Interview with Ken Shamrock, "The World's Most Dangerous Man"

MMA legend Ken Shamrock sits down with Curt Heinrichs of ProFighting-fans.com after his MMA seminar in Cleveland, Ohio

Pro Fighting Fans staff writer Curt Heinrichs sat down with MMA legend and UFC Hall-of-Famer Ken Shamrock on August 7, 2010 after the completion of the Ken Shamrock MMA Seminar in Cleveland at the Powerhouse Gym in Berea, Ohio. Curt's talks to Ken about the early days of the UFC, coaching on The Ultimate Fighter, The Lion's Den and more.

CH - You participated in UFC 1, when the UFC was seen as barbaric and was banned in many places. What are your thoughts on how the sport has grown?

KS - People didn’t know what to think. Before that event, people only saw things like that as entertainment, in places like the WWF. Teeth flew in the first fight of the night. That’s how you knew those guys were serious. Many of the fighters were untouched and uncoached. When I think of barbaric, that is mostly bashing heads with weapons. The sport was just really raw needed to be filtered and people had to be exposed to it in order to understand it. Mixed martial arts is on mainstream TV now. It has been accepted by masses. Lots of uneducated opinions in the early days of the sport led to false preachings about what MMA was. This sport has come a long way by people talking about it and seeing it and the perception has changed from barbaric to being accepted and very popular.

Ken Shamrock discusses submissions and submission defense at the Powerhouse Gym in Berea, OH on August 7, 2010.

CH - Along with being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, what has been your favorite moment in your career as a mixed martial artist?

KS - Being 1st UFC Superfight champion (against legend and fellow UFC-Hall of Famer Royce Gracie). That is something that will never change! Lots of other records may fall, but that is something that will never change, the first Superfight champion.

CH - When the UFC began it was seen as style versus style to determine the best fighting style and has since grown to truly encompass all martial arts. Where did you get your start in martial arts and what do you feel you can fall back on in a pinch?

KS - I started out as a wrestler. I began doing peewee wrestling and then high school wrestling. When I got older, I switched and began training lots of different styles: Kempo, karate, boxing, and kickboxing to name a few. My foundation comes from wrestling, and if I find myself in a pinch, I go to my takedowns. I feel most comfortable on the ground; I feel that I am at my best on the ground.

CH - As a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, what are your thoughts on the show as a form of exposure for up and coming fighters?

KS - The Ultimate Fighter is a concept out of my book from Japan. The UFC took my idea, put it on TV, and made it a show. If you are (a competitor on TUF) smart you show your skills and training, not how crazy and stupid you can be. With cameras in their faces, it can be so easy for guys to forget why they are there, in the house. The whole reason that they are selected is to improve themselves as fighters with best fighters in the world, to rub shoulders with some great coaches. The memorable guys on the show are all trying to get TV time. They really should be getting time with coaches who have been there, on the big stage. There are some guys that have done that, and done really well for themselves in the sport after the show.

Members of the GriffonRawl MMA Academy assited Ken Shamrock by helping instruct a few of the many young, aspiring MMA fighters in attendance.

CH - You have mentioned the American Grappling Association as a way to further advance the sport of grappling. Talk a bit more about what brought the idea to you and explain the sport for those who do not know what it is.

KS - American Grappling is a concept I came up with. So much Brazilian jiu-jitsu favors those who score first and then stall. If you get ahead, you should try to finish the fight. Bjj can be boring due to all of the stalling. This concept (American Grappling Association) rewards guys who try to finish the fight and advance position. American Grappling is for all styles; sambo, freestyle, Greco-Roman, judo, etc. If you get ahead you could lose the match in AGA if you stall by giving the other guy a chance to score more points and steal the match away. The whole idea is to take away stalling make grappling exciting. No matter the style that a grappler uses, he can take that style and compete against other styles and still win if he executes a good gameplan.

CH - In the early days of the UFC, The Lion’s Den produced some great fighters like Jerry Bohlander, Frank Shamrock, and yourself. Are there any up and coming fighters training with the Lion’s Den that should be on the radar of fight fans?

KS - There are a lot of young guys Devin Conkling has won 7 in a row. He has a King of the Cage title at 125. Sean Shamrock (Ken’s son) made his professional debut (at 160lbs), started with a submission attempt, and eventually won with head kick, which is not his strongest weapon. Lion’s Den is working on fundamentals with lots of young guys. Those two started fast and jump out but lots of others as well that are in the background, training just as hard.

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CH - Do you see yourself sticking around in the world of mixed martial arts following your career in the cage?

KS - I have already done announcing for lots of organizations; Pride, UFC, you name it. I have been told I should go into commentating. I currently operate gyms, one in South Africa, 3 in the US, trying for one in Australia and one in Ohio. I coach fighters and train fighters and put on events. I am hugely involved in MMA and that won’t change.

Ken Shamrock poses with Isaiah Chapman of Hard Rock MMA in Akron, OH as the two show off the new Shamrock shirts from Intimidation Clothing.

CH - Since you are still an active fighter and you train regularly, despite your age, what is your strategy for maintaining your drive and desire in the gym?

KS - Work ethic is not something you can work on. You can’t train to love what you do. You can’t make yourself love something. It has to be there. I love what I do. I want to get better and that pushes me every day. I would not be where I am if I didn’t have a passion, a fire inside of me to train and get my best results.

CH - You have fought a who’s who of fighters around the world. To date, who has been your toughest opponent in the cage?

KS - That is one I can’t answer. Everybody that I have fought has had different elements of toughness. Some guys were extremely technical and some had a strength advantage. I have fought main events for over 15 years and every one of those fights was tough for different reasons.

CH - Thank your for taking some time to sit down with me, Ken. Is there anyone you’d like to thank?

KS - I have to give appreciation to my wife and family. They have been with me through trying times and they have never left my side. I want to thank all of the fans. The fans have been supportive throughout the years, even when I was figuring out how to improve my skills in the cage. The fans have stood behind me through all of the tough times when working out the kinks in my game.

By Curt Heinrichs
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer