Quick Quote: Shamrock Says UFC Mishandled James Toney
Sherdog.com Staff Oct 6, 2010
Ken
Shamrock during a recent episode
of “The Savage Dog Show” on how the UFC promoted James
Toney:
“I believe they handled him wrong. I think that James Toney has earned the right to come into an organization, especially since he’s coming from boxing into MMA and taking a huge chance, that they should have matched him up with somebody that he at least would have had an opportunity to have success (against). They matched him up with a straight grappler. How in the world are you going to be able to have any success when you’re first coming into a new organization and a new industry that you have never, ever done before? Take away your (boxing) shoes and go in there and say, ‘OK, world champion of boxing, good luck.’”
Shamrock suggested an alternative path for Toney, proposing a three-fight deal in which Toney would have met another striker in his UFC debut. (It should be noted that Toney has said he declined a fight with Kimbo Slice to take on Randy Couture, who easily submitted him in the first round.) Shamrock believes setting Toney up for success initially would have created much greater interest leading up to a bout against a more grappling-oriented fighter.
“And then guess what?” Shamrock said. “Your buy rates go from being 900,000 to 1.5 or 2 million like boxing’s getting.”
“I believe they handled him wrong. I think that James Toney has earned the right to come into an organization, especially since he’s coming from boxing into MMA and taking a huge chance, that they should have matched him up with somebody that he at least would have had an opportunity to have success (against). They matched him up with a straight grappler. How in the world are you going to be able to have any success when you’re first coming into a new organization and a new industry that you have never, ever done before? Take away your (boxing) shoes and go in there and say, ‘OK, world champion of boxing, good luck.’”
Shamrock suggested an alternative path for Toney, proposing a three-fight deal in which Toney would have met another striker in his UFC debut. (It should be noted that Toney has said he declined a fight with Kimbo Slice to take on Randy Couture, who easily submitted him in the first round.) Shamrock believes setting Toney up for success initially would have created much greater interest leading up to a bout against a more grappling-oriented fighter.
“And then guess what?” Shamrock said. “Your buy rates go from being 900,000 to 1.5 or 2 million like boxing’s getting.”
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