Cung Le vs Frank Shamrock (2008)

[kingofthecans]

I always looked at Frank as the anti hero. Getting to see these two fight was awesome. Was one of those MMA dream fights when it got announced. Would be great to see them do fight scenes in a few movies.

 

[HHJ]

Don't be shitty.

Excuse me?

 

[Jewish Lightning]

A really entertaining fight with some good back and forth action. Frank shamrock looked like he was Phil Baroni from thier fight and Cung Le was just a step ahead for most of the fight.
Franks best weapon during this period was the straight right he threw with his head off the center line. Pretty basic but effective stuff. Cung Le mixed it up too well and Frank was just following and standing in place outside of range and getting lit up. He had success when he really pressured Cung Le and went for it before he was dazed by a Le head kick.

Frank was washed up by this point and probably shouldnt of been fighting. Cung Le wasn't in his prime either but he had more left in the tank and went on to the UFC after this and beat guys like Rich Franklin. Prime Frank who beat Tito would have destroyed Le IMO.

 

[Haj01]

Such a great fight! Might be one of my all time favourites.

I remember Goldberg interviewing them both and doing a bit of training with Cung Le. Goldberg was so impressed by Le.

Le was such a cool fighter. Miss that guy.

 

[kellier]

Frank had stock in EliteXC and he kept that fight standing to build his new star. He was also going to fill in for Ken vs Kimbo and "keep it standing." $$ $$ $$ $$ $$

The fight was in Strikeforce. Elite XC folded because investors pulled when Kimbo got KO'd by a nobody (who then blabbed he'd been paid to keep it standing and the Commission investigated fight fixing)

 

[ryun253]

Love Frank Shamrock

 

[kellier]

It was a cool fight. Probably the last where Cung Le looked sharp with his Sanshou. He was 35 (almost 36) here.

He'd slowed up by the time he hit the UFC (he was 39 in his debut against Wand)

 

[HHJ]

It was a cool fight. Probably the last where Cung Le looked sharp with his Sanshou. He was 35 (almost 36) here.

He'd slowed up by the time he hit the UFC (he was 39 in his debut against Wand)

They were both pretty old and wand was def busted up. So it made for a great fight somehow!

Wanderlei's killer instinct still there. You cant slip up against that maniac.

 

[mjfan23]

Frank came back to mma about 5 years too late

 

[pankrat]

 

[Morris88]

Great thread brother. Le's San Shou highlight reel is insane.

 

[Prutfis]

Yeah from 2007 - 2009 I did a bit of that and ringside photography

I interviewed:
Fedor
Randy Couture
Frank Shamrock
Don Frye
Bill Goldberg
Pat Miletich
Mauro Ranallo
Frank Trigg

Thats who I could remember,anyway.

Also doing this,I managed to meet ALOT of fighters haha. Was a great job (that didnt pay any money)

Give us a few words on each guy. Don´t leave us hanging man..

 

[HHJ]

Give us a few words on each guy. Don´t leave us hanging man..

Fedor: interviewed in the Mark Ecko building in NYC in 2007 at a M-1 Press conference. Really nervous. Had to do it through his translator. I did make him laugh when I asked him if he beat Barnett in a vodka drinking contest. 100 healthy yrs extra added to my life for that,no doubt.
Randy Couture: I was there setting up at ringside for an IFL event,doing photography,and Randy Couture was just sitting in the arena before anyone was really around. So i said fuck this and went to interview him. He was with his wife at the time,Kim who was also a fighter. They were both cool,and she'd sometime chime in on the interview. She was especially annoyed at Dana White who was trying to stop him from getting the Fedor fight. Cool guy. Cool is the best way I could describe randy.Motherfucker was COOL.
Frank Shamrock: It was at an EliteXC event,the one where Paul Daley knocked out that dude who was on TUF 2nd season. I rermember not knowing enough about Paul Daley to interview him at the time. I knew tons about Frank,and we talked for 15 mins. It was the best one I did. Ill try to transcribe it some day.
Don Frye: Exactly what youd expect,a larger than life character. We talked about how he was in a Godzilla film in japan. He also had huge hands. I would never want to get hit by that guy.
Bill Goldberg: Couldnt have been a nicer more friendly guy. I dont really remember that much about what we talked about in the interview...probably just asking about differences in mma and pro wrestling,but the guy was awesome.
Pat Miletich: I asked him for a picture and he took my camera and took a picture of me with it. Cool guy,def not afraid to talk shit on UFC and speak his mind.
Mauro Ranallo: Was same day i interviewed Fedor,cool guy. I really wanted to party with him. The whole atmosphere after the conference concluded was a party,with free drinks. So i interviewed him and Fedor while we all enjoyed Skrewdrivers. The media had to go though at some point. I def wanted to stay.
Frank Trigg: same deal as Mauro. Def exactly how youd expect. Likes to talk about himself haha. "I think there is a few guys out there who could give Anderson a tough fight, Vitor Belfort,Okami...Frank Trigg.."

 

[Prutfis]

Fedor: interviewed in the Mark Ecko building in NYC in 2007 at a M-1 Press conference. Really nervous. Had to do it through his translator. I did make him laugh when I asked him if he beat Barnett in a vodka drinking contest. 100 healthy yrs extra added to my life for that,no doubt.
Randy Couture: I was there setting up at ringside for an IFL event,doing photography,and Randy Couture was just sitting in the arena before anyone was really around. So i said fuck this and went to interview him. He was with his wife at the time,Kim who was also a fighter. They were both cool,and she'd sometime chime in on the interview. She was especially annoyed at Dana White who was trying to stop him from getting the Fedor fight. Cool guy. Cool is the best way I could describe randy.Motherfucker was COOL.
Frank Shamrock: It was at an EliteXC event,the one where Paul Daley knocked out that dude who was on TUF 2nd season. I rermember not knowing enough about Paul Daley to interview him at the time. I knew tons about Frank,and we talked for 15 mins. It was the best one I did. Ill try to transcribe it some day.
Don Frye: Exactly what youd expect,a larger than life character. We talked about how he was in a Godzilla film in japan. He also had huge hands. I would never want to get hit by that guy.
Bill Goldberg: Couldnt have been a nicer more friendly guy. I dont really remember that much about what we talked about in the interview...probably just asking about differences in mma and pro wrestling,but the guy was awesome.
Pat Miletich: I asked him for a picture and he took my camera and took a picture of me with it. Cool guy,def not afraid to talk shit on UFC and speak his mind.
Mauro Ranallo: Was same day i interviewed Fedor,cool guy. I really wanted to party with him. The whole atmosphere after the conference concluded was a party,with free drinks. So i interviewed him and Fedor while we all enjoyed Skrewdrivers. The media had to go though at some point. I def wanted to stay.
Frank Trigg: same deal as Mauro. Def exactly how youd expect. Likes to talk about himself haha. "I think there is a few guys out there who could give Anderson a tough fight, Vitor Belfort,Okami...Frank Trigg.."

Thanks man sounds awesome.

 

[fractal]

I think that was his way of being vague to avoid bigger issues, lol.

"My original plan was to throw out push kicks, have him think that I'm gonna throw them more, and then to shoot in on him, obviously. But the promoters kind of hinted to me, and they gave me the money to stand and trade with him. They didn't want me to take him down, let's just put it that way. It was worth my while to try to stand up and punch with him."

The man that single handedly brought down Elite XC with one punch.

 

[Langstarr]

Miss the days of having Strikeforce/Pride/WEC to give UFC legitimate competition. I remember thinking around that time, wouldn’t it be great if one or two of these organizations could sustain their competitive edge parallel with UFC for years to come? Alas, ‘‘twas not meant to be.

 

[FaTaL FaTaL]

Too bad cung le was too old at that point in mma

 

[BEATDOWNS]

Many called this Fight of the Year for 2008. It certainly was a classic,highly entertaining striking battle. Frank was in his comeback,and had just previously beaten Phil Baroni,and played the role of the antagonist is most of his fights in this period. Undefeated Cung Le,San Shou Superstar,also being in a bunch of martial arts related movies. Both guys fighting out of San Jose,where the fight takes place,so the crowd was absolutley mental.

P.S. if you watch this on Fight Pass for some reason there is no commentary,which makes it even BETTER.

I really wish this was an option for all fights. Anyway share your memories of this awesome battle!

Cool memory bro.

 

[Sickbro69420]

Frank was washed up by this point and probably shouldnt of been fighting. Cung Le wasn't in his prime either but he had more left in the tank and went on to the UFC after this and beat guys like Rich Franklin. Prime Frank who beat Tito would have destroyed Le IMO.

Yeah his knees were blasted apparently during this time if I remember correctly.

 

[Morox]

The fact Ken and Frank look the same despite not being blood related at all always baffles me lmao.