Against All Logic, Ken Shamrock Set to Fight October 16
By: Oliver Saenz Posted On: September 3, 2010 at 8:30am
For a man that once took great pains to live up to his moniker as “The World’s Most Dangerous Man”, Ken Shamrock has been redefining the term “rock bottom” for quite some time now. He’s won two out of his last ten fights: a victory over Kimo Leopoldo in 2004 that pretty much meant nothing, and a victory over the deceased Ross Clifton in 2009 that most definitely meant nothing (and was a fight in which Shamrock tested positive for steroids). In addition to that, try to fathom the following: the last time Ken Shamrock beat someone with actual name-value and actual skill was Dan Severn. In 1995. Over a decade and a half ago. And yet it was recently announced that Shamrock’s next fight will take place in October.
Shamrock will look to take on Johnathan Ivey on October 16 under the banner of the USA MMA promotion. The event is set to take place in Lafayette, Louisiana. It’s been a long, tough road for the UFC pioneer. Not only was his first win in eight fights mired by his positive steroids test, Shamrock was also handed a hefty legal fee after his court battle with Zuffa over a contract dispute ended with the judge standing on the side of Dana White and the Fertitta brothers. Most recently, Shamrock fell to the leg kicks of Pedro Rizzo at Impact FC, which marked the eighth (T)KO loss on Shamrock’s record, and had he not had his Armbar victory over the departed Clifton, the loss to Rizzo would have been his sixth (T)KO loss in a row.
Shamrock’s opponent may be in even worse shape than he is as a Mixed Martial Artist, as tough as that is to imagine. Johnathan Ivey will carry a record of 29-42 into his fight with Shamrock in October. Ironically, Ivey has also won two out of his last ten fights. Ivey weighs in at two hundred and fifty pounds normally, and almost none of that is muscle.
It’s tough to see athletes compete in a sport they were once good at far past the point where they stopped being good at it. It’s really sad and disheartening to realize that their sport of choice is all they know and that they aren’t prepared for, or refuse to live in, a life without it. They keep trudging along, piling up the losses, fading further and further into obscurity, adding ever-growing black marks to a once prestigious (or at least worthwhile) record. But I have to be honest: there’s a point where an athlete loses my sympathy. Ken Shamrock has passed that point. He passed that point years ago.
I honestly don’t think Ken Shamrock is sane. One of the most oft-repeated definitions of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. Ken Shamrock fits that definition perfectly. He’s done nothing to evolve as a Mixed Martial Artist, he’s still the same fighter he was at the very first UFC 1 event, except with a lot more bumps, bruises, and humiliating losses. The man is no Randy Couture, the wear and tear on his body both from his time as a Mixed Martial Artist and even in his time spent as a professional wrestler should have sent him into retirement countless times. But he keeps coming back. Against all logic, Ken Shamrock won’t hang up the gloves and go quietly into the night. For that reason, amongst many others, Ken Shamrock will no longer receive any of my sympathy.
So, by all means, let him keep fighting. Let him become an even bigger joke. The only person he’s hurting at this point is himself. If he’s that much of a masochist that he just can’t go a couple of months without getting punched and kicked, then more power to him I say. This fight with Johnathan Ivey is a joke. Ken Shamrock is a joke. And I’m no longer laughing.
But what about you, fans and friends? How do you feel about Shamrock’s refusal to retire?
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Comments
I say let em gooooo , he’s fighting someone equally pathetic so maybe it’ll be interesting and if he wins it may boost his confidence enough that he can die happy
I think Ken can and will finally win this one. Ken is a very underrated striker. Sure his knees are gone and hes a shell of his former self. But the man possess great heart and is a very skilled fighter. I wish Ken the best and just hope he keeps fighting gus like Ivey that are more in his leugue. Ken is a good man .He dosent want are symphathy the man just wants to fight. So let let him do that if you dont like Ken dont root for him but he is a hall of famer and deservs a certain level of reapect. WAR SHAMROCK!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Jeff Tampourlos when he says he should fight people in his own league where he is in for a chance at winning. he worked hard to be a well respect Mixed Martial Artist.. the problem now is that because he doesn’t know when to stop and fight people at this skill level that he is losing the respect he once had. I think people would have respected him more if he told people he was past his prime (by miles) but i think he is trying to bury that fact by just continuing to fight. saying that this Ivey sounds quite bad also so tbh, might be an ok fight, quite close
Maybe the guy just enjoys fighting and/or needs the money. Why does that make him insane? He’s stated himself that he’s under no illusion that he’ll ever be a top fighter again… I understand that it can be painful to watch a legend of the sport fight way past his prime, but it’s his life and it makes sense for him. And I think this matchup makes perfect sense, as he needs to take the competition level down a few notches — Ivey fits the bill.
I know.. its so “sad” that he’s losing so many matches that his record is so disgraceful that it… now looks like that of an average UFC fighter….
the world’s most dangerous retard. Scam-rock wanted to be the alpha male in his gym so he refused to work with people more skilled at things than he; the end result, predictably, is that scammy gets hammered time and again. The world’s most dangerous clown was never that great – he never won a single UFC tourney – and he never compiled a record that would place him among the immortals. I would normally feel sadness for a guy like this – but enough people, like Mikey Burnett, have revealed the bullying, blustering narcissist at the core of ken scam-rock that I can’t feel any sympathy.
Shamrock is too muscle bound from steroids! That’s why he is so easy to figure out, just box him. His punches stretch only about 6 inches from where he throws them from. Shamrock is very limited in his arsenal and his mindset, the chip on his shoulder is too big for his own good. You got to train with people who will give you the hardest and most grueling workout.
That is why Pacquiao is so good, he brings in the biggest, youngest and best sparring partners. He even tried to bring in Bradley as his sparring partner.
SHAMROCK, RETIRE AND STAY OUT! People will eventually tire out from seeing your ass get pummeled. Your pride destroyed you, if you had humbled yourself like Pacquiao, then you wouldn’t be so against bringing in sparring partners that could have bettered you.
Steroids is a short cut to a body. Shamrock is use to taking short cuts, that is what steroid can set you up. You get use to getting things by finding a short cut. But fighters do benefit big time from steroids. I feel sorry for the japanese fighters, you can tell by their bodies that they are not on steroids. Then they go up against these fighters from the USA and Brazil and you just can tell that one is on steroids while the japanese are not on anything.
Everytime I see a fight between japanese verssus american/brasil fighters, it is so obvious in the disparity of how they look. The japanese look soft, small, and has a higher bodyfat ratio. These fighters from brasil/usa look pump up, cut, and huge.
Sherk and Alexander are so obvious that they are using roids. GSP is also on roids, and I bet a lot of them that never got caught are on roids. If you’re not willing to cheat and take steroids, then be happy with just being an also-ran. One cannot compete consistently with the guys who are taking steroids. Top notch on roids versus top notch without roids, guess who wins??
Gsp on roids ? Are you kidding me , the guy is like the icon of a pure athlete. By the way being rip like GSP at 170 pounds is really easy you know. But being rip like Gsp at 230 now you have to take roids.