Ex-WWE/UFC Star Ken Shamrock Talks CM Punk

Shamrock will return to action to face Kimbo Slice this summer.

by Jay Anderson
Ken Shamrock was once known as the "World's Most Dangerous Man" - and long before Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, or Bobby Lashley, he made the transition from professional wrestling to mixed martial arts. Thus as one of the original crossover stars, he's in a unique position to comment on what Phil "CM Punk" Brooks is going through. Shamrock, who was announced Friday night as the first opponent to face former Youtube sensation, UFC heavyweight, and occasional pro boxer Kimbo Slice in Bellator MMA, spoke to Breitbart Sports over the weekend, and had an interesting take:
I don€™t understand why he€™s getting such a hard time of making that transition. He€™s the only one who€™s got anything to lose. He€™s taken a career that he€™s built in the World Wrestling Federation and made a tremendous superstar. And now he€™s taking it and putting it into the ring where he could quite easily lose everything he€™s built if he goes in there and gets destroyed.
You'll have to forgive Ken for using the WWF name instead of the WWE, seeing as how he's been out of the wrestling game for a while. Still, he wrestled for the promotion from 1996 to 1999, famously feuding with The Undertaker towards the end of his run. He has also wrestled off and on for various indy promotions over the years, and appeared for TNA in the early 2000s (he is technically recognized as the first ever TNA World Champion, winning the belt on their inaugural PPV). It's no surprise that Shamrock would see no harm in Punk making the transition, but what is surprising is the idea that Punk could devalue himself to the point of losing the stardom he already has. However, it's something to consider: if Punk were to wash out of the UFC, would he then be able to return to the WWE (or a rival promotion), hat in hand, and still hold the same status in the eyes of the fans? In that sense, Punk is actually taking quite a risk, but then, he has never been known to play it safe. Shamrock, meanwhile, at 51 years young, meets Kimbo Slice this Summer in Bellator MMA.
Contributor
Contributor

Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.