In the world of MMA, there are a few names that even casual fans have heard of. Ken Shamrock is definitely one of those names.
I had met the MMA legend back in '98 when he was signed to World Wrestling Entertainment as a successful Superstar. He was always one of my favorite guys to watch cuz he was so entertaining with his facial features and strength.
In February of 2009, the WWE was long behind him and he was promoting an MMA event in Central California. It was a "Ken Shamrock Presents..." kind of event with Shamrock himself headlining.
The entire on-air interview was conducted by the morning show staff and focused on the upcoming fights. So, during the commercial break, I had to conduct a "mini-interview" of my own. I told him I was a fan of his back in his WWE days and he thanked me.
He told a story about not being able to use his original nickname, The Rock, because they were pushing Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at the time. Then, he mentioned a storyline that management wanted him to do that he flat out refused. Apparently, they wanted Ken Shamrock's character to begin an incestuous relationship with his on-screen "sister." He said that was the only time he refused to go along with a storyline.
Overall, a pretty quiet guy, but you can tell he really enjoyed telling stories about his past.
Great experience.
-salas-
