5 Ken Shamrock fights that never happened in the UFC

Ken Shamrock (R) during the World Grand Prix Semi-Finals: Vetell vs. Nelson
Ken Shamrock (R) during the World Grand Prix Semi-Finals: Vetell vs. Nelson

#4. Former UFC superfight champion Dan Severn - Trilogy

Ken Shamrock vs. Dan Severn was another missed opportunity for the UFC during the promotion's early years. In 1995, ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ submitted ‘The Beast’ to become the inaugural UFC superfight champion. This was significant at the time because it was the first recognized championship in the promotion’s history.

The first fight was a success on pay-per-view as the event generated a buyrate of 240,000. Shamrock was clearly one of the faces of the promotion and was a bankable star in the early years of MMA.

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Severn avenged his loss one year later, which was a bout that was heavily criticized. It’s understandable why the promotion decided against booking a trilogy after the rematch had been so negatively received. However, a third fight would’ve made sense considering they had split wins in title fights.


#3. Former UFC title challenger Tank Abbott

Ken Shamrock vs. Tank Abbott is another fight that never came to fruition in the UFC. There were moments where it looked like they’d faceoff in the octagon, but plans would change.

The bout looked like it’d become a reality at Ultimate Ultimate 1996, a tournament featuring former winners and runner-ups. Both men were in the same bracket and set to meet in the semi-finals after they won their first bout.

Abbott knocked out Carl Worsham at 2:51, while Shamrock submitted Brian Johnston with a forearm choke at 5:48. An injury would derail plans for the semi-finals as ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Man’ suffered a broken hand in his fight. As a result, Steve Nelmark stepped in and replaced him.

The promotion never rescheduled the fight, which could have generated interest. Shamrock likely would've been the favorite in a potential bout due to his accomplishments by that point and his submission ability.

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Edited by Saiyed Adeem Karim
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