Frank Shamrock
Published by on January 5th, 2008 in HOF

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Frank Juarez, a native of Santa Monica, CA, was a wayward boy who later found refuge and direction at the home of Bob Shamrock, who had done the same for many youngsters, including one who later became the legendary Ken Shamrock. Frank was adopted by Bob and took his new father’s surname, and was trained by adoptive brother Ken in some of the techniques of mixed martial arts and submission fighting. Frank also picked up kick boxing skills along the way, and made his debut as a professional fighter with a win over Bas Rutten in the King of Pacrase tournament in Japan in 1994.

Rutten later went on to win the title of “King of Pancrase,” but an injury precluded him from defending it. In stepped Frank Shamrock, who won the “provisional” (or interim) title by defeating Minoru Suzuki in January of 1996. Rutten later came back and beat Frank for the undisputed title. Soon afterward, Frank Shamrock left Pancrase and competed in a number of other organizations before settling in with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 1997 he won the UFC’s middleweight title with a win over Kevin Jackson in Japan, the site of his past Pancrase triumphs.

Shamrock defended his title four times, including a victory over Tito Ortiz in September 199 at UFC 22, forcing Ortiz to tap out in the fourth round. What followed was a retirement from active competition, but Frank Shamrock did not stay away for long; he returned a little more than a year later to beat Elvis Sinosic at K-1, then took more than a two-year layoff but returned again, sharp as ever, to win the World Extreme Cagefighting light heavyweight crown over Bryan Perdue, knocked out Cesar Gracie in a mere 21 seconds, and beat Phil Baroni by TKO in June of 2007 to win the Strikforce middleweight title.

Frank also became a coach in the fledgling International Fight League, taking the reins of the San Jose Razorclaws, with whom he continues a sibling rivalry with brother Ken, who coaches the Nevada Lions.

Frank Shamrock has already compiled a Hall of Fame career, but he continues to be a major force in MMA, with no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future.