I spoke with legendary fighter Ken Shamrock today. Ken is fighting on February 13 at the WarGods event, which is fittingly called the Valentine's Day Massacre. I spoke to Ken about the show, his fight and a whole lot more. TheGARV.com: Hey, Ken. This is quite a thrill for me. I've been following your career since UFC 1. I know you have a fight coming up next month. Who are you fighting? Ken Shamrock: I'm fighting Bo Cantrell. The original plan was to fight John Marsh but he couldn't get ready in time. So Bo Cantrell was another opponent that we also thought would be a good fight and he stepped up to the plate. So we're going to step up and fight Bo Cantrell on February 13th in Fresno, California. And it's going to be the Valentine's Day massacre, Friday the 13th. TheGARV.com: Sounds like a horror movie title Ken Shamrock: (Laughs) Yep. TheGARV.com: And you are co-promoting this show with WarGods, correct? Ken Shamrock: Right now, WarGods is the one promoting this fight, but KSP [Ken Shamrock Productions] is going to assist, because I'm fighting on the card. So we're looking down the road at doing a lot more co-promotions with them. TheGARV.com: I understand you've opened a new Fighter House in Reno. Ken Shamrock: Yeah, we have 4 guys there now and we have spots for six more. We're looking to fill the spots with some guys who are looking to do something in MMA. We've got some great opportunities for anyone that wants to come down and just train and focus their life on MMA. TheGARV.com: I remember the old Lion's Den, you put those guys through hell. You plan on doing that to these guys? Ken Shamrock: (Laughs) That's the thing. To get in you really got to be into MMA. These are the guys that really want to do it, not wasting your time with guys who think they want to do it. TheGARV.com: I talk to Frank Shamrock on a regular basis. Every time I speak with him, he talks about fighting you. Is that going to happen? Ken Shamrock: Well, as far as I'm concerned, yes. I've always said let's do it. For some reason it never happened. I'm all for it, man. I say put it together and let's do it. And I've always said that. So I'm in the same position I was in ever since this thing's been brought up the past four years. Put it together and let's do it. TheGARV.com: So it sounds like it could happen in 2009. Ken Shamrock: Yep. We're supposed to be moving forward on it, but the last I heard was my brother Frank saying that it's getting to difficult to put this thing together. So I have no idea what that means. I know for me, I don't see what's difficult about it. You put it together and you do it. TheGARV.com: Next time I talk to Frank, I'll ask him about that. Ken Shamrock: I'm sure that he'll find a reason that has nothing to do with him but it's all to do with me. And the bottom line is it doesn't really matter what's happening, a fight's a fight, put it together and fight. TheGARV.com: Well, since Frank and you both want it and the fans want it, no reason for it not to get done. Ken Shamrock: Absolutely right. TheGARV.com: You were supposed to fight Kimbo, but got cut and couldn't fight. Do you still want to fight him? Ken Shamrock: Oh yeah. You know, when someone turns their back on you and disrespects you and then you don't get a chance to put your fist in his face, it kind of lingers on with you. I felt he was disrespectful and I didn't get a chance to shut his mouth. So that's my position on it. I want to fight him and I want to smash his face. TheGARV.com: And this month we have Fedor fighting Arlovski. Do you think Fedor is the best heavyweight right now? Ken Shamrock: Absolutely. The only thing is they don't sell tickets. For some reason promotions have failed to get them guys in the spot light, and failed to get them guys recognized and known throughout the world. The promotions are not doing their jobs of getting these guys over. TheGARV.com: Unlike the UFC? Ken Shamrock: Absolutely. Let's face it. Everyone who has fought for the UFC has been able to get over and get popular. I did it pretty much all on my own, with the UFC as a catalyst or as a shuttle to the media. But there's one thing I knew; I knew how to market myself. I knew how to get myself out in front of the media and I knew how to position myself to make exciting fights. That's something that fighters need to learn. They need to learn that it's not just about the fight, it's also about entertainment. It's about the fans and about the fans wanting to watch you fight. You have to find out what people like about you. You gotta find it and bring it out. Because it is about entertainment when it comes to making money. When it comes to being a great fighter, that's between just you and it's a good feeling for you. But if you want to make a living at this business you've got to be able to go out and get the fans to want to watch you fight. TheGARV.com: I actually bought UFC 1 on PPV and I wasn't expecting much, but when Tuli's tooth went flying out of the Octagon, I knew this was for real. Ken Shamrock: Along with millions of other people (laughs). TheGARV.com: Exactly. Now, to me it seems that it was important in the history of MMA that Royce won that fight. What do you think would have happened if you beat him that night? Ken Shamrock: Well, I think it wasn't Royce Gracie winning [UFC 1], I think what really set the standard was exactly what you just said, was when Teila Tuli's teeth came flying out into the front row. I think if you would have had a fight--very first fight--and it was Royce Gracie and Art Jimmerson, and they would have seen that first, people would have crapped all over the place. They would have just turned the tv off. Because that's not what people were looking for. They were looking for exactly what happened, with the teeth flying. What happened first sent the tone for MMA, what it is today. Whether or not Royce Gracie won was irrelevant, I believe. I think that because the first fight was so brutal and so real, that's what set the stage for MMA. TheGARV.com: That's an interesting viewpoint. When I saw the tooth fly, I was like, this is different. Ken Shamrock: Because if it's Royce Gracie choking out Art Jimmerson, that's pro wrestling. People are going to look at it and go that wasn't real. Now, when [Gordeu] went out and kicked [Tuli] in the face, I'm sorry, but there's no way you can act that. So therefore, from that point on, when Royce Gracie went out there and choked out Art Jimmerson, it made it more believable. And when I did the ankle lock on Patrick Smith, it made it more believable to people that that really happened. Because of what happened first, they were thinking this shit is real. TheGARV.com: (Laughs) Oh man, those were the days. I remember you standing over Pat Smith after the sub and it looked like Pat kind of kicked your leg while he was still down. I thought you were going to go after him again. Ken Shamrock: That was pretty intense. (there was more here, but his signal broke up). TheGARV.com: You've fought since the beginning. Back in the day, there were no rules. Do you prefer no rules or do you like the rules in place now? Ken Shamrock: You know, I'm torn between both.  I don't like the rules because I like when two guys go in there that you settle it. No matter how it goes, whether you wait two hours to finish the fight, but either way a guy settles it. But that's just the purist, the fighter in the heart, not going to the judges and all that. But the other sense is me wanting to do it for a living, to make money at it. And that's why I'm torn. Because I know going the straight no holds, no time limit, you can be there forever and it just doesn't sell on TV. The other way sells on TV and that means I can still do what I love to do and make money at it. That's why kind of why I'm torn between the both. I'm a purist.  I want to make a living doing what I love doing. TheGARV.com: Are there still any old time UFC guys you want to fight? I know there was some bad blood between you and Tank, for example. Ken Shamrock: That's funny that you bring that up because Ken Shamrock and WarGods plan on doing that. I'm fighting this next Friday the thirteenth and I'm going to be fighting Bo Cantrell. And then in March in Reno, I'm going to be fighting Tank Abbott. TheGARV.com: Wow, that's been a grudge match I've been wanting to see for years. Awesome. Ken Shamrock: There's a lot of fans that have followed this for years, die hard fans, that want to see this and reminisce a little bit. TheGARV.com: For me personally, there was nothing like the excitement of those early UFCs. Ken Shamrock: Because you had strikers and you had grapplers and there were no guys that really cross trained because no one knew how to yet. So it was definitely disciplines going against each other and it was exciting to see that. TheGARV.com: Ken, this was great, much appreciated. Good luck against Bo Cantrell! Ken Shamrock: Thanks, brother.

And other good stuff.

This article comes courtesy of the good folks at Affliction. It's a everything you ever wanted to know about Fedor...and more. Demystifying Fedor Growing curiosity surrounds the whereabouts of current MMA megastar and WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko, who is set to face the fierce Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski at the fast approaching Affliction M-1 “Day of Reckoning.” Widely considered the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist in the history of the sport, Fedor has always had an air of mystery about him, causing fans to speculate wildly about his personal life and skills. But recently released information from his inner circle reveals that Fedor is deeply entrenched in fight preparations, with little time for anything else. Sequestered in his training camp in the small, secluded town of Stary Oskol in a remote Southwest corner of Russia, Fedor prepares for what will surely be one of his most challenging fights to date. To arrive in this ancient and isolated city takes a lengthy 12-hour train ride from Moscow, followed by a three hour bus ride. Fedor reveals exclusive facts and quotes about his training regimen and his upcoming fight at a “Day of Reckoning,” to take place on January 24th at Honda Center in Anaheim, California and live on Pay-Per-View. FEDOR “The Last Emperor” EMELIANENKO Insider Training Facts: Trainers At 12 years old, Fedor’s family could not afford to buy him the Judo suit and training shoes he needed for class, so his first trainer, Vasiley Gavrilov, bought them for him. Fedor remains loyal to his earliest trainers, such as Vladimir Voronov, who has trained him since he was 12 years old, long before his MMA career began. Voronov specializes in Sambo and Judo. In 1997, he was training Fedor for the Russian national Judo team, in preparation for the Olympics. Since amateur athletes in Russia at the time received no economic support from the government, many fighters would work as hired muscle for the mafia. So in 2000, Voronov and Fedor decided to focus on MMA. At that time, Fedor enlisted Alexander Michkov to be his second trainer and striking coach. Michkov is a “Master of Sport” in boxing, the highest level a boxer can achieve in Russia. He has been with Fedor and Voronov since 2000. Fedor often travels to Holland to train with Yogan Vos and Lucien Carbin, two more reputable members of his training circle, who focus on developing his Muay Thai skills. Stary Oskol- Russia Stary Oskol is a small mining town in the Belgorod region of Russia, located 385 miles south of Moscow. The city sits on one of the largest iron ore deposits in the world. With more than eight million tons of iron ore mined there per year, most locals make their living in the mining industry in one form or another. The population of about two hundred twenty-five thousand live eight thousand feet above sea level. At this time of year, Stary Oskol is in the dead of winter and covered in a thick layer of snow. Although there is a small airport in the city, it is rarely used throughout the year, and never in the winter. Everyone in the town knows Fedor and praises his signature humility. Locals say that the 235 pound powerhouse is the most humble person they know, despite his great talent and success. Fedor still lives in the same apartment and drives the same Toyota given him by town officials in honor of his achievements. Temperature A typical day for Fedor in the camp is marked by extremely cold temperatures. The highs throughout camp are in the mid-teens (Fahrenheit) and the lows are from negative four to negative eight degrees. It snows around 11 hours each day, and today left an additional 2.6 inches of snow on the ground. Tomorrow there is a 70% chance of snow. Fedor loves the challenge of these training conditions, because it gives him strength and perseverance. Training Regimen Fedor trains twice a day—once in the morning at 10am and again at 5pm. He first does cardio before every training session. Then he works on technique and strength training for a couple of hours. He finishes with some grappling and sparring. Living Accommodations While Training Fedor’s living accommodations are very basic when he’s training in Stary Oskol. The team lives in small rooms near the training facility where everything is simple and clean. There are no big training machines, no treadmills, or other complicated equipment common to all gyms in the U.S. Fedor prefers to use the resources of his natural surroundings for training. He loves to exercise and run outside, even though the winters are very cold, and he makes a point to do certain exercises outside in the elements to get his blood flowing. The simplicity helps Fedor become creative, adaptable and train harder. Training Partners Fedor’s training partners from the M-1 Global and Red Devil stable of fighters are a combination of both youthful athleticism and veteran skills. The Red Devil Academy is in St. Petersburg, Russia. It consists of a team of MMA fighters who compete on a regular basis. Fedor and his brother, Aleksander Emelianenko, both belong to the Red Devil Academy. Fedor also works out with long time training partner and fellow M-1 Global fighter, Roman Zentsov. Zentsov is a veteran fighter who has competed in over 30 professional MMA fights. He fought Andrei Arlovski in an M-1 cage in September of 2000, losing by TKO. His specialties are boxing and wrestling, and he has been a sparring partner of Fedor’s for several fights. Fedor also trains with his protégé, Kiril “Baby Fedor” Sidelnikov. Sidelnikov is a 20-year-old phenom, who will be appearing on the Affliction M-1 “Day of Reckoning” card against Paul Buentello. Most recently, Sidelnikov led the Red Devil team into the finals of the 2008 M-1 Challenge. Sidelnikov is a very talented fighter with great stand up and grappling skills. Nutrition Fedor does not have a cook or a specific diet, but sticks to eating three meals a day. While he strives to eat healthily, he does not go out of his way to limit himself. Mostly, Fedor’s diet consists of meat, fish, vegetables and fruits. He also takes in as much liquid as he can, such as fresh juices and herbal teas. Fedor tries to stay away from soda, french fries and candy—some of his favorites when not training. He also refrains from drinking alcohol when he is training. Interview with Fedor: What is your training regimen like? “Generally, all fighters train the same. But everyone puts their own accents on preparation, their own unique styles and preferences depending on their needs at the time. Every fighter, myself included, has certain exercises that they focus on based on the task at hand. But there are no secret exercises that lead me to victory, just hard work in whatever I do.” Why do you choose to live and train there? “There is no other choice. This is my home. This is my land. I would not want to choose anywhere else.” Do you think this will be one of the hardest fights of your career? “Yes, Andrei is a very skilled and dangerous fighter, another tough UFC Champion on my resume. I expect a very difficult fight similar to my fights with Noguiera. I must be very prepared.” What are you worried most about and what are you working on in camp to prepare for this? “Andrei is very quick on his feet. When he uses his speed in his stand-up, he can be very dangerous. We must work to neutralize his effectiveness on his feet.” How do you stay calm before a fight? “I just try to approach every fight in a smart manner, so I am completely prepared for anything that can happen. And I always try to keep my composure and think quickly in the ring. Good preparation leads to calmness.” What does the gym look like that you train in? “It looks like any other training gym. Mats, ring and training equipment. But it is the location that is the difference. We are high in the mountains and the high elevation is good for cardio and muscle endurance. We train in an area that is famous for its strong people. It feels more like home here.” Do you get nervous before a fight; and if so, when does it happen? “I get nervous just like anybody else but I try to compose myself around fight time. I have good trainers that help me stay calm. I just know that I have a job to do and I just try and go out and do it professionally.” Do you do any other exercises outside? “Yes. Nature is always more tasty. I love to do exercises outside although it has been cold. But we still run outside and do certain exercises to get the blood flowing.” Do you have to watch your weight when training? “No not really. I am usually in pretty good shape. It is just a matter of getting into fighting shape. The training allows my body to find its natural weight for the fight.” What time do you wake up and go to bed? “I wake up around 8am and go to sleep around 11pm.” What are your favorite foods you have to give up while training? “Well, there is no drinking vodka for one thing. And I can’t have any sweets.” Family Fedor spends most of his time with his family. He has two daughters—Marina, who is nine years old and Vasilia, who is one. He likes to play with them, take them to the zoo, take them for rides and shopping, but he particularly likes to read books to them. He has two younger brothers, Aleksander and Ivan, and an older sister, Marina. Both of his brothers have trained in MMA. His father, Vladimir, was a steel worker and his mother, Olga, was a teacher. Fedor attributes much of what he has accomplished to his mother as she always encouraged him to pursue martial arts. Do you see your family when you are training? “Yes. It calms me.” Is it hard to be a father having to be away from home when you are traveling for business? “Yes. I am always looking for a department store or toy store when I am traveling so I can bring something back to my kids. I am also always talking to them on the phone.” Do your kids know what you do? Have they ever seen you fight or watched one of your fights on tape? “My youngest is too young, but the oldest knows. She has never seen me fight however.” Best Friend/Relationships His best friend is Dennis, a friend since they were kids. Dennis helps him train, comes out to all of his fights and is always in his corner. Fedor is also an acquaintance of the Former President of Russia Vladimir Putin. What is your relationship with Vladimir Putin? “We do not talk on a regular basis. It is just that he had seen one of my fights on TV and took an interest. Vladimir Putin has always been very kind to me and I have always appreciated his interest in my career and the sport of MMA. We have in common our love for Sambo, the National sport in Russia as well as MMA. Vladimir Putin is a black belt in Judo and a master in Sambo. I have promised him that I would always participate in Sambo if I was able to, so that I could be a role model for young people in Russia and continue the rich tradition of the sport. After I beat Matt Linland in Russia, Vladimir Putin was very kind and invited all of the fighters and their camps to the Presidential Mansion.” Outside of Training Most of Fedor’s free time is spent with friends and family. He usually just goes with the flow, depending on what his friends want to do—barbecuing, fishing, or whatever. On his own time, he goes to church. He also enjoys reading and drawing. Favorite Movie/ Actor: He likes American action movies and Bruce Willis is his favorite actor. Favorite Music When he was younger, Fedor was musically gifted, but his mother made him choose between the accordion and Judo. He chose Judo. Fedor enjoys listening to anything from classical music to hip-hop. Favorite Food He loves a good steak and lobster. What were you like when you were younger? “I was a pretty independent and responsible child. My two focuses were studying and training. I fell in love with Judo at the age of 12.” What other sports do you like? “Soccer, swimming and basketball.” Do you like traveling? “Not really. I like staying home and being with my friends and family. I miss them when I am away.” What countries do you like to visit? “Japan and the United States and any place that has scary roller coasters.” How would you like to be remembered in the sport? “As someone that was a good ambassador of a growing sport, that always wanted to fight the best fighters and always gave the fans the best he could give.”

Josh Barnett is 1-1 against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Their first fight ended with a split decision victory for the Baby Faced Assassin, but Big Nog took the rematch by UD. Now, in an interview with 8 Count News, Barnett says he's doesn't care if Nog is shot as a fighter, he still wants to fight him and lay a beat down on the legendary Brazilian. From 8 Count News

8CN - Mir really looked good in his last fight. Josh Barnett - Yeah, but I think what is shocking is how, not good, Nougeira looked. I’m sure Mir is sick of hearing how Nog is washed up instead of how Mir performed well, but it’s the biggest victory he has to date, and anyone who’s followed Nog and seen him fight in the past knows that he just looked so terrible. 8CN - Would you want to fight Nog a 3rd time? Josh Barnett – Absolutely. I don’t care if he’s washed up I just want to beat the crap out of him.

I know that fight fans would love to see a rubber match between these two. Hopefully one day it will happen. But for right now, Josh needs to focus on his hard-hitting Affliction opponent, Gilbert Yvel.

Uriah Faber is gearing up to meet Jens Pulver again on January 25th. Here he talks about how important this fight is for him.