| FRANK SHAMROCK TALKS KEN, TITO, & IFL
The IFL started their second season with a successful show in Portland, Oregon and debuted two new teams. This Saturday night in Moline, Illinois, the IFL will look to build on the success of their season debut with another great fight card. Headlined by a superfight between Renzo Gracie and Pat Miletich, the show will also mark the debut of two new coaches and teams – Carlos Newton’s Toronto Dragons and Frank Shamrock’s San Jose Razor Claws. Frank appeared on MMAWeekly’s SoundOff Radio to discuss the IFL, his personal career and other topics.
Frank Shamrock recently signed to be a coach in the IFL. The former UFC middleweight champion explained how the opportunity came about.
“They [IFL] asked me when they first got going. It’s a big honor to be considered,” said Shamrock. “I wanted to see if their product was going to develop and their [team] concept had stability. I waited a little bit and Maurice was kind enough to fill me in on what was going on. I took his advice and got myself a team.”
Brian Ebersole, one of Frank’s most experienced fighters on his Razor Claws team, was recently suspended indefinitely by the California State Athletic Commission. Ebersole and his opponent Shannon Ritch were suspended by CSAC head Armando Garcia for participating in a “worked” fight (the choreographing of a fight in order to attain a pre-determined outcome). With the suspension, Ebersole will not be participating in Saturday’s IFL event. Frank gave his thoughts regarding the situation.
“He [Garcia] made a snap decision. He believed that doing a cartwheel through the guard was a fake technique. His lack of education caused him to suspend Brian Ebersole indefinitely,” commented Frank. “Brian did nothing wrong. Every technique that he did, I coached him personally to do.”
“Personally, it’s a slap in the face to me… he has no idea what the hell he is doing and I’m putting all of my effort and energy to get him out of that position,” added Shamrock.
Frank last fought in March in the headlining fight of the inaugural Strikeforce show. After a near three year absence from competition, it took just 21 seconds for Shamrock to dispatch of Cesar Gracie.
“I’m so excited to fight,” elated Frank. “The boys here on the IFL team are really getting me charged up.”
Recently, a new MMA promotion called The World Fighter Championships made headlines with the signing of Frank Shamrock as their first marquee fighter. The former King of Pancrase gave a little insight about the new organization.
“They came to the table as a fighter-friendly organization looking to progress the sport to a new level. We came to a real good understanding,” said Frank. “We had a very fluid negotiation, they gave me what I wanted and I’m going to give them what they want. I think it will be a benchmark in our industry for what talent should be making.”
Shamrock confirmed that he has signed a three-fight contract with The World Fighter. When asked about potential opponents for his debut, Shamrock replied, “I don’t know if I can talk about that… I don’t think so. Here’s how I look at it; as long as they sell pay per view buys, as long as they put butts in the seats, I don’t care who I fight.”
“I’m a professional martial artist. My body is better than what it was when I stopped and my technique is ten times what it was when I fought Tito,” continued Frank. “I’m just ready to crush everybody once again, make a boat-load of money, buy my wife a nice house and have more babies.”
The World Fighter intends to hold a 16-man tournament in each of their respective weight classes. The winner of each tournament would earn an impressive $2,000,000 purse.
“I’m old, I don’t do tournaments. I fight people and I fight names… I don’t care for tournaments,” said Shamrock. “The truth is, I’m making what every athlete of my caliber should make in this sport… and it’s a heck of a lot more than two million.”
When he fought in the UFC, Frank reigned as middleweight champion and retired undefeated. Shamrock was not shy to comment about the organization where he garnered his fame. “The one place you will not see me fighting is the UFC,” added Shamrock.
There was recent speculation that Frank would face UFC and PRIDE veteran Phil Baroni. Shamrock commented on a potential fight with the “New York Badass”.
“I think it’s a ticket seller. He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he bangs hard and he sells tickets. I’d love to fight Baroni. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a night off for me and a warm-up for whomever.”
On October 10th, Frank’s older brother Ken Shamrock is scheduled to meet Tito Ortiz for the third and final time. The fight will be aired live on Spike TV.
“It’s great for Ken, it’s great for the sport, and it’s great for the Shamrock brand. Tito is going to mash him and that will be that,” said Frank. “I don’t keep contact with him; he doesn’t think a relationship with me is important. I’m just happy that the boy is on TV and reaching the mainstream in that way. I hate to see him get mashed again but it’ll be a great set up for when I whoop Tito’s ass.”
Despite the recent setback with the suspension of Brian Ebersole, Frank remains positive about his team’s debut. “We’re going to slice the guts out of Carlos Newton’s team," he said.
__________________
" ... Those who win every battle are not really skillful - those who render others' helpless without fighting are the best of all." - Sun Tzu
| 
FRANK SHAMROCK TALKS KEN, TITO, & IFL
Linear Mode
