wow, actual well-spoken thoughts by Frank Shamrock..
Shamrock: EliteXC Made Mistake with Slice
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Friday, October 10, 2008
by Danny Acosta
14730
Frank Shamrock always has an opinion. Since returning to the mixed martial arts scene on a full-time basis, Shamrock’s appearances have included work inside the commentary booth for EliteXC shows carried on CBS.
A man who prides himself on his belief in the sport he helped pioneer, Shamrock offered more opinions on EliteXC “Heat,” which featured Seth Petruzelli’s stunning technical knockout victory over Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson last Saturday in Sunrise, Fla.
“I think it was a mistake to not let me fight [Kimbo Slice],” said Shamrock, who claims he offered to step in to face the notorious streetfighter.
Expectations were high for “Heat,” as Slice was set to take on MMA legend Ken Shamrock, Frank’s older adoptive brother. However, a laceration above Ken’s eye left the Florida State Boxing Commission with no choice but to force him to withdraw. Frank believes his presence in the cage would have proven invaluable.
“When I realized we would have to cancel the show, I said, ‘Look, I’ll fight the guy. You know, it’s a great story -- little brother steps into the spot, comes out of the booth. It’s very compelling, but we need a fight to happen that’s compelling,’” Frank said. “That went around for hours. Then I put my shirt on and went to work. No one committed to it, so I just kept talking.”
Frank, the former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion, lobbied the CBS staff. He even claims to have been cleared to fight Slice as a heavyweight by the commission, but the match never materialized for reasons unknown to him. The result was disastrous for EliteXC, if you ask Frank.
“Kimbo is great, great for ratings,” he said. “But Kimbo fighting a star, a superstar, somebody who’s going to elevate him or knock him down in a good way … that’s what we needed that night. We didn’t need a nobody to beat Kimbo.”
Petruzelli disposed of Slice in 14 seconds. Despite a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show, he lost both his fights in the UFC and entered his showdown with Slice after nearly a yearlong layoff.
Frank believes Petruzelli’s lack of commercial appeal made the fight “a 50 million dollar mistake” instead of the birth of a new star.
“Everybody knows that Kimbo [Slice] is not very good,” Frank said. “He hasn’t had time to mature. He’s a new guy.”
While the fight made the underdog Petruzelli the “happiest man in the world,” it revealed much more about Slice, who gained notoriety and a cult following through backyard brawls that made their rounds on YouTube.
If Slice had lost by submission or decision, his handlers could have blamed it on inexperience. Instead, Petruzelli dropped him with a jab, a fact that deflated Slice’s iron-chinned, knockout artist persona.
Esther Lin/Sherdog.com
"The worst thing that could happen
to Kimbo happened to Kimbo,"
said Shamrock.
“The worst thing that could happen to Kimbo happened to Kimbo,” Frank said. “If there was a provision on that scale that said worst area, he was there.”
Slice’s ability to draw fans remains an undeniable positive for EliteXC. However, Frank views the hulking Floridian’s fan base -- casual fans drawn more to the man than the sport -- as fickle and dangerous.
“They’re the first guys to jump ship,” he said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh I’ll told you,’ or ‘I was never with that guy.’ If he’s a real star, this will just be a bump in the road, and he’ll start driving.”
Shamrock: EliteXC Made Mistake with Slice
Options:
Email Article | Printer Friendly Friday, October 10, 2008
by Danny Acosta
14730
Frank Shamrock always has an opinion. Since returning to the mixed martial arts scene on a full-time basis, Shamrock’s appearances have included work inside the commentary booth for EliteXC shows carried on CBS.
A man who prides himself on his belief in the sport he helped pioneer, Shamrock offered more opinions on EliteXC “Heat,” which featured Seth Petruzelli’s stunning technical knockout victory over Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson last Saturday in Sunrise, Fla.
“I think it was a mistake to not let me fight [Kimbo Slice],” said Shamrock, who claims he offered to step in to face the notorious streetfighter.
Expectations were high for “Heat,” as Slice was set to take on MMA legend Ken Shamrock, Frank’s older adoptive brother. However, a laceration above Ken’s eye left the Florida State Boxing Commission with no choice but to force him to withdraw. Frank believes his presence in the cage would have proven invaluable.
“When I realized we would have to cancel the show, I said, ‘Look, I’ll fight the guy. You know, it’s a great story -- little brother steps into the spot, comes out of the booth. It’s very compelling, but we need a fight to happen that’s compelling,’” Frank said. “That went around for hours. Then I put my shirt on and went to work. No one committed to it, so I just kept talking.”
Frank, the former Strikeforce and UFC middleweight champion, lobbied the CBS staff. He even claims to have been cleared to fight Slice as a heavyweight by the commission, but the match never materialized for reasons unknown to him. The result was disastrous for EliteXC, if you ask Frank.
“Kimbo is great, great for ratings,” he said. “But Kimbo fighting a star, a superstar, somebody who’s going to elevate him or knock him down in a good way … that’s what we needed that night. We didn’t need a nobody to beat Kimbo.”
Petruzelli disposed of Slice in 14 seconds. Despite a stint on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show, he lost both his fights in the UFC and entered his showdown with Slice after nearly a yearlong layoff.
Frank believes Petruzelli’s lack of commercial appeal made the fight “a 50 million dollar mistake” instead of the birth of a new star.
“Everybody knows that Kimbo [Slice] is not very good,” Frank said. “He hasn’t had time to mature. He’s a new guy.”
While the fight made the underdog Petruzelli the “happiest man in the world,” it revealed much more about Slice, who gained notoriety and a cult following through backyard brawls that made their rounds on YouTube.
If Slice had lost by submission or decision, his handlers could have blamed it on inexperience. Instead, Petruzelli dropped him with a jab, a fact that deflated Slice’s iron-chinned, knockout artist persona.
Esther Lin/Sherdog.com
"The worst thing that could happen
to Kimbo happened to Kimbo,"
said Shamrock.
“The worst thing that could happen to Kimbo happened to Kimbo,” Frank said. “If there was a provision on that scale that said worst area, he was there.”
Slice’s ability to draw fans remains an undeniable positive for EliteXC. However, Frank views the hulking Floridian’s fan base -- casual fans drawn more to the man than the sport -- as fickle and dangerous.
“They’re the first guys to jump ship,” he said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh I’ll told you,’ or ‘I was never with that guy.’ If he’s a real star, this will just be a bump in the road, and he’ll start driving.”
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