On tonight's Bellator 145 : With a Vengeance broadcast, Bellator CEO Scott Coker brought out Kurt Angle to announce a February 19 2016 bout in Houston between Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie. This will be their third MMA match and first since a draw at UFC 5 in April 1995.

Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie first faced off at the inaugaral UFC event on November 12th, 1993. Royce defeated Shamrock in 57 seconds with a rear naked choke in the tournament semi-finals. Royce would go on to win that tournament to become the first UFC tournament champion. The two would face-off again less that 2 years later at UFC 5. The two fought to a 36 minute draw for the first Superfight Championship.

Feb. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas at “Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie.” will be their 3rd and hopefully last match.

Also announced for the first tentpole event of 2016 is the return of Kimbo Slice vs Dada 5000.

Kurt Angle, during his announcement, teased a match between he and Shamrock and that could be the direction they'd head, should Shamrock win.

48/51 years old?

Yeah. Freak show. But...a freak show that will sell. If Gracie is still Gracie he will win i would think. But I'm hardly an expert.

Intrigued by teases of Angle vs Shamrock. Angle would draw pretty big. And I think its been a dream of his to have one fight. He and shamrock would definitely know how to sell it.

Could also be Angle trying to leverage some media

Attention into a WWE deal.

Yikes Bellator ... just yikes....

 

I'd take a Sakuraba vs Gracie over this....  Shamrock is so far gone that I'd assume nearly everyone on this board could KO the guy.   

 

I think Tank Abbott would put up more of a fight....

 

This reeks of Yamma...

Good luck getting that fight sanctioned. Royce weighs a buck seventy, at best, while shamrock just fought Kimbo at a 232lb catch weight.

I'm opposed to the freak show. It's business. UFC used to be against signing guys who would sell but hasn't paid their dues in MMA but even they changed their tune

Marketable fighters don't grow on trees.

Lol Dada 5000 is fighting Kimbo....  I have lost respect for Coker....  

 

Strikeforce cards were at least half decent with talent and great prospects... this is just plain bad.

 

Kimbo was popular 5 years ago if even then.....   nobody gives a crap about Shamrock these days.  

 

I'd actually rather see Frank Shamrock vs Royce Gracie then Ken.....lol

It's all about what draws.