F.Shamrock vs. Saku- eine Analyse
Wollen wir doch mal hoffen, dass es nach fünf Jahren endlich wahr wird!!!
Who is this MAN?
By Drew Archer
He got his start in Japan . He was taught by Japanese professional wrestlers who learned the art of submission fighting. It was in the Japanese dojos where he excelled over his contemporaries. He made a big splash in his American debut, fighting in the UFC, when he was still relatively unknown, by beating a man he was supposed to lose to. This man took fighting to the next level; he wowed people with his skill and technique. He pulled submissions out of thin air, almost like a magician. He introduced a level of showmanship into the sport that had previously been lacking. At his best, he was the most respected MMA fighter in the world. Who is this man -.Kazushi Sakuraba? No, it’s Frank Shamrock.
Although it is interesting to note that the previous rundown of information could be attributed to both men. Frank Shamrock and Kazushi Sakuraba have more in common than most know. And with their impending fight, now is the perfect time to study both men’s background, in hopes of providing a revealing backdrop for their fight in Pride.
It’s uncanny really. Both men came up through the same system; both competitors have their roots in the world of submission fighting. A ground system of grappling that was introduced to several Japanese professional wrestlers through the very famous pro wrestler Karl Gotch. A few of these Japanese professional wrestlers took this knowledge of submission fighting and created several shoot and work professional wrestling companies. Pancrase, where Frank Shamrock got his start, as well as the Union of Wrestling Forces International (UWFI), where Kazushi Sakuraba, got his start, are two of the promotions that incorporated this new style of professional wrestling.
Shamrock is the original star pupil of this style of fighting. It was submission fighting that was the base for Shamrock, but it was the incorporation of striking and wrestling that made Shamrock the best of his time. Sakuraba took the same approach to training, but Shamrock was the first to do so. A fact that for the past five years he has been overlooked by just about everyone. Before Sakuraba there was Shamrock.
Shamrock took the information he attained in Japan and improved on that knowledge here in America . Shamrock jumped off the tracks, so to speak, and instead of continuing the same techniques, and using the same psychology of moves he learned in the Japanese dojos, he incorporated new strategies and styles into his fighting repertoire. He added striking; boxing and kickboxing; he incorporated wrestling; takedowns and body control, and cardio training to his list of fighting credentials. It was because of this break with tradition, and return back to America , where Frank Shamrock truly realized his destiny and became the top pound for pound MMA fighter in the world. Shamrock‚s influence cannot be underestimated. He became a role model to a generation of fighters who are now dominating the sport.
Sakuraba on the other hand stayed the straight and narrow. Sakuraba is synonymous with tradition in Japan . He came up as a top amateur wrestler and then made the move to professional wrestling, a common path in Japan . He continued on the customary course and became a national hero to his people. But even though Sakuraba is draped in tradition, he was smart enough to find value in cross-training and followed the path laid out by Frank Shamrock years earlier and combined additional elements to his fighting arsenal, which already including amateur wrestling and submission fighting. Through hard work, natural gifts and a spirit that can’t be broken, Kazushi Sakuraba has been able to accumulate a highly regarded fighting record in MMA. Some of his more high profile wins came against the Gracies (Royler, Royce, Renzo, and Ryan) where he compiled a 4-0 record against the first family of MMA. The Gracie Hunter, as he was known, could do no wrong. He continually put his reputation on the line and took every fight that came his way. He endeared himself to millions of fight fans and because of that has been able to stay at the forefront of PRIDE and their booking plans. Now, one of those booking plans involves a fight with Frank Shamrock. A fight that has been literally five years in the making.
It is a match up of the two best fighters, at or around 185 lbs, of all time. Shamrock gained his fame before the turn of the century and coincidentally it has been since Shamrock‚s retirement that Sakuraba has put himself on the map. When all is said and done, this fight will probably go down in history as the most influential MMA fight in the sports relatively short history. Both men will be fighting for their place in history. Shamrock will be coming out of retirement and looking to reclaim his position as the sports top pound for pound fighter, something that he was universally recognized as when he retired. Sakuraba will also be looking at recovering some of his former glory.
With the recent losses he has suffered the past few years, and the injuries he has attained during those fights, Sakuraba is finally healed and more importantly Sakuraba is finally fighting someone his own weight. Each man offers the other their toughest opponent ever. It is because both men are so equal in weight that there can be no valid excuses for the loser. It is an even match up between the sports two best ever, at their weight. The winner will go probably go down in history as the sports all-time greatest pound for pound fighter. All that is left is for them to get in the Pride ring and for one man to seize the opportunity that is in front of him and cement his place in history once and for all.
www.frankshamrock.com
