Dave Meltzer, writing in the Los Angeles Times, says, It’s showtime for Frank Shamrock:
Today, at 34, he’s perhaps the most polarizing figure on the U.S. mixed-martial arts scene. He has his biggest match in more than seven years Saturday night when the sport takes its latest major step, debuting on Showtime at 10 p.m., as he faces Renzo Gracie in the main event from the DeSoto Coliseum in Southaven, Miss.It’s not a fight that will shift around the top ten rankings in the 185-pound weight class. But it could be among the most important, and intriguing, matches of the year.
Shamrock signed for his most serious challenge in more than seven years for the debut show of EliteXC, a new promotion headed by boxing promoter Gary Shaw and partially owned by the Showtime network. Shamrock is being promoted on the station as the face of the new brand. If everything goes as hoped for, at least by the promoters, this should lead to a joint pay-per-view show with the San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion, where he faces Pride star Phil Baroni. The date for the match will be announced next week.
Of course, what makes the match so intriguing is it will answer what has been an age-old question. Just how good is Frank Shamrock?
If you’re an MMA fan, read the whole article. There’s some great fight history in there.