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Interview with Ken Shamrock
It's been years since we last saw Ken Shamrock in the UFC. On Friday he makes his much anticipated return to the Octagon. Ryan Bennett sat down with Ken and talked about everything, from his fight against Tito Ortiz to his future. It's this week's edition of our interview of the Week.
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Ryan Bennett: First off Ken, it's a pleasure to talk with you. I think anyone that has watched you from the original UFC to now is excited you are making a return back to the UFC. Tell me why at this stage in your career you are coming back?
Ken Shamrock: It's simple. I want to beat Tito Ortiz. I want to the be the best. That has never changed in my career. I've always wanted to be the best. Whether it was fighting in Japan, or professional wrestling, the UFC, whatever. I always want to be the best and on Friday I will prove it again.
Ryan: You mention fighting in Japan... most recently you fought against Don Frye in Japan. I know you are never happy after a loss, but did this fight show you that you can compete at this level again?
Ken: Most definitely. I always want to win a fight and in that fight I did some things that I should have done better, and I felt I should have won that fight, but it did show to me and the world that I can compete at the highest level. You learn different things in every fight your in. My conditioning for this fight won't be a problem and I will be ready on Friday.
Ryan: Take me through your conditioning for this fight. Anything change fighting at 205?
Ken: Not really. I worked a lot on my strength training weeks ago and now I've spent most of my time the past few weeks focusing on cardio, getting myself ready to go. If I have to go to the later rounds I will be ready. If I can finish him early I will take that as well. I will be ready for this fight, no doubt about it.
Ryan: I think some people are a bit surprised that you would take this fight at 38 years of age instead of, say 35. Why now?
Ken: Things have just worked out at this time of my life, that's all. I have plenty left in my tank at this stage of my career. This fight is coming at the right time of my career. This fight is personal. Tito has been talking trash all these years, disrespecting every opponent he has been in with. It's time to end Tito's reign as champion. He can talk all he wants, but now is the time to put up or shut up. I've made a lot of people famous over the years in wrestling and fighting, and this time I will go in there and I will walk out the UFC Champion. I will win that belt in a few days and nothing will make me happier than doing it against Tito Ortiz.
Ryan: If you beat Tito on Friday, what's your future?
Ken: I signed a three fight deal with the UFC, but you know, I really don't even think about that to be honest. Right now my focus is on Tito Ortiz on Friday. I can't look past that day, I have been training and working hard for this fight so all of my focus is on this fight.
Ryan: Is this a fight you want to stand with Tito?
Ken: It really doesn't matter if we stand up or go to the ground. I feel like my standup game is better, I feel I can do anything on the ground with leg locks, knee bars, submissions, so to me it doesn't matter where we go with this. I'm just looking forward to this fight. I will be ready.
(at this time Ken is with P.R. Director Jack Taylor of the UFC and they are going into a television interview so I have wrap up the interview)
Ryan: I know you are going into a television interview right now, so tell me this. What can fans expect from Ken Shamrock at UFC 40.
Ken: I will win Friday. There will be a new UFC champion and I will walk out with the belt. Tito has never fought a fighter that is bigger than him, that has the ground skills that I have, that has the overall skills and tools that I possess. He hasn't been in with anyone my caliber, so the fans will get there money's worth, get the pay per view of UFC 40 and you will see a new champion in a few days. That's what the fans can expect from me.
Ryan: Ken thank you so much and I look forward to talking to you this weekend.
Ken: Thank you.
It's been years since we last saw Ken Shamrock in the UFC. On Friday he makes his much anticipated return to the Octagon. Ryan Bennett sat down with Ken and talked about everything, from his fight against Tito Ortiz to his future. It's this week's edition of our interview of the Week.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan Bennett: First off Ken, it's a pleasure to talk with you. I think anyone that has watched you from the original UFC to now is excited you are making a return back to the UFC. Tell me why at this stage in your career you are coming back?
Ken Shamrock: It's simple. I want to beat Tito Ortiz. I want to the be the best. That has never changed in my career. I've always wanted to be the best. Whether it was fighting in Japan, or professional wrestling, the UFC, whatever. I always want to be the best and on Friday I will prove it again.
Ryan: You mention fighting in Japan... most recently you fought against Don Frye in Japan. I know you are never happy after a loss, but did this fight show you that you can compete at this level again?
Ken: Most definitely. I always want to win a fight and in that fight I did some things that I should have done better, and I felt I should have won that fight, but it did show to me and the world that I can compete at the highest level. You learn different things in every fight your in. My conditioning for this fight won't be a problem and I will be ready on Friday.
Ryan: Take me through your conditioning for this fight. Anything change fighting at 205?
Ken: Not really. I worked a lot on my strength training weeks ago and now I've spent most of my time the past few weeks focusing on cardio, getting myself ready to go. If I have to go to the later rounds I will be ready. If I can finish him early I will take that as well. I will be ready for this fight, no doubt about it.
Ryan: I think some people are a bit surprised that you would take this fight at 38 years of age instead of, say 35. Why now?
Ken: Things have just worked out at this time of my life, that's all. I have plenty left in my tank at this stage of my career. This fight is coming at the right time of my career. This fight is personal. Tito has been talking trash all these years, disrespecting every opponent he has been in with. It's time to end Tito's reign as champion. He can talk all he wants, but now is the time to put up or shut up. I've made a lot of people famous over the years in wrestling and fighting, and this time I will go in there and I will walk out the UFC Champion. I will win that belt in a few days and nothing will make me happier than doing it against Tito Ortiz.
Ryan: If you beat Tito on Friday, what's your future?
Ken: I signed a three fight deal with the UFC, but you know, I really don't even think about that to be honest. Right now my focus is on Tito Ortiz on Friday. I can't look past that day, I have been training and working hard for this fight so all of my focus is on this fight.
Ryan: Is this a fight you want to stand with Tito?
Ken: It really doesn't matter if we stand up or go to the ground. I feel like my standup game is better, I feel I can do anything on the ground with leg locks, knee bars, submissions, so to me it doesn't matter where we go with this. I'm just looking forward to this fight. I will be ready.
(at this time Ken is with P.R. Director Jack Taylor of the UFC and they are going into a television interview so I have wrap up the interview)
Ryan: I know you are going into a television interview right now, so tell me this. What can fans expect from Ken Shamrock at UFC 40.
Ken: I will win Friday. There will be a new UFC champion and I will walk out with the belt. Tito has never fought a fighter that is bigger than him, that has the ground skills that I have, that has the overall skills and tools that I possess. He hasn't been in with anyone my caliber, so the fans will get there money's worth, get the pay per view of UFC 40 and you will see a new champion in a few days. That's what the fans can expect from me.
Ryan: Ken thank you so much and I look forward to talking to you this weekend.
Ken: Thank you.
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