Don Frye MMAMemories.com Exclusive Biofile Published by Scoop Malinowski Last Updated on October 21st, 2008

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Status: UFC Hall of Fame.

Ht: 6-1 Wt: 240

DOB: November 23, 1964 In: Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

Childhood Heroes: “That’d be John Wayne and my father (Don).”

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: “My horses. I used to ride quads and shoot guns. Now I’m into Polly Pockets and Barbies with my two girls [laughs].”

Nicknames: “JR – that’s for Junior.”

Favorite Movies: ‘True Grit, Boondock Saints, Gladiator’s a good one.”

Favorite TV Shows: “I don’t have a chance to watch TV.”

Musical Tastes: “Country western, George Strait, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith.”

Childhood Dream: “I wanted to be a world champion, with a big belt. I grew up watching Ric Flair, Bruno Sammartino, Superstar Billy Graham, Terry Funk. I wanted to be a world champion. That, and a cowboy and a farmer. Your standard childhood dreams.”

Favorite Meal: “Steak, rare [laughs].”

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Eggs and bacon.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Aw shit, got to go with vanilla.”

First Job: “Must’ve been a paper route in fifth grade. (Which paper?) The Sierra Vista Herald in Arizona.”

First Car: “Owned a 1952 Chevy four-door Deluxe, pale green.”

Early Fighting Memory: “Had a fight in ’95, they asked me if I was interested to go to Atlanta for like a black-tie event, supposed to be entertainment for rich people. With caviar and champagne. When I got to the airport they said, We can’t pay you, do you still want to fight? I’m like, Ohhh, okay, what the heck. Might as well, I’m here anyway. They took me to a warehouse. One of them real warehouse fights. Potato chips and beer…that was the caviar and champagne. I fought a former Navy Seal. (Did you win?) Yeah, beat him in a couple minutes, by armbar, keylock.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “Just beat this son of a bitch and get out of here.”

Greatest Career Moment: “Walking out in Osaka with the American flag, September 23, 2001. It was like watching Jeff Blatnick carrying the flag in the 1984 Olympics. (Who did you beat that night?) Gilbert Yvel. I won by disqualification. He gouged my eyes about seven or eight times. Held on to the ropes about five times. Till he was finally DQ’d. He scratched my lens in three places.”

Most Painful Moment: “Losing to Mark Coleman at UFC 10. Back then I thought I was ten-ft. tall and bullet-proof. I got my butt kicked in front of thousands of people on TV. And in front of my fiancee was the worst part of it.”

Worst Injury: “I had two herniated discs in my neck from pro wrestling in Japan. They fused four of my vertebrae in my neck.”

Funny Fighting Memory: “When Mark Kerr kneed Ranger Stott at UFC 15 in ’97. Ranger Stott walked in claiming he was going to knock everybody out. Mark Kerr hit him with one knee and he was gone in 19 seconds [smiles].”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “Saipan – out in the middle of the south Pacific.”

Favorite Fighters To Watch: “Cro Cop – he always put on good fights. Nogueira – just slick, hardcore, no quit in the guy. Wanderlei Silva – he’s always in a good fight. Fedor – he’s a mean son of a bitch. Dirt mean. Like he’d rather kill you than look at you. Just raw-boned tough. Nothing fancy, comes in beating people down. Like throwing 20-lb. sledgehammers with those fists.”

Favorite Fights: “Sakuraba against Nogueira’s twin brother, that was a great fight. Sakuraba was probably 60% healthy. They didn’t give him a chance to heal. They just keep throwing him right back in there.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Honesty, kindness and tolerance.”