Don Frye most certainly doesn’t want winner of ‘Tank’ Abbott vs. Dan Severn

Don Frye

Don Fryecould easily have a job if he wanted to join a promotion that’s pushing old UFC legends.

But that’s about the last thing the 50-year-old Arizona native is thinking about these days.

“Nope, I’m tired of this bull(expletive),” he told MMAjunkie Radio.

Frye, a regular guest on the show, was responding to a question of whether he might step out of retirement to face off with the winner of an upcoming rematch between UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn (101-19-7) and David “Tank” Abbott (10-15), who are 57 and 50, respectively. The two return to MMA for an Internet-streamed combat variety show that takes place March 20 at Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, just a few hours from Frye’s hometown of Sierra Vista, Ariz.

Frye might enjoy watching his aging colleagues strap on the gloves one more time, but his days in the sport have passed.

“I don’t want anything to do with it any more,” he said.

Severn and Abbott meet 21 years after they first stepped into the UFC’s octagon at the Ultimate Ultimate, or UFC 7.5, in the semifinals of a tournament in the no-holds-barred fights of the promotion’s early days.

Severn won the bout via decision after the two went the full 18 minutes allotted for their tournament bout. He went on to beat Oleg Taktarov and win his second UFC tournament while Abbott again fell short of winning gold after Taktarov submitted him in the UFC 6 tourney final.

Both went on to fight several more times for the UFC, eventually moving to the regional circuit in their advancing age. Severn proved the more durable competitor, logging a staggering 127 fights before hanging up his gloves in 2012. Abbott racked up a 10-15 record before his last fight in 2013.

Frye, meanwhile, fought his last MMA bout in 2011, losing by knockout to Ruben “Warpath” Villareal. Asked who he favors in the rematch, he went with Severn.

“I have to go with Dan,” Frye said. “I think it’s going to be a less exciting fight than the last one they had, because time is not going to be on their side. But I think Dan will pull it off because I think he’s more serious about it, and ’Tank’ isn’t going to get off the barstool to train.

“But Dan’s got a little bit more ego to control and protect, so he’ll be training for it.”

In an email to MMAjunkie, Severn said there was only one condition to fighting Abbott.

“As long as he passes the medicals, and the Arizona Athletic Commission gives him the thumbs up…………………..yes!” the UFC Hall of Famer wrote.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show, available on SiriusXM Ch. 93, is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.