Shady Business: 10 Fight Fixing Scandals In MMA

From time to time, allegations of fight fixing have reared their ugly head in mixed martial arts (MMA) over the years, but in the vast majority of occasions, it’s been little more than wishful thinking. After all, you only need to look at the medical suspension lists after any major event to see that the […]

The post Shady Business: 10 Fight Fixing Scandals In MMA appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

From time to time, allegations of fight fixing have reared their ugly head in mixed martial arts (MMA) over the years, but in the vast majority of occasions, it’s been little more than wishful thinking.

After all, you only need to look at the medical suspension lists after any major event to see that the only fixes going on are to the broken bones and other assorted ailments that are part of a full-contact sport that lives up to the mantra of being ‘As Real As It Gets’.

That being said, particularly in the early years of the sport, and more often than not in Japan, there have been serious allegations of fight fixing that go beyond the realms of just baseless speculation.

In this article we’ll home in on 10 instances of such scandals, seeking to avoid guesswork where possible by focusing on firsthand accounts of shameful behind-the-scenes corruption that led to the line between reality and fiction becoming distorted and threatened to tarnish the sport’s credbility.

Ken Shamrock vs. Minoru Suzuki II

In 1995, Ken Shamrock was the ‘King Of Pancrase’ titleholder, but was also about to fight Dan Severn for the UFC 6 superfight championship title.

Rumors suggest that Pancrase’s head honcho’s were concerned that it would reflect badly on their promotion if he lost in the Octagon while still being their champion as so asked him to throw his next fight with Pancrase co-owner Minoru Suzuki.

In the fight at Pancrase: Eye Of The beast 4, Suzuki miraculously escapes a fully extended armbar, gets on top and then submits Shamrock soon after with a kneebar just 2:14 minutes into the fight.

There’s no official proof that the fight was fixed, but when asked point-blank to confirm long-standing rumors that it was a fix during an interview by ugo.com, Shamrock’s non-answer told fans all they needed to know.

”I can’t really talk about those things because of agreements and things that were set down by the organization,” Shamrock stated.

The post Shady Business: 10 Fight Fixing Scandals In MMA appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Tinfoil Hats: Top 10 MMA Conspiracy Theories

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you, so grab your finest tin foil hat and join us as we take a deep dive into the weird, wonderful and wacky world of MMA conspiracy theories! Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice Was A Work: Bellator’s decision in 2015 to put on a […]

The post Tinfoil Hats: Top 10 MMA Conspiracy Theories appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you, so grab your finest tin foil hat and join us as we take a deep dive into the weird, wonderful and wacky world of MMA conspiracy theories!

Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice Was A Work:

Bellator’s decision in 2015 to put on a fight between 51-year-old Ken Shamrock and 41-year-old former backyard brawler Kimbo Slice seemed like a terrible idea, and the resulting fight was indeed painful to watch.

On paper, Shamrock was the superior grappler, but despite taking Kimbo’s back and flattening him out early in the first round, his attempt to apply a rear-naked choke not only failed, but resulted in his opponent managing to escape, get back upright and then TKO him with strikes with just 2.22mins on the clock.

Fans took to social media to call the fight a fix, FOX Sport’s Katie Nolan questioned its validity and then Joe Rogan added fuel to the fire.

”That fight looked fake as f**k,” Rogan stated on his ‘Fight Companion podcast.

Rogan noted how Shamrock looked too relaxed during his walkout, suggested it was “suspect” that the two fighters were both, “mouth to ear for a long f*cking time” during a prolonged clinch early in the fight, and was left perplexed that Shamrock hadn’t landed a single punch after getting in an extremely dominant position on the mat.

It’s not the first time Shamrock has been the subject of fight-fixing allegations, but he has since angrily rejected Rogan’s insinuation.

“Don’t be hiding behind your mic and saying things that are not true,” Shamrock warned Rogan during an interview at the time, while also complaining that unfounded speculation like that could ruin his career.

The post Tinfoil Hats: Top 10 MMA Conspiracy Theories appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.