If you ask Ken Shamrock if he’s fighting for money, he’ll say “Of course I am.” He’s a professional. It’s what he’s done his whole life. But after five years away from MMA, he feels that he’s earned the right to fight for fun.
The 51-year-old UFC Hall of Famer is scheduled to make his return to fighting on June 20against Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson in Bellator, in a fight that will air live on Spike TV.
Shamrock is the latest in a series of MMA legends to make appearances for Bellator since Scott Coker took the reigns of the Viacom-owned fight promotion last year.
But while legends of the sport like his UFC 1 foe Royce Gracie enjoy the fights from the outside, Shamrock has been waiting for his opportunity to get back inside the cage. He told B/R MMA that the Kimbo fight was one that he has wanted for quite some time, saying:
I’ve always had one foot in, and one foot out. I’ve always wanted the opportunity to fight certain people. I’ve always had one foot in, waiting for these type of opportunities to come my way. This one did, and we definitely jumped on it.
He isn’t coming back to fight top-ranked fighters. He understands that his time competing at the very top of the sport is in the past, and not being the type for hunting and fishing in his retirement, Shamrock is still looking to challenge himself and enjoy the sport that he pioneered in the early 90s.
He feels that he can have fun and also serve a purpose in his relationship with Bellator MMA. He thinks that, much like his 2002 return to the UFC against Tito Ortiz at UFC 40, this is an opportunity for him to elevate an MMA promotion.
Shamrock’s past issues with the UFC are well-documented, and it isn’t shocking that he would align himself with a rival MMA organization. But he considers this an opportunity to give fans an alternative choice for mixed martial arts, saying:
I’ve always jumped up to the challenge. I’ve been involved with a lot of companies that were just starting out, and needed a shot in the arm. Like in the UFC, when I first came back with Tito Ortiz. They were dead. I saw an opportunity there to bring my fans in, all the fans I built along the way that would follow me into that fight. I’ve been a part of a lot of start-ups, and a lot of opportunities where I have been able to help different organizations grow. This is no different. I have an opportunity here to really give fans another option, and that is really what excites me the most, is for fans to really have options in MMA.
The Shamrock vs. Slice fight was originally booked for October 4, 2008 in EliteXC. Shamrock suffered a cut the day of the fight, and he was infamously replaced by Seth Petruzelli, who knocked out Kimbo and EliteXC alike in 14 seconds.
When it was announced that the man they call Kimbo would be fighting in Bellator, Shamrock was already planning on heading across the pond for a bare-knuckle boxing match with the mighty James Quinn-MacDonagh, an Irish Traveller featured in the 2011 documentary Knuckle.
When Scott Coker found out Shamrock was planning on engaging in underground, unsanctioned combat, he decided to offer Shamrock a fight in Bellator. When Shamrock heard about the possibility of finally fighting Kimbo, he jumped at the opportunity, telling B/R MMA:
When this came to me, I told my manager to get that fight. I said "I want that fight." So when he did, and they came back and they were interested, I almost did a few backflips. Because I know what my abilities are.
Shamrock’s career ended with more losses than wins. In fact, he was only victorious in three of his final 12 fights over an eight-year period. He’s been out of the game since 2010 but says that he fought through injuries that are behind him now.
Kimbo Slice hasn’t competed in MMA since his 2010 UFC loss to Matt Mitrione, and both he and Shamrock see the other as a stepping-stone to a return to active competition. However unlikely a second career run might be for either man, they are still two guys who want to fight each other and are confident others will watch.
Shamrock was pivotal in MMA’s growth during its early years, and he plans on putting on a show for the fans that have stuck by him over past two decades. He feels physically capable, and is extremely motivated at the idea of finally getting his hands on Kimbo Slice:
I’ve had time to really sit back, train hard, work hard, but let my body recuperate and recover, and it’s been a tremendous difference from when I was fighting six years ago, as opposed to what you will see on June 20. I am going to smash this guy and people are going to go "Where did that come from?"
Michael Wellman is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
