Ken Shamrock

     Ken Shamrock is one of the best shoot fighters in the world, his combined martial arts and wrestling background is the reason. In February 1997 he switched back to wrestling, where his athletic ability and superstar appearance have made him a star and a billing as "the world's most dangerous man."
     Ken Shamrock had a tough childhood and his inner demons almost destroyed his life. Ken was born in Georgia and was named Kenneth Wayne Kilpatrick. At the age of 13, Ken was brought to Bob Shamrock's Boys Ranch, Bob had worked with children with problems for many years and had helped many to a better life. Bob quickly understood what Ken had been through and found out a way to get Ken to control his inner demons. Shortly after Ken had turned 18 in February 1982, Bob Shamrock legally adopted Ken, who got the father he had always wanted.
     Ken Shamrock actually started his career as a wrestler in 1988 in the Carolinas. Shamrock was first trained by the late Buzz Sawyer at his Academy and later he was trained by Nelson Royal at Royal's ACW wrestling school, and started to wrestle for ACW. Shamrock also entered some toughman contests to win some money, and he won three of them. When ACW folded in 1988, Shamrock started to work for South Atlantic Pro Wrestling under the guise of Wayne Shamrock, he was managed by "Number One" Paul Jones. Shamrock won his first TV match in a few seconds with a belly-to-belly suplex. But the gimmick was soon changed to the heel "Mr. Wrestling" Vince Torelli. In September 1990 Shamrock earned a spot with the second incarnation of Japan's UWF shoot fighting group, whom Shamrock's friend Dean Malenko had recommended. The group was on the verge of a breakup, but Shamrock made a lasting impression on UWF stars Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki.
     When Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki moved on to Pro Wrestling Fujiwara-Gumi, Shamrock was also offered a spot. In this promotion, which emphasized on suplexes, mat work, and submissions provided Shamrock with a priceless training ground in which his skills improved.
     When Funaki and Suzuki moved on again for the formation of Pancrase in September 1993, Shamrock was just behind them, ready to equal and surpass their superstar status. And that was exactly what he did, by defeating Funaki in the main event of Pancrase's inaugural show on September 21.
     Ken Shamrock continued his victory streak in Pancrase by defeating Yoshiki Takahashi and Yusuke Fuke, before Shamrock also started competing for Ultimate Fighting Championships. At the inaugural UFC show, November 1993, Ken defeated Pat Smith, before he fell to Royce Gracie in the semifinal. The defeat to Gracie affected Shamrock, even though he won some matches in Pancrase he started losing matches to Minoru Suzuki and to Frank "The Animal" Lobman in a kickboxing match.
     Shamrock returned to UFC at UFC III, but had to withdrew from the tournament because of an injury, that was the official reason, but Shamrock withdrew because Royce Gracie hadn't qualified to the final, and Shamrock had trained hard to beat Gracie. In Pancrase it was time to crown the first King of Pancrase in a two day tournament, December 16-17, 1994.
     The first man to step in Ken's way was Alex Cook, who was defeated in only 1,31 minutes. Maurice Smith was the next victim, but Ken also squashed him. In the semifinals waited Masa Funaki, Ken's old friend and mentor, Ken defeated Funaki, who had defeated Ken some months before the tournament. In a hard 30 minutes final, Shamrock came out on top, when he defeated Manabu Yamada by Judge's decision (3-0), and thereby became the first King of Pancrase.
     Shamrock successfully defended his King of Pancrase Title against Leon Dijk and Bas Rutten, but lost to the Title to Minoru Suzuki, May 13, 1995. At UFC V Shamrock fought his nemesis Royce Gracie and clearly dominated him in a great match to a draw, the match lasted 36,06 minutes.
     During his shoot fighting career, Shamrock had the time to open his own school called the Lion's Den, where you could learn self-defense and no-holds-barred fighting, the Shamrock way. Ken still owns the Dojo but I believe that his brother Frank and some of the students took over the training, when Shamrock signed with the WWF.