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From that point on, Shamrock and Gracie – who defeated Shamrock later that night – were the faces of the UFC. The two met again and fought to a draw in the first-ever UFC Super Fight. There were no judges back then, which many experts feel robbed Shamrock of a win in the rivals' second encounter. Shamrock would, however, be crowned the UFC's first Super Fight Champion after he defeated Dan Severn, a future UFC Hall of Famer himself, during UFC 6. Eventually, though, Shamrock and the UFC were forced to deal with a black eye of public scorn that would never heal. The sport, still in its infancy, looked as though it would never age, getting banned across the country due to its viciousness. Shamrock admits he never saw the UFC surviving when he left in the mid-90s. Thus, he moved on, and ironically, his departure would eventually lead to the rebirth of the sport. "When I left, I left because there was no money," he said. "I couldn't support my family." But pro wrestling could. So Shamrock began working for Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment). Wrestlemania – the industry's biggest event – saw Shamrock debut as a special guest referee in a match between two of wrestling's biggest names in Bret "The Hitman" Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. From there, Shamrock surprised many with his ability to adapt to the pro-wrestling style. He feuded with top stars like the Undertaker, Mick Foley and, most notably, "The Rock." During the "Attitude Era" of wrestling – its most prosperous time in history – Shamrock gained more than his share of added notoriety. He's also released two autobiographies, appeared in a handful of movies including "Virtuosity" with Denzel Washington and even had a cameo on "That 70s Show." "There's certain guys that have that thing, that charisma," White said, "Ken's got it." Hence, it made sense that Shamrock, nicknamed "The World's Most Dangerous Man," transitioned so well into the world of sports entertainment. The fact that it would transition into UFC history was something that became abundantly clear in the days leading up to Nov. 22, 2002. While Shamrock had been wrestling at venues such as Madison Square Garden and the Arrowhead Pond for blockbuster pay-per-views like Wrestlemania and Summerslam, the UFC had been surviving in places such as the Boatwell Auditorium in Alabama and the Pontchartain Center in Louisiana. That changed for good with Shamrock's return and the greatest blood feud in UFC lore.  Last man standing: Ken Shamrock twice defeated Kimo Leopaldo in UFC. Before the aforementioned Nov. 22 date with destiny, Shamrock, the creator of the Lion's Den fighting stable, had taken exception to the actions displayed by Tito Ortiz - the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" and, at the time, the UFC light heavyweight champion. The genuine animosity played out in press conferences and even with a heated war of words on "The Best Damn Sports Show Period." It came to a head with Shamrock's return to the octagon in front of a rabid crowd. "It was insane, the energy in the place was crazy," White said of the crowd gathered in Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena for UFC 40: Vendetta. "It was huge," said White of the fight's impact on UFC history. "It was our first mega fight." The fight lived up to the hype, as the brash, controversial Ortiz showed just why he was a champion, and Shamrock showcased the heart and fortitude that had made him a legend in the industry. His face grounded and pounded into a gruesome pulp, Shamrock had been defeated, his corner stopping the fight before the fourth round. He had returned to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, though. He had returned to an organization that he had pioneered to take it a step further. Monumental as the bout was to the UFC chronicle, it solved nothing between Shamrock and Ortiz. Both remained headliners, fighting other foes, but seldom were their names mentioned with the other's not following far behind. There were injuries, contract disputes and many a war of words that prevented a rematch. All the while, Shamrock kept with his craft. When Spike TV aired the first-ever live UFC card, it was Shamrock who was in the main event. It was the finale to the surprisingly successful first season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Uncertain as to the ratings the show would draw, White and Co. wanted a big-time main event with a big-time name to headline. Enter "The World‘s Most Dangerous Man." "Enjoy this man now because there's not a whole lot of guys like him. Ken Shamrock has evolved through the sport from the very beginning of bare-knuckle, no-rules competitions to sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission," stated UFC color commentator Joe Rogan as Shamrock made a familiar walk to the Octagon. "And how appropriate that this guy is in the headliner of the first mixed-martial arts card ever to be seen live on cable television." Before the fight, Rogan also referred to Shamrock's opponent, Franklin, as, "an unknown guy." He is now the UFC middleweight champion and one of the most recognized fighters in the business. On that night he knocked out a legend. Shortly thereafter, he embraced Shamrock and said, "Thanks for the opportunity." Consequently, it was "The Ultimate Fighter" – designed to give fresh-faced fighters the opportunity to fight in the UFC – that gave Shamrock what he wanted most – Ortiz. The two were made coaches for the show's third season with a pay-per-view rematch to follow its conclusion. In most viewers' eyes, Ortiz's brash image was lessened. Most saw him as the better coach – three of the four show finalists came from his camp, as did both winners. Most saw him relate better to the young fighters. Shamrock was cast in an unflattering light, as he never seemed to click with those whom he trained and seemed to be there just to fight Ortiz when all was said and done. In the end, all got what they wanted.
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