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UFC legend Ken Shamrock has opened up on his iconic rivalry with Royce Gracie and the impact their trilogy had on the future of mixed martial arts.
Shamrock entered the UFC Hall of Fame as the inaugural inductee into the Pioneer Wing in 2003. His career spanned multiple generations and helped to jumpstart the UFC's popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
One of Shamrock's most memorable elements of his career was his rivalry with Gracie; one of the most impactful grapplers in combat sports. Their first fight at UFC 1 back in 1993 came at a point in which the UFC was a struggling enterprise looking to remain afloat.
30 years later, the UFC has become a juggernaut in combat sports and is a global phenomenon. Despite their bad blood during the lead-up to their fights, Shamrock and Gracie share mutual respect and understanding of what their fights meant to the UFC's growth.
Ken Shamrock Praises Gracie Family's Impact On Mixed Martial Arts
During a recent interview on the Morning Kombat podcast, Shamrock spoke about his rivalry with Gracie and where things stand today.
"It's a different kind of respect because some of the things that happened," Shamrock said of his relationship with Gracie. "What he did for the UFC is unbelievable. The Gracies changed the world and they gave us all a career...
"This beginning stage, there was a lot of risk, a lot of money spent, and there were guys who went in there with no understanding of what was going to happen, and still did it. It's a shame that there isn't some sort of Hall of Fame for these guys that put it all on the line back in the day."
Shamrock retired following a loss to Gracie at Bellator 149 in 2016. He finished his professional career with a 28-17-2 record with wins over the likes of Bas Rutten and Maurice Smith.
Gracie won the UFC 1 tournament by winning three fights in a single night back in November 1993. He went on to have impressive runs in the UFC, and Pride before opting to retire from MMA.
Shamrock and Gracie are two names etched in UFC lore forever, and their rivalry helped set the standard for many intense pairings in the modern era.
Please provide transcription credit with a link to this article if you use any of these quotes.
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