UFC Legend and former WWE Superstar took part recently in an interview with the WNS Podcast to discuss a number of topics including his upcoming fight against Kimbo Slice, thoughts on CM Punk in UFC and his current relationship with WWE. Below are some interview highlights:
Will he change his training style for his Kimbo Slice fight?:
It’s been a while since I’ve gone onto this type of training. What I needed to do because of my knowledge of my body. I needed more time to prepare. It’s just going to be a six month preparation for me going into this fight. I have to make sure that I’ve got my body into shape to where I could actually start training so there’s three phases here. 1) Get my body into shape to where I could enter crossfit training into the sparring in preparation for the fight. So what I do for that is I go in the gym and hit the weights, strengthen the muscles. I stretch them and make sure I’m conditioned to be able to do the crossfit stuff which will be the ropes, the hammers, the core strength stuff with the two rings and from that being able to move into the actual sparring with kickboxing and also the take downs and the grappling. Each one of these things takes about six weeks for me to get to the next step
The Shamrock Slam Drink:
I’ve been very fortunate to be at the startup of a lot of different things. I was the startup of the Pancrase organization in Japan. Became a big figure over there. Then I was in the UFC and was at the startup of that and I was a big figure in that. Twice. Not only in the beginning but also when it was taken over. So, two different times in the UFC. One in the No Holds Barred Era and one in the MMA Era. And then also to be able to be the first one to cross over into the World Wrestling Federation and be a big figure there. With these things, I’ve done a lot of things the first time and I have an opportunity now with the bare knuckle boxing. To jump into bare knuckle boxing and bring that to the professional level. These are things that I have the opportunity to do for the first time. So, this drink is also something that hasn’t been done yet as far as the type of drink we have. This is a fitness energy drink. There’s no other drink out there like it. It’s the first one made and it tastes absolutely amazing. The fact is, with my training right now and when people see the shape I’m in a lot of it goes to the things I’m doing. I’ve got a friend and he has pills called Invincible so I’m taking that and also some pills called Freedom and that’s called Fight Latch. And on top of that which is making things happen with the energy and vitamins and things I’m getting from the Shamrock Slam is what’s really driving these things to happen. I’m having a tremendous training camp which is just starting out now. I’m way ahead of the game and it’s because of these supplements I’m taking. So we want to be able to bring the fans in, people who want to get involved and be part of Team Shamrock. They’re going to have that availability with crowd funding to be a part of something new and something very very good.
On his involvement with Fighter Source:
My passion’s always been about helping the youth and this is no different except the issue are 21, 22, 23 years old and maybe even older than that but they’re very young in MMA World. And since I’ve already been through the hurdles and the ups and downs in the world of professional MMA. I can turn around and really help these guys prepare for their future. Get them prepared to go out and be a professional athlete and make sure they get all the skills that they need to be able to be successful when they get there and to be a part of this league was something that my business partner had reached out to these guys. He knew this was what I wanted to do. Not necessarily to be in the professional rankings of being part of a professional organization but more in the amateurs because it felt like I could offer more there because these kids are young, they’re willing to learn and I have so much that I can offer them moving up. The information I can give them. The knowledge that I can give them that I have that I can give them so that when they’re first starting out they can do all the right things instead of making mistakes that a lot of these guys are making staring out because there’s no one there to guide them. This is very important to me and I’m very excited to be a part of this and be able to help these young MMA fighters, professional MMA fighters or amateur fighters turn professional. We also have an organization or business called Pro Rage which is an agency where we take these young MMA fighters who are just coming through the ranks and this is part of the idea I just told you about. Being able to them make good decisions. Making sure they’re prepared going into professional ranks. We are also going to offer management for these guys that are about to turn pro coming from these amateur status and being able to guide them in the right direction. Make sure they make the right decisions. Make sure they get what they deserve. So, we’re very excited to be a part of Fighter Source and also have Pro Rage Agency that will help these kids when they turn pro. Making good decisions and getting what they deserve.
On CM Punk in UFC:
Well, first of all I would tell him to have fun. Don’t let the pressure of everybody saying you’ve got to produce. This is your first fight and I think they’re doing him right. I don’t think they’re going to do to him what they did to Brock and just throw him right into the top and have him fight for his life. I believe they’re going to give him someone the caliber of where he is right now and give him a chance to grow. I think it’s tremendous what he’s doing, my hat’s off to him.. I think there shouldn’t be so much pressure on people who want to step out and try something because they come from somewhere else like pro wrestling. He built a huge name for himself, he’s a superstar and he’s taking all that he built and putting it on the line by jumping into the cage and to me that takes balls and my hat’s off to him. And anybody who says well that’s not really a smart business move, listen, you live one time. If there’s things you want to do in life, live your life man. Don’t let people make you afraid of taking chances in life. And if you fail, it’s no big deal. Get back up and fight through it and be successful again. If you did it once, you can do it again. So, my hat’s off to him. I support him.
Does he prefer MMA or Pro Wrestling?:
I really enjoy both of them professionally. They really made me who I am today. I’m not Ken Shamrock the MMA World Champion No Holds Barred fighter. I’m Ken Shamrock, The World’s Most Dangerous Man. Professional wrestling and MMA champion.
Is Pro Wrestling or MMA more physically demanding?:
There’s no question in my mind that my stint in the World Wrestling Federation was a lot tougher on me than my stint in MMA. That’s not to say that going i to a fight is not tough on you because it is. But I was good. I mean I felt at home in that ring. I didn’t sustain too many damages when I was actually fighting. Most of them came in training. I really believed with my experience that it was a lot tougher on me having to get up day to day and go out there and take 10, 15, 20 bumps seven, eight or ten days in a row. It was tough. And the having to get on a plane and travel to the next town. So, it was a lot more grueling than I think most people realize.
On MMA Instincts:
I actually kept my reflexes. My counters. Because, when we were actually practicing in the gym we weren’t out to try and tap people out. So we would go and do all these different moves and put people in different moves even when I was training for MMA. But I wasn’t applying the hold to tap people out. And basically applied those same methods and the same kind of stuff to pro wrestling. I wasn’t going in there to break your arm or leg, I was going in to put a hold on the guy and counter whatever it is they were doing. And that’s basically how I went about it was that they tried to duck over me, I would roll over, sunset flip into a kneebar. So I would just use counters for everything that pro wrestling had done to me. I would counter with a submission.
Backstage Bonds Made in WWE:
I actually traveled a lot with Steve Blackman. Traveled a lot with Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. Really I think I got along with everybody pretty much. There were a few that we just didn’t quite mesh but the majority of them I got along with everybody.
His Relationship with WWE:
We’re not on speaking terms because I’ve reached out several times and never got a response. At one time, it went to Shane McMahon a few years back to kind of find out where I stood but never got a response back. Shane said they’re not really there yet with using me I don’t know why. I’m sure he got something but it was something he didn’t want to tell me. So I didn’t want to pressure him. I didn’t want to put him in the middle of it. I’ve seen some guys go back who have done some pretty horrible things like leave WWF and go to WCW and they still came back. The fact is some of them are probably running the company and they jumped to WCW. So, I’m not sure what I did but no one’s told me. I think a majority of the fans want to see me back and if that’s the case then why ain’t I coming back
Thoughts on Brock Lesnar:
I think Brock Lesnar is a tremendous talent in MMA and UFC and pro wrestling. He’s tremendous, he’s a big personality. I hope he gets what he wants Nd I hope he does what makes him happy.
On his legacy:
I want people to look at me as a human being. Who do people say I am. A loving father, a loving husband, a good friend, a good person? These are things that are important to me.
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
