Shamrock: Royce better wake up
Ken Shamrock: “You better wake up and realize it’s not yesterday; it’s today. Things have changed. We have knowledge. We understand the game.”
It has been over 20 years since Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie fought. They will do it again on Feb. 19 at Bellator 149 in Houston, Texas. Gracie won by choke in the first fight, and the second was a draw.
Shamrock thinks times of have changed, Gracie hasn’t, and that the third time will be a charm. Royce recently said he would fight Shamrock immediately if need be.
I’m shocked that somebody with serious knowledge and that’s been in the business this long would say something that ignorant,” said Gracie to Tristen Critchfield for Sherdog. “Because it really is ignorant. You don’t disrespect the sport by saying, I could go in there and fight right now. Because we realize that’s just not true. Yeah, 20 years ago he could, because people didn’t understand skills, didn’t understand what he was doing.
You better wake up and realize it’s not yesterday; it’s today. Things have changed. We have knowledge. We understand the game. It’s not the same thing it was when he could go in anywhere and go in and do something because your skills are that much better. It’s not that way anymore. He better wake up.
A good big guy is gonna beat a good little guy every time, all skills being the same. That’s why as the sport has evolved. We’ve seen weight classes because we’ve realized….that David and Goliath is just not possible anymore. Everybody is skilled. I think that’s the biggest difference that Royce is gonna see, is that the skill level and the strength is gonna play a factor.
Honestly I don’t think after this fight he’ll want to fight again. Maybe I’m making a fool of myself, but I’ve been fighting. I know what the landscape is out there. I just don’t think Royce, after this next fight, I don’t think he’s gonna want to fight again.