Excluded from UFC Hall of Fame, Frank Shamrock speaks out against Dana White
Posted on June 30, 2012, 01:40 PM by Mike Drahota
After the recent announcement that Tito Ortiz will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame prior to UFC 148, former champion Frank Shamrock recently spoke to Spike TV's “MMA Uncensored” regarding his apparent snub from the hall. It has been no secret that Shamrock and UFC President Dana White have some bad blood between them. Shamrock spoke the following words on his Hall of Fame snub:
"I don't care. I think it's awesome that Tito's in. He deserves to be in there. I believe I should be in the Hall of Fame, but it ain't my Hall of Fame. If they wanna put me in, that's great. It's not gonna keep me up at night."
While this statement suggests that Shamrock is taking his exclusion in stride, he went on to become more heated as the interview progressed. Shamrock came out and admitted that he has a grudge against Dana White, and that may have contributed to him not being in the Hall of Fame:
"It's definitely personal between Dana and I. To further that, I've done everything I can possibly do for this sport. I hope that would include UFC. You know, Dana and I don't get along. I think he's a total douchebag and a bully. I just, I got no breath for him."
Some very strong words from an MMA pioneer whose contributions to the sport are many, regardless of how people feel about him. Now retired, Shamrock believes that he has done much to bring MMA to the masses via speaking engagements, commentary, teaching, and other aspects. He was graceful in respecting Tito Ortiz's induction into the Hall of Fame, an admirable act considering Frank Shamrock once finished Ortiz via TKO in an epic brawl at UFC 22. Shamrock is a legend, and showed his respect for the sport that garnered him fame:
"Here's my thing. I did everything I could for the sport, from speaking to the commissions to presenting in front of cable companies -- anything and everything, I was hired to go do it. I was a great spokesman, and I believe in this sport. If they wanna put me in or not, it's totally up to them. I think it's just a big knuckle-fest. God bless Tito, and I'm real proud that he's made it."
While Shamrock stated that he did not care about being left out of the UFC Hall of Fame this summer, his heated words would seem to suggest otherwise. He closed with a strong statement concerning Dana White, were they ever to meet in a dark alley:
"As Dana's first martial arts instructor, I understand his skill set and his limitations, and I would love to have that moment."
A very candid and emotional interview from a man who left the UFC on top, retiring after four successful title defenses. Does Frank Shamrock deserve a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame?
Further Reading: Tito Ortiz to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in July
Comments
I find it kind of sad that a former champion is now talking about beating up middle-aged businessmen...
That being said, there are certainly less deserving fighters in the UFC HOF.
Shamrock is three years younger than White which isn't that much a an age disparity. White also has professional fighting experience in boxing.
However, I'm sort of in agreement with your main though (at least I think its your main thought). This is only one of numerous times Mr. Juarez has spoken in some way of fighting Dana. He can call him a bully all he wants (which I agree with), but he's lost out on the high road a long time ago.
As if dana doesn't deserve a beatdown with the blatant disrespect he shows for people who literally put their health on the line for entertainment.
Now there's a fight worth paying for,dana vs anyone he's disrespected.
alright so you are saying you deserve to get your ass kick for any disrespect you have shown to anyone. its his company he has the right to criticize anyone he wants
Not really. Dana has done it in a very public way, to guys who fight for a living.
Just a matter of time.
Dana white doesn't do anything diffferent than the so called "mma fans" do when they come on here and talk shit about whatever fighter they feel like. anyone who says dana deserves to get his ass kicked is just sad. it proves that you are weak minded enough to let someones words hurt you. if you think dana deserves to get his ass kicked than so do all the idiots who come on here and talk shit cause they are doing the same thing.
yes he does ,no question.
How about we induct Bruce Buffer into the hall of fame for his amazing 360.
It's not just about the fighting, which was still awesome (beat Bas in his first pro fight, TKO'd Tito who is about to be inducted) it's about all the P.R work he did on behalf of the sport that he feels raw about.
Speaking to commissions and showtime to try and get MMA on T.V
The UFC Hall of Fame is really just for people Dana OK's. It's not independent. Tim Sylvia is a five time UFC champ but he won't get in either cos Dana hates him.
Frank is a bit of a goof lets face it. however Dana is a bully and a douchebag even his Mother mentions how he has changed in a book she wrote about him, bc 'the guy woudn't even go to his grandmas funeral. I dont know about you but where i come from that makes you a uber douche.
I would say there is a long going on in that family that you are not privy to.
Thank You, Dana may be a douche but Ray Charles can see that his mother is a bitter woman
who doesn't hate dana white, there's plenty of names out there that have been huge names in the early years of ufc that might not get in the hall of fame either cuz dana is such a dirt bag. what caught my attention most about the episode was when frank said the one fight he really wanted and regretted not having was a fight with Ken. Ken was probably taking a steel folding chair wwe style to a life size cardboard cutout of himself in his basement when he heard about it
For all of you lowkickers i think Frank is right. And i also think many of all this old great fighters like Dan Severn and many others should be in the hall of fame but they are not. Why not??? Because people like Dana sad so... You know what i have some words for YOU!!! You suck. Go in to the octagone and be a man...
Dan Severn is in the hall of fame is in the UFC Hall of Fame. He was the third person ever to be inducted.
Sorry for my writing. My english is not to good. I apologise for my mystakes. I am a polish mma fan
Frank deserves his spot....His martial arts resume is huge...and he was the first middleweight champion.
And sorry for Dan because he is a hall of famer but You know what i mean...
I remember of what Dana said about the times when Tim Sylvia was on top ,,the heavyweight division sucked then,, yeeee you're such a peace of shi.....f....y.....!!!!
It's not that I don't get the emotional side of helping the sport be made. Frank definitely deserves to be in it, however, Dana has a point with the HW sucking back in the day. There is a reason that the sport has evolved and it isn't because the HW division was perfect. There is definitely a 1st generation of fighters and a 2nd. The 2nd generation are true Mixed Martial artists and also had to fight against a world in an already popular sport. (LOT MORE COMPETITION NOW) You had the same 5 guys beating each other bloody, but not exactly getting any better in the process back in UFC 1-40 some odd.
I have been watching this sport LONG since before the UFC came around. There is a reason people know what it is now and 15 years ago I had to explain, cagefighting, know rules fighting, and anything other than a sold out Boxing to all of the non-knowers, which was pretty much everybody. Now, I don't think I have had to explain the sport, even to my parents in probably over 4 to 5 years.
It has become less barbaric and it has become more competitive and talent filled in the last decade of it's existence. The UFC has hit it so big, people even care about the smaller promotions. Even if people knew about the UFC or Pride or K1 or any of it's predecessors back in the day, they were either fan or not at all fans. It is today a legitimate sport.
For all the Dana Haters, I don't think he would ever decline any of the bad things you guys would have to say about him. And I have 100 to 1 that says if Olek met Dana White he would swallow his pride, words, nuts and be the first in the crowd to be licking his sack. Not because he likes him, simply because he can.
-A True Fan (Not specific to any origin of fighters, just their skill and ability to get better and with that the sport.)
So you think the HW division was better 10 years ago than now? If this is actually a legitimate thought, of yours, Than it's funny to me that people would even bother listening to the rest of your directionless rants.
I am sure there are plenty of Dana, UFC and Fertida haters out there. But the simple truth of the matter is. 10 years ago, if you didn't play Soccer in brazil, you had a 0% chance of every being recognized inside or outside of Brazil. In 2012, the top 3 and 4 of the top 5 most recognizable athletes/people in the whole of Brazil are UFC fighters. It's nice that people like Anderson, even have a chance to be known, no less the most famous and recognizable sports figure in the country. Otherwise he's still be getting Leg locked by 5'6" Japanese guys for less than 800$ a fight.
The sport has come a long way. The UFC is not the Sole reason by any means, but it is easily the biggest reason. Meanwhile people n the interwebs have all these laughable THEORIES with no level of Application behind it to do their job better. People screaming in here have never dont anything to help a sport get recognized, grow, evolve, be promoted, and certainly become a powerhouse. Why all the hatred as if you could actually do something worth while with your life other than ripping apart other peoples success.
"GOD BLESS YOU SIR" tell it like it is