Ken Shamrock discusses the evolution of mma over the last 30 years. The US-born Shamrock has been there since the beginning as he competed in mixed martial arts fights even before the UFC started, and then competed in the first UFC event.
Ken Shamrock on the Evolution of mma
The early UFC events were very brutal. No rules, no gloves, no weight classes, and no time limits. The sport was quickly banned. Fighters often engaged in brutal action with little boundaries, such as the prohibition of biting and groin shots.
In Japan, Pancrase was a form of mixed martial arts and an extension of professional wrestling, but real fights, not street brawls promoted by the UFC. Pancrase used a mix of catch wrestling-style strikes and open-hand strikes.
Over time, the UFC implemented more rules and regulations and became recognized as a legitimate sport by athletic commissions. Pancrase would change its rules to become mma rather than catch wrestling.
In a interview, mma pioneer and legend Ken Shamrock explains:
“Back then, it was just street brawling with basically no rules. Like we just discussed, no weight classes, no biting, no groin shots. I witnessed a fight where a guy punched Joe Son in the groin three times, and Joe Son had to stop. Even though it was illegal, the other guy still won because Joe Son couldn’t continue. So clearly, if you look at it now, it’s organized, approved, and there’s an element of safety to a certain extent. It’s still fighting, but much more professional.”
Not only his fights, but his training was also very different. Ken Shamrock continues:
“It involves more knowledge about your opponent and adapting to new training conditions. Back then, conditioning was about long, continuous fights without rounds. Nowadays, fighters can train hard, rest a bit, and then train again. Conditioning now is more about handling explosive bursts and recovery between rounds.”
Recognized by Joe Rogan, some early mma pioneers can still compete in today’s competitions, like Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie. Shamrock appreciates the praise:
“I appreciate that. I’m sure people like me and Royce Gracie could definitely hold our own today. We might be among the few who have what we call professional skills in wrestling. My expertise in leg locks, for example, would definitely give me an edge. To this day, there are still not many people who truly understand it because it hasn’t been used in amateur competitions, so no one has practiced it. When I was competing in Japan, we only used leg locks. My knowledge in that area is far more advanced than what’s common in mma today.”
