shamrock used superior conditioning and strategy to outwork his bigger foe, forcing Ortiz to tap out at the end of the fourth round! Frank Juarez Shamrock announced his retirement from the UFC after the fight. They say the star that burns the brightest burns out the quickest, and Frank Shamrock was at the top of the MMA world. Many fitness and conditioning magazine covers have profiled him and his legendary physique, but MMA fans have been left waiting for the oft-rumored return to fighting. Fighters Only caught up with Frank Shamrock to find out what he has been up to and what his plans are.
What have you been up to lately?
On August 12th I got married to my lovely wife Amy. We have been together five years and I want to start a family and move to the next phase of my life.
Tell us about what is going on with you and gyms?
Things haven’t worked out as I would have liked, so I am looking to start my own successful prototype gym. We have a business plan and are looking to franchise. It will be MMA for men, women, kids, and pro-athletes. We are about to sign a lease.
What fighters have you been working with lately?
Brian Ebersole, Kelly Dullanty, Josh Odum, Dominique Robinson, Andrew Montanex, Clint Cronel, and Sean Basset.
Which promotion are you supposed to fight Cesar Gracie on, and are you still hoping that will eventually happen?
It is definitely still happening but the commission is killing us with delays and bull. The promoters are Silicon Valley Sports Entertainment, they own the HP Pavilion.
While MMA is now legal to take place in California, isn’t it up to the first show to pay for the commission, judges, and referees to be set up?
They are concerned about liability and don’t understand it. We will try to see if it can happen in the next three months. If not maybe we will go out of state. I am tired of training; it has been six months straight!
How did this feud with Cesar Gracie start and why is it still going on?
Someone showed me that Cesar was challenging me so I pursued it, shopped the fight around, and they think we can fill 15,000 seats at the HP Pavilion.
How are you feeling lately and how much have you been training the last couple of years?
I train and teach every day. I have been training heavy the last six months both on the ground and standing. I feel 100%; I could go with two weeks' notice!
Does watching something like the Pride Bushido Middleweight Tournament with people closer to your weight make you wish you were there?
Yes, I wish I was in every fight. It boils my blood to see the best in the world competing. I never fought at my natural weight, which is 182 lbs. I always have to carry an extra 10 pounds on me.
What do you think of Bustamante and Henderson, or even Rich Franklin?
Busta is always a real threat, he would be a good rival, Henderson I beat in 56 seconds in The Contenders (an early grappling-only PPV event) but he is awesome and competes out of his weight class like me. Franklin I don’t know as well but I would love to fight him.
What are your objections to the way Zuffa/UFC has done things? Are there personal feelings involved as well?
I don’t agree with their business integrity. We bump heads. They have done a lot of things, both good and bad. Overall they have done well, but I choose whom I do business with. I can sleep at night and wonder if they can!
Looking back now, do you feel that some of the struggles you had growing up between youth homes, trouble, Bob Shamrock, and living in Ken’s shadow helped you become who you are and such a successful UFC Champion?
Absolutely, I was blessed with a troubled life and blessed to run into Bob, the family, and the team. I was both blessed and cursed to be Ken’s little brother. All in all, I know about being poor, alone, and struggling and that helps you become a champion!
Was there any instances of street fighting back in the day? I’ve heard stories of a fight outside a hamburger stand and also at a hardware store?
There have been a few street fights. I don’t enjoy it. It’s happened and I am not proud of it. I’ve used my art to protect myself, friends, and family. I don’t agree with street violence. I choose the path of least resistance. Fighting a guy with a knife is stupid, you get cut!
Would you be willing to share if you and Ken ever had a knock down drag out street fight? You were adopted brothers and these things do happen.
No, never. We just had some very rough training back in the day. People used to go to the hospital. It was old-school mentality. Back then, every day of training was a fight, that’s how we trained!
Do you ever talk to Ken or Bob anymore?
No, it’s not a communicative relationship. We just do our thing. Ken and I were never close. I did have my blood brother Perry who wrestled, whipped on me, and we were close. Ken and I weren’t. Ken is a guarded person and I am open. We didn’t connect.
What about your biological family?
I have rebuilt a relationship and it has gone well the past five or six years. It has been very healing.
Do you keep contact with Maurice Smith and TK?
I always have good contact with Maurice. I also stay in touch with Guy Mezger and Tra Telligman sometimes.
If you only ever fought MMA once again, who would you want your opponent to be?
A Gracie or Sakuraba.
What do you want to be remembered as or your legacy to be?
As a good martial artist that made a difference.
What brings you the most joy in your life?
My friends and family.
