EDGE
SPORTS
Despite MMA fans yearning for a
Gracie vs. Shamrock 3, it never came
together. And when Gracie retired in
2013, it seemed as though it never
would—until last November, when
Bellator MMA announced that the two
UFC Hall of Famers would clash in the
cage one more time. It was a victory
for Shamrock, whose persistent
goading had finally paid off.
Gracie, now 49 years old, hasn’t
competed since 2007. To shake any
ring rust, he began doing two-a-days
last November with emphasis on
grappling, standup, and strength and
conditioning. Non-MMA specific
training has relied mainly on body-
weight exercises to improve core
strength, balance, and endurance.
“I’m a grappler, so I’m not going to
exchange firepower standing up,” he
reveals. “I train standup to understand
what’s coming to me. My game plan is
to choke him out.”
Shamrock, who is 2-8 in his last 10
fights, has also made adjustments
since prep started. “The World’s Most
Dangerous Man” believes training with
familiar faces—former UFC fighter Guy
Mezger and his adopted brother,
WATCH
Bellator 149: Gracie vs. Shamrock
airs live Feb. 19 on Spike TV.
Frank Shamrock—will provide him an
edge come February. “Mentally, I have
direction and determination just from
having these guys around,” he says.
Shamrock declined to provide
specifics about his training, preferring
to keep his opponent in the dark. (He
did provide a sample workout from a
past training camp, at right.) Diet-
wise, his meals consist of chicken,
steak at least twice a week, fruits and
vegetables, and pasta and rice
(getting “good energy” from starches).
With a sound strategy, the right diet,
and unwavering confidence, Sham-
rock is convinced he’ll be the victor
when the final bell tolls at Bellator 149.
“Do I believe that I’m better than he is,
have all the skills, and that I should
win the fight? Absolutely.”
SHAMROCK’S MMA
WORKOUT
EXERCISE
ROUNDS TIME
6 3 min.
MORNING
Shadowboxing
Mitt Work 6 3 min.
Agility Training* 1 30 min.
1 75 min.
EVENING
Situational
Grappling**
*Might include: box jumps, jumping rope, lunge
jumps, step-ups, tire flips, sledgehammer tire slams,
and footwork drills.
**30- to 60-second drills from the clinch or ground
are a component of his grappling training.
SIZE MATTERS
“A good big guy
is going to beat
a good little guy
every time,”
Shamrock says.
GRACIE
VS.
SHAMROCK
ROYCE GRACIE
KEN SHAMROCK
RECORD 28-16-2
49 AGE 52
6'1" HEIGHT 6'
178-180 lbs WEIGHT 200-203 lbs
Redondo
Beach, CA,
by way of
Rio de
Janeiro,
Brazil FIGHTING
OUT OF Reno, NV
Gracie
jiu-jitsu FIGHTING
STYLE Shoot-
fighting
44
MUSCLE & FITNESS
FEBRUARY 2016
14-2-3