THE CANADIAN PRESS
Veteran Frank Shamrock and EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw dismissed talk Tuesday that rival UFC champion Anderson Silva is pound-for-pound the best mixed martial arts fighter in the world.
"Well I think I’ve been named that guy several times over the past 14 years, so I think that it’s fleeting, it’s exciting but I certainly don’t think he’s the best in the world," Shamrock said in a conference call Tuesday to promote his March 29 Strikeforce-Elite XC middleweight title fight with Cung Le in San Jose.
"I think he’s probably one of the best guys in the UFC, but all the best fighters are not in the UFC. So hopefully he can hang onto that and make something out of it and gain some fame. But I have 100 per cent confidence if I ran into him, they’d be calling me that guy."
Shamrock, 35, was the UFC’s first light-heavyweight champion, defeating Kevin Jackson in 16 seconds to win the championship belt in December 1997. He went on to defend the crown four times before retiring in November 1999.
Shamrock (24-8-1) returned to action 15 months later and has gone 4-1 since ending his retirement. The only loss was a 2007 disqualification against Renzo Gracie for an illegal knee.
"Until someone beats Frank, then Frank is the single best in the world," said Shaw, president of EliteXC Live Events. "And if Cung should beat Frank on March 29 in San Jose, then Cung Le will be the best in the world. And as Frank said, there is no single organization that owns the best fights or the best fighters. But in this case the best fighter in the world, hands down, bar none, for sure, is Frank Shamrock."
Shaw and UFC president Dana White rarely agree and this is no exception.
"Anderson Silva is pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world," White said earlier this month after Silva’s submission win over former Pride title-holder Dan Henderson. "Anybody who tries to debate that is out of their mind."
Silva tries to stay out of the debate.
"I’m grateful that I’m the champion but I still don’t consider myself the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world," he said through an interpreter after beating Henderson. "It’s really hard for me to say that until I’m retired, and then I can look back and say `You know what? I was the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world at that time."’
The 32-year-old Silva is 21-4 and 6-0 in the UFC, having cleaned out the 185-pound decision since claiming the title in October 2006. He has stopped Henderson and decisively beaten former champion Rick Franklin twice.
Prior to the Gracie disqualification, Shamrock’s last loss was 15 fights ago in January 1997, by split decision to John Lober. But in recent years, he has fought outside the UFC which is home to most of the sport’s elite.
Silva is ranked No. 1 in pound-for-pound polls by Yahoo Sports and Fight Magazine, neither of which cites Shamrock in its top 10. The Brazilian is also the top middleweight, according to the likes of Sherdog and mmaweekly.com.
.Shamrock’s older stepbrother Ken, a 44-year-old UFC Hall of Famer, was recently beaten in London by little-known British fighter Robert (Buzz) Berry.
"I was pretty disappointed in his performance," said Frank Shamrock. "I don’t know if he’s still got the heart of a lion in him. Granted the guy was a little bigger and had some better reach on him, but I know Ken’s skill level and I just think he’s having trouble connecting his desire with his mind and his body and then putting that all together to be an exciting fighter. I hope he’s got plenty left in him because I plan on taking a little bit out of his ass as well."
Shaw said Ken Shamrock had been suffering from a stomach problem the night of the fight.
It was Ken Shamrock’s fifth straight loss, all in the first round. He is 2-8 since August 2000.
NOTE — Shaw said that details of CBS’ first primetime MMA card will be announced Wednesday.
