ELITE XC HAS ARRIVED!

Boxingtalk recently caught up with MMA legend Frank Shamrock to discuss his upcoming bout against Renzo Gracie. He also discusses his future plans, Elite XC and his relationship with his brother Ken. A must read interview. Check it out!

PC: How did training go for your fight with Renzo Gracie?

FS: Training went really well. I brought my old team back together, Maurice Smith and Tony my boxing coach and I had a really good camp. I just finished up my last day today.

PC: There have been rumors that the fight is in jeopardy. Can you address those rumors?

FS: No one told me. As far as I know we are all good to go. I knew there was some unfinished business that needed to be taken care of, but I believe it’s all squared away.

PC: Renzo has definitely been the more active fighter of the two of you. Do you think your inactivity will play a role in this fight at all?

FS: I don’t think so. I train every day and I spar 3 days a week even when I’m not fighting and I have been for the past 6 or 7 years so…This is what I do. When we get in the ring or the cage, it’s just fun.

PC: In your last fight, you knocked out Cesar Gracie in 21 seconds. Do you have a prediction for this fight against Renzo?

FS: Nope. I’d like to finish him off in the 1st or 2nd round, but Renzo is pretty game. I know he’s efficient in submissions, so I’m probably going to have to knock him out.

PC: You have a very demanding schedule. Is it becoming difficult to balance everything?

FS: Oh yeah! It’s pretty wild, but I have a big community and I have a big team. They all pitch in to help me out. I got a great wife and she understands, but I’m going to have to take her on vacation pretty soon.

PC: You’ve been involved in MMA before it became so popular. How does it make you feel knowing you were a big part of the success of the sport?

FS: It feels good. I think I changed the sport, as a fighter and a spokesman. It really feels good. I know that people look up to me who are getting into the sport and that feels good. It’s very positive.

PC: How did the fight with Renzo come about and what made you guys fight under Pro Elite’s banner?

FS: Renzo has been somebody I’ve been wanting to fight for a long time. He really is the most active and most respected of the Gracie’s as a fighter. It’s always been in my cross hairs. There was another company before this trying to put the fight together and I agreed to fight him and Pro Elite basically made it to the finish line first  and they gave me a call and we came to terms and that’s how that went.

PC: You are 34 years old. How much longer do you see yourself competing in mixed martial arts?

FS: Well, my body feels good and my brain is sharp, so I got at least 3 more years and then after that who knows.

PC: What is your relationship with your brother Ken like?

FS: I don’t really have one. Yeah, we never were close and now that I’ve left his tutelage and have accomplished things that he’s told me I never could as a fighter, I think it left a bad taste in his mouth. I’ve tried for years to have a relationship with him and he’s had other plans, so we just agree to disagree and not worry much about it.

PC: Are you under contract for more fights with Pro Elite or is this the only time we will see you fight with this organization?

FS: Nope, I have a bunch of them planned. I want to try and do 2 a year for them. I’m going to beef up my schedule. I want to do some feature film and reality shows and what not. I have a lot of entertainment properties planned. I want to at least get a couple of fights off a year and maybe get up to 3 fights a year. If everything starts off well and I avoid injury, we’ll do a couple fights a year and see where it goes from there.

PC: Renzo is not the typical Gracie being that he can fight well on his feet. Where would you like this fight to take place at?

FS: I would like to box it out. Boxing was my first love and I’ve been training in boxing for the past 5 years and kickboxing as well. I’m also a professional kickboxer. I think my biggest strength right now is my hands and feet and I would like to pull Renzo into that game, although I don’t think he will fall for it.

PC: How does it make you feel to go from fighting at small venues when you first got into mixed martial arts to fighting on Showtime at this stage in your career?

FS: It’s a dream come true for me. When I was a kid, I used to watch boxing on Showtime and I always felt like that was the pinnacle of combat sports to be fighting on Showtime. It is a dream of mine. I fought in the Tokyo Dome with 80,000 people and I’ve sold 18,000 seats here in San Jose, but nothing with the prestige and recognition as Showtime.

PC: I appreciate the interview and good luck on the 10th. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

FS: I just want to thank my fans. Boxers, kickboxers and mixed martial artist and guys I’ve taught, thank you for sticking by me through thick and thin. Blood and tears they’ve always been there and I really appreciate it.

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