Frank Shamrock: Ready for Cung Le
By Dave Carpinello
In a PunchDrunkGamer exclusive, Dave Carpinello had a chance to speak with Strikeforce superstar Frank Shamrock about his fight next week with Cung Le, the Strikeforce promotion, his brother Ken and Kala Kolohe Hose’s victory over Phil Baroni.
PDG: How did the training go for this fight and is the knee 100%?
Frank: Great, I have been working since about November to get ready for this fight. The knee is great and after all of the rehab and therapy it has not given me any problems.
PDG: Has your training routine slowed down yet and when will be your last training day?
Frank: It has slowed down a bit and I am doing two workouts a day for about 1 ½ hours each and that will continue until Wednesday.
PDG: Is Maurice “Mo’ Smith still out there working with you?
Frank: Yes, he has been here for the past three weeks and he will stay through next week. We have been working on strategies and on my stand-up game. Brian Schwartz [former ISKA Champion] and some other guys have also been here in San Jose working with me.
PDG: Do you have any concerns about your match-up with Cung Le and what advantages do you foresee for yourself?
Frank: I don’t really have any concerns other than not getting caught with one of his kicks. I think Cung is a better wrestler and he is going to try and outpoint me to get the victory. As far advantages go, I have the experience, better stand-up game and submission skills.
PDG: So your are going stick with your previous comments and try to stand and bang in this fight?
Frank: Yes, and I think that people are going to very surprised at how this fight ends up going.
PDG: Josh Thomson recently stated that “When he [Cung] used to spar with Frank back in the day, a lot of people will remember that he used to throw Frank around like a rag doll, like his little sister.”
Frank: If Josh used to beat up his little sister then that doesn't surprise me. I didn’t know that him and Cung were dating know, I thought Josh was still dating [Phil] Baroni. As far as the sparring went, Cung was Sanshou champioship fighter and that was his specialty. I am an MMA fighter and a pioneer in the sport. This time it will be different.
PDG: Outside of your upcoming fight; It seems like every other big MMA organization except for the UFC are getting big time TV deals. What are your thoughts on that and do you think the UFC is worried?
Frank: I think it is great for these other organizations and I am sure that the UFC is starting to take notice. It all comes down to business, the UFC only cares about the UFC and not about promoting the talent and the sport. The big networks want to help promote the sport and the fighters and that is why they haven’t signed any deals with the UFC. I am very excited to be a part of these organizations that have helped build the sport.
PDG: Speaking of those organizations; What did you think of Strikeforce’s last promotion at the Tacoma Dome in Washington?
Frank: I was very impressed with event and the record breaking crowd. I was a little disappointed in Bob Sapp, as it didn’t look like he was properly prepared for that fight. Don’t get me wrong Jan Nortje is a tough fighter but he isn’t that tough. I was also very pleased with Mo Smith's victory over Rick Roufus and I thought he stayed within his gameplan perfectly.
PDG: The rest of the fightcard for your event next week seems stacked.
Frank: It is and any other night, Drew Fickett vs. Jake Shields could the main event on the card. Strikeforce, EliteXC and Scott Coker are doing a great job of getting the fans the fights they want to see and promoting the sport.
PDG: Did you get to see your brother Ken’s fight and if so what did you think about his performance?
Frank: I did watch it and even though he was a little sick before the fight, it just seemed like he lost the aggressiveness to his game. He looked good physically before the fight but not in the cage. He really didn’t get anything working and then he took that glancing jab and went down. I was not impressed by his performance.
PDG: In your opinion, do you think he will continue to fight?
Frank: I think so, Ken has that fighter mentality and he is still somewhat marketable. If he does continue he needs to realize how much the sport has changed and make adjustments to his game and brawler mentality. He also needs to make himself more marketable so that he can get some better paydays.
PDG: Do you mean like how Tank Abbott is still able to make 6 figure paydays when he fights?
Frank: Exactly, Tank is a great example of how to be a smart businessman and not change your style. He is a brawler that promotes himself great and goes in there and throws regardless of what happens.
PDG: You recently helped Kala Kolohe Hose train for his fight last weekend against Phil Baroni. Did the 1st round by both fighters, Baroni’s amazing offensive and Hose’s resilience to not go out, impress you?
Frank: Yes, I knew Phil was only good for 1 round, so he was going to come out with everything he had. Ross did a great job getting through the first round and then he went to work on Phil. Always moving forward, cutting Baroni off and pressing the action. He trained here for about 2 ½ weeks and I wanted him to stay for 1 more week but his best friend was getting married and he had to keep his word. I only gave him about a 60% chance of winning when he left because I thought he needed that extra week of work, but he did exactly what he needed to do to win that fight and I am proud of him.
PDG: Good luck next week, is there anything else that you would like add?
Frank: I just want to thank everyone that has supported me and helped with my training. Also we are having a big fundraiser this weekend for Robin Murray to help during her battle with breast cancer. If anyone wants to help us with this fundraiser just click the link below or stop by the gym on Saturday, March 22nd. Thanks again.
