Ken Shamrock vs. Tim Sylvia?

by Luke Thomas on Dec 2, 2008 10:43 AM EST in News Comment 43 comments

“I was supposed to fight Ken Shamrock December 20, but it’s been postponed to February now,” said Sylvia. “He’s a free agent. I was supposed to fight him in a small show called XP3 Promotions. I believe in Texas, but it’s postponed to February now.”

Cox echoed Sylvia’s position that a bout with the 44-year-old Shamrock was in the works.

However, Melissa Ingram, director of media relations for Ken Shamrock Entertainment Inc., was hesitant to describe the fight as being in “preliminary negotiations.”

Shamrock’s manager Ron Donohoo told Sherdog.com on Monday that the bout was not under consideration.

“Our organization was approached some time ago about the prospect of Ken fighting Sylvia, but it was rejected,” Donohoo wrote in an email.

Donohoo did not disclose the reason the fight was declined. XP3 Promotions, which has a Feb. 7 event scheduled at the Reliant Arena in Houston according to its Web site, was not immediately available for comment.

Despite the opposing sides, Sylvia expects to see much action in the coming months, including a fight with Shamrock.

“I love to fight and a fight’s a fight,” said Sylvia. “He’s a Hall of Famer. He’s a legend. To progress your career you always have to fight somebody like that.

“I don’t know if he’s a stepping stone or anything, but he’s been on some of the same cards I’ve been on and he’s been highlighted over me, so I want to let people that I am better than this guy and there’s no reason he should have been highlighted over me.”

Let me be unequivocally clear: any athletic commission that approves this fight should be hung by their heels with piano wire in the nearest town square and spat upon by citizens strolling by. Then fired. Then banned from ever holding a position on any athletic commission ever again in their life. Then spat on again.

I know there's a defense to be made for cashing in on star power after a fighter is long past their peak and I do not equate this to Couture vs. Liddell IV (that fight and this one are surely universes apart), but there is an obvious tipping point where age and star power can get fighters seriously, seriously hurt. Unbelievable.

HT: irepdaronx

UPDATE: Shamless:

XP3 Promotions told Sherdog.com via email that it has written confirmation from both parties that they are currently in negotiations for the bout.

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Let me be unequivocally clear: any athletic commission that approves this fight should be hung by their heels with piano wire in the nearest town square and spat upon by citizens strolling by. Then fired. Then banned from ever holding a position on any athletic commission ever again in their life. Then spat on again.

hahahahahhahahahhahaha. that cracked me up hahaha.
but i agree completely.

http://weoweoweo.deviantart.com/

by Anton Tabuena on Dec 2, 2008 10:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

That's

why this fight will probably happen in Japan.You don’t have to deal with athletic commisions.Do you think a fight between Fedor and Zulu would have been given a green light in the U.S,and that was a bigger mismatch than this fight.If it even happens.

by tylerdurden1 on Dec 2, 2008 11:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, it categorically couldn’t happen. They are in two different weight classes.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 2, 2008 11:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No

their not if Tim is under 265and Ken is over 206.They’ll both be fighting at heavyweight.Ken’s fight with Kimbo was a scheduled heavyweight fight.

by tylerdurden1 on Dec 2, 2008 11:59 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m referring to Fedor vs. Zuluzinho. That fight categorically cannot happen in America.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 2, 2008 12:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I Agree

I thought you were referring to Sylvia and Shamrock.

by tylerdurden1 on Dec 2, 2008 12:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

+1

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Dec 2, 2008 12:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He needs to go get that ass whipped against Overeem. I hear he’s looking for an opponent.

http://mma4real.net/

by Tha Realness on Dec 2, 2008 10:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I didn’t know small shows pay fighters $800k a fight.

by cyph on Dec 2, 2008 10:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I was wondering the same thing

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Dec 2, 2008 12:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If an over the hill mma star is killed in the ring, and no one is there to hear or see it, did it really happen?

Being on the internet gives me a right...nay a responsibility to bitch about things

by beery_pbr on Dec 2, 2008 11:03 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

sylvia’s obviously has to take a step down in competition after fighting the best heavyweight the world, but this? what does he stand to gain? demolishing a guy (that while a legend) lost to BUZZ BERRY?

dude needs to reevaluate his asking price, and fight a contender. even if he loses a competitive fight, it’s better for him than this.

and what happened to the supposed “super fight” between the shamrock brothers? did ken get a paper cut right before he had to sign the contract?

by woooburn on Dec 2, 2008 11:03 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

“he’s been on some of the same cards I’ve been on and he’s been highlighted over me, so I want to let people that I am better than this guy”

unless i’m missing something, the only time ken has ever been billed higher than him on a card was UFC48. FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

by woooburn on Dec 2, 2008 11:12 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Let me make sure I understand.....

It seems like Luke is against this fight taking place. Is this right?

"Stop smiling you are about to be punched in the face !"

by Warhand on Dec 2, 2008 11:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think he's made up his mind yet

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 2, 2008 4:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tim Sylvia would kill Ken Shamrock. Period. It’s quite possible that Tim realizes that the ride is coming to an end, so he might as well get paid. Otherwise, you’d see him calling out Bigfoot, Kharitonov or Overeem (a matchup that greatly intrigues me, actually).

Fantastic write up, Luke. This is a joke.

by subo on Dec 2, 2008 11:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

L O FREAKING L

by Discman2 on Dec 2, 2008 11:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I know Sylvia needs a win, but Jesus..

Sylvia can fight me if he’s this desperate, at least im young enough to recover from it..

by Storeo on Dec 2, 2008 11:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Seriously not cool.

Apparently Shamrock has a death wish or something.

by pud333 on Dec 2, 2008 11:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

This is getting a little ridiculous...

Shamrock managed to get disqualified by cut before his last fight. Can anyone really make the argument he belongs in the cage with top level fighters anymore? Or that he should be in the cage at all for that matter?

by Andy R on Dec 2, 2008 12:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No, he belongs in the cage with fighters like Kimbo!

by Frank_Castle on Dec 2, 2008 3:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

First off...

Ken should never get hired by anyone again after his Kimbo fiasco.

Secondly, Tim Sylvia went from being a real man taking on the best fighter in the world, to a pathetic ex champ who is picking fights with slow old men. I’m glad his career is spiraling now.

by EazyEismydad on Dec 2, 2008 12:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

What, no children or women to fight?

Sylvia should be ashamed.

"It's like a flying knuckle sandwich." --Rogan
"And many men have eaten it." -- Goldy

by thetakeover on Dec 2, 2008 12:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

So sylvia went from fighting the arvloskis, nogs, coutures, fedors of the world as the main event for the UFC and Affliction…

to wanting to fight ancient Shamrock at a small promotion in Texas

lol wut?

by dbcb on Dec 2, 2008 12:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You know,

the obvious fight to be made out of this situation is Tim v Kimbo in Japan.

by Razreshat on Dec 2, 2008 12:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Funny…this was my thought EXACTLY.

by Frank_Castle on Dec 2, 2008 3:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A while back when he first signed with Affliction, Timmah said that free agency is the way of the future, and that he would never sign another long term contract. He’s half right.

by Ubernoober on Dec 2, 2008 12:58 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

hahahaahahahhahaah

i lol’d

by dbcb on Dec 2, 2008 2:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ken Shamrock represents a lot of money for virtually no risk to any world class fighter 185 north. If you offered him to any fighter in the world right now as an opponent, regardless even of weight class, they’d probably want to fight him. Its a bit like wondering why boxers were lined up in droves to fight Mike Tyson when he was washed up.

For Tim, he’d make more fighting Ken than he would fighting most anyone at the moment and he’d be, as is outlined here, essentially guaranteed to win. Why wouldn’t he want to?

by D.Capitated on Dec 2, 2008 1:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Except

that it was supposedly going to take place at some small regional promotion, who you would assume couldn’t afford a huge payday for either fighter.

by Razreshat on Dec 2, 2008 1:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If they’re running a 8000 seat area, they may have more money than you initally think. In any case, fighting for, say, $50,000 guaranteed to fight Ken Shamrock seems like a pretty good deal compared to fighting for $50,000 guaranteed to fight Shane Carwin, don’t you think?

by D.Capitated on Dec 2, 2008 1:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

at least he’ll be fighting someone with a higher likelihood of in-the-cage-incontinence, for once.

by woooburn on Dec 2, 2008 1:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wow Luke, you really think Ken is gonna beat Tim that badly?

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Dec 2, 2008 1:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Tim lasted a mere 36 seconds in his last fight. What chance does he have vs. a UFC Hall of Famer?

by bigweeze on Dec 2, 2008 1:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, the guy who beat him is champ of some rinky-dink promotion with like 20 guys under contract. WTF?

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ. -- TangleBones

by jemaleddin on Dec 2, 2008 4:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Punishment for the Head of the Sanctioning Body

Fire him.

…Out of a cannon, into the sun.

by Brett Jones on Dec 2, 2008 2:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

They've both been relegated to fighting in tiny promotions?

Ken shouldn’t be fighting at all, and I guess Tim is too unpopular for larger orgs to pay since his most exciting recent fights have been watching legends of the sport beat him.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Dec 2, 2008 2:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I guess it’s none of my business, but I have to wonder about the state of Shamrocks finances. I don’t know why he’s going into the tomato can business this late in the day unless he has bills to pay.

by toxic on Dec 2, 2008 4:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Pro athletes and fighters in general can never seem to gracefully step out of the spotlight and big money opportunities. Their egos and probably entourages refuse to tell them when they’re finished and need to hang it up.

by Frank_Castle on Dec 2, 2008 5:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Fighters and pro athletes in general

by Frank_Castle on Dec 2, 2008 5:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"I love to fight and a fight’s a fight," said Sylvia. "He’s a Hall of Famer. He’s a legend. To progress your career you always have to fight somebody like that.

Um…what?

by Tonley on Dec 2, 2008 6:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Cool. Maybe he’ll face every UFC hall of famer. He’s got Couture under his belt already. Matches against Royce and Severn would be on the road to Sylvia’s return to UFC against Mark Coleman.

Also, it didn’t occur to me until now that Royce is the only guy in the UFC Hall of Fame that isn’t a Heavyweight on some level.

by Brett Jones on Dec 2, 2008 8:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs