Curly Howard
03-24-2003, 11:10 PM
From MMA Weekly (http://www.mmaweekly.com/)
Ryan Bennett: So we are just a couple of days before your return fight. Are you more nervous for this fight than most because it's been so long since you stepped in the cage?
Frank Shamrock: No, I would say that I have the usual amount of anxiety for this fight. My training has been going really well. I don't really get all that nervous until the day of the fight.
Ryan: Why comeback at this stage of your career? Is there anything left for you to prove?
Frank: There is nothing left to prove for me. I am doing this for the sport, to help us in our current state, which is crap right now.
Ryan: Can you explain why you say the current state is crap, and who is to blame?
Frank: The current state of our sport is crap because of the way it is being handled by the UFC. They have no idea how to promote this sport and its athletes and now have turned it back into a freak show with bringing Tank back. They should spend some of those millions on the education of the fans instead of on making it a special again.
Ryan: What would you do to improve it?
Frank: I would take the time to include the community in our sport. I would have these athletes promoted as real people, doing real things charitable things etc. The UFC presents them as these super human fighting machines and then when they lose they throw them away. That's not how you build stars for the future.
Ryan: There was a few opponents and names thrown out there. What do you know about Bryan Pardoe? How you seen tape of him?
Frank: I don't know much about him at all. I know that he is huge and angry looking!! I have not seen him fight or seen any tape, which I usually always do. I know that he is aggressive and good at wrestling and submissions.
Ryan: Does it put extra pressure on you to be impressive in winning this fight since you are such a huge favorite and you are known as a legend in this sport?
Frank: Yes, absolutely. Any pressure that is on me is placed there by myself .But what happens happens, My goal is always the same and that is to win as fast as I can and be as entertaining as I can. I love to fight and I love to entertain.
Ryan: You are going up in weight. How is the fighter at 200 pounds different than Frank Shamrock at 185? Is there a difference? Does your style change fighting bigger guys at this weight?
Frank: I hit allot harder at 200 then I do at 185. I am still just as fast on the ground and on the stand up. In fast as the 150 lbs guys in our gym. My style does change with the bigger guys in that I don't stand in front and bang as much, I step off and strike more instead of just standing there and slugging it out. Other than that its the same the techniques and the attacks are the same.
Ryan: Do you feel stronger at 200 pounds?
Frank: I have always fought at about 192 lbs and everyone has been stronger and bigger than me. Now I that I am a little bigger, I feel very strong physically and mentally. My sparring partners are 220 so I feel that I can stand and roll with anyone at 200.
Ryan: What are you goals for this year? How many times do you want to fight and where do you want to fight?
Frank: My goals are to elevate this sport once again, and make a statement about MMA and fighting. That statement is that " its OK to kick someone's ass as long as you have class about it". I want to fight about 2 more times this year. I don't care who I fight for, except for the UFC, I will not be fighting there. I have the opportunity to fight anywhere that I want and with any one that I want. The WEC, ICC, IFC, K-1, Pride...I would like to go to England and fight. I might also do some pro boxing.
Ryan: Tell the fans who aren't familiar with American Kickboxing Academy/A.K.A the guys that are in your gym?
Frank: AKA has some of the best athletes in the sport and will be the premier gym in the future. We have guys like Josh Thomson, Rich Crunkilton, Eugene Jackson, Tim Laycik, Paul Buentello, Dave Velázquez, Christian Wellisch, Mike Swick, Mike Reily, Pat Minihan, Bobby Southworth, Jeff Ford, Alex Khababian, Kelly Dullanty, Lee Shone and many more that will pissed at me because I didn't mention them. All of our athletes are trained at AKA by Javier Mendez and managed by Crazy Bob Cook. You can see them all at our new web site at www.mmastars.com
Ryan: How frustrated is Josh Tompson right now, since he was supposed to fight Genki Sudo at UFC 42?
Frank: Josh has had some tough breaks especially for a young fighter and I know that he was bummed. This sport is so hard on the body and anything can happen. Josh has had his share of disappointments but he will bounce back and will be the best at 155 in the world.
Ryan: What do you expect Thursday night in your fight?
Frank: I expect a good fight between Brian and I. I expect him go for and try to take me out with ground and pound. My plan is to stand him up and knock him out. The show is going to be awesome, the fights will be off the hook and the music will be rockin. Chuck Norris, Bill Goldberg and some of my friends are coming so we are going to have a great time.
Ryan: After this fight in WEC, what organization do you want to fight next for?
Frank: I don't really care. Who ever is into it and wants to help the sport out.
Ryan: I look forward to calling your fight Thursday and I will see you soon.
Frank: Thanks Ryan and thanks for all your support. I think that you are a hell of an announcer and will be a huge asset to this show. See you then!!
Ryan Bennett: So we are just a couple of days before your return fight. Are you more nervous for this fight than most because it's been so long since you stepped in the cage?
Frank Shamrock: No, I would say that I have the usual amount of anxiety for this fight. My training has been going really well. I don't really get all that nervous until the day of the fight.
Ryan: Why comeback at this stage of your career? Is there anything left for you to prove?
Frank: There is nothing left to prove for me. I am doing this for the sport, to help us in our current state, which is crap right now.
Ryan: Can you explain why you say the current state is crap, and who is to blame?
Frank: The current state of our sport is crap because of the way it is being handled by the UFC. They have no idea how to promote this sport and its athletes and now have turned it back into a freak show with bringing Tank back. They should spend some of those millions on the education of the fans instead of on making it a special again.
Ryan: What would you do to improve it?
Frank: I would take the time to include the community in our sport. I would have these athletes promoted as real people, doing real things charitable things etc. The UFC presents them as these super human fighting machines and then when they lose they throw them away. That's not how you build stars for the future.
Ryan: There was a few opponents and names thrown out there. What do you know about Bryan Pardoe? How you seen tape of him?
Frank: I don't know much about him at all. I know that he is huge and angry looking!! I have not seen him fight or seen any tape, which I usually always do. I know that he is aggressive and good at wrestling and submissions.
Ryan: Does it put extra pressure on you to be impressive in winning this fight since you are such a huge favorite and you are known as a legend in this sport?
Frank: Yes, absolutely. Any pressure that is on me is placed there by myself .But what happens happens, My goal is always the same and that is to win as fast as I can and be as entertaining as I can. I love to fight and I love to entertain.
Ryan: You are going up in weight. How is the fighter at 200 pounds different than Frank Shamrock at 185? Is there a difference? Does your style change fighting bigger guys at this weight?
Frank: I hit allot harder at 200 then I do at 185. I am still just as fast on the ground and on the stand up. In fast as the 150 lbs guys in our gym. My style does change with the bigger guys in that I don't stand in front and bang as much, I step off and strike more instead of just standing there and slugging it out. Other than that its the same the techniques and the attacks are the same.
Ryan: Do you feel stronger at 200 pounds?
Frank: I have always fought at about 192 lbs and everyone has been stronger and bigger than me. Now I that I am a little bigger, I feel very strong physically and mentally. My sparring partners are 220 so I feel that I can stand and roll with anyone at 200.
Ryan: What are you goals for this year? How many times do you want to fight and where do you want to fight?
Frank: My goals are to elevate this sport once again, and make a statement about MMA and fighting. That statement is that " its OK to kick someone's ass as long as you have class about it". I want to fight about 2 more times this year. I don't care who I fight for, except for the UFC, I will not be fighting there. I have the opportunity to fight anywhere that I want and with any one that I want. The WEC, ICC, IFC, K-1, Pride...I would like to go to England and fight. I might also do some pro boxing.
Ryan: Tell the fans who aren't familiar with American Kickboxing Academy/A.K.A the guys that are in your gym?
Frank: AKA has some of the best athletes in the sport and will be the premier gym in the future. We have guys like Josh Thomson, Rich Crunkilton, Eugene Jackson, Tim Laycik, Paul Buentello, Dave Velázquez, Christian Wellisch, Mike Swick, Mike Reily, Pat Minihan, Bobby Southworth, Jeff Ford, Alex Khababian, Kelly Dullanty, Lee Shone and many more that will pissed at me because I didn't mention them. All of our athletes are trained at AKA by Javier Mendez and managed by Crazy Bob Cook. You can see them all at our new web site at www.mmastars.com
Ryan: How frustrated is Josh Tompson right now, since he was supposed to fight Genki Sudo at UFC 42?
Frank: Josh has had some tough breaks especially for a young fighter and I know that he was bummed. This sport is so hard on the body and anything can happen. Josh has had his share of disappointments but he will bounce back and will be the best at 155 in the world.
Ryan: What do you expect Thursday night in your fight?
Frank: I expect a good fight between Brian and I. I expect him go for and try to take me out with ground and pound. My plan is to stand him up and knock him out. The show is going to be awesome, the fights will be off the hook and the music will be rockin. Chuck Norris, Bill Goldberg and some of my friends are coming so we are going to have a great time.
Ryan: After this fight in WEC, what organization do you want to fight next for?
Frank: I don't really care. Who ever is into it and wants to help the sport out.
Ryan: I look forward to calling your fight Thursday and I will see you soon.
Frank: Thanks Ryan and thanks for all your support. I think that you are a hell of an announcer and will be a huge asset to this show. See you then!!