Kenneth Wayne Shamrock[2] (born Kenneth Wayne Kilpatrick; February 11, 1964) is an American mixed martial artist, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler. Shamrock emerged as one of the biggest stars in the history of mixed martial arts, headlining over 15 main events and co-main events in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships during the course of his career and set numerous pay-per-view records with his drawing power.[3][4] Shamrock is widely considered to be a legendary figure and icon in the sport of mixed martial arts.[5]Shamrock was named The World's Most Dangerous Man by ABC News in a special entitled "The World's Most Dangerous Things" in the early part of his UFC career,[6] a moniker which has become synonymous as his nickname.
Shamrock became known early on in the UFC for his rivalry with Royce Gracie. After fighting to a draw with Gracie in the inaugural Superfight, he became the first UFC Superfight Champion after defeating Dan Severn at UFC 6; the title was eventually renamed the UFC Heavyweight Championship when weight categories were introduced to the UFC.[7] He was also the first foreign MMA Champion in Japan, winning the title ofKing of Pancrase. During his reign as the UFC Superfight Champion, he was widely considered the #1 mixed martial artist in the world.[8] Shamrock was also ranked byInside MMA as one of the top 10 greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time.[9]
Shamrock is the founder of the Lion's Den mixed martial arts training camp. The Lion's Den became one of the most successful camps in mixed martial arts history and was famous dominating the early scene of mixed martial arts.[10] He is also the older adopted brother of former UFC Middleweight Champion Frank Shamrock.
Along with his mixed martial arts career, Shamrock enjoyed considerable success in professional wrestling, achieving championship success during his tenures with theWorld Wrestling Federation and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Among other accolades, he is a one-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, one-time WWF Intercontinental Champion, one-time WWF Tag Team Champion, and the 1998 WWF King of the Ring. World Wrestling Entertainment—formerly the World Wrestling Federation—has credited Shamrock for popularizing the ankle lock (later used by fellow professional wrestling world champions Kurt Angle and Jack Swagger), which was named by the organization as one of the top five submission holds in history.[11]
