No Quit in Frank Shamrock

By Michael David Smith - Lead Blogger

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CHICAGO -- On a chain around his neck, Frank Shamrock wears the metal plate that held his arm together after he needed surgery to repair a bad break. Ask him about it, and he doesn't hesitate to show off the long surgical scar on his arm. The plate and the scar are sources of pride from a 15-year career as a mixed martial arts fighter.

That break came courtesy of a Cung Le kick in March of 2008, and in his only fight since then, Shamrock lost to Nick Diaz. But if you think the 36-year-old Shamrock is at the end of his career, think again.

"I'm looking at fighting for eight more years," Shamrock told FanHouse on Wednesday. "I'm in good shape, and this is what I do. I'm a martial artist."

Shamrock, who will work as an announcer for CBS on Saturday night's Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers card, said he understands he has to make some concessions to Father Time. But not too many.

"I'm not going to be the guy I was when I was in my 20s," Shamrock acknowledged. "No one is. That doesn't mean I can't keep fighting into my 40s."

As he looks ahead to his late 30s and early 40s, Shamrock says the fights he really wants are rematches. He said he'd love to avenge some of his past losses, such as the one to Le -- and he said Le, who hasn't fought since beating Shamrock and has pursued acting roles, is kidding himself if he thinks he's going to be a movie star.

Shamrock said he'd also love to avenge his disqualification loss to Renzo Gracie, and a rematch with Diaz could be in the cards again. Shamrock is also open to a fight with Dan Henderson, should Strikeforce sign the former Pride champion and UFC star.

But as Shamrock prepares to call the Strikeforce middleweight title fight between Jake Shields and Jason Mayhem Miller, he said he doesn't view himself as a good candidate to take on the winner.

"If they give the next middleweight title shot to me, it's because I have a famous name," Shamrock said. "It would be because it would bring in TV viewers, not because I've earned it."

But to Shamrock, championship belts are less important than promoting the sport he loves. Shamrock proudly displayed his book, Mixed Martial Arts for Dummies, and talked about wanting to work both inside and outside the cage at making MMA bigger.

"I'm excited," Shamrock said. "It's great to be part of the growth of the sport."

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