UFC rivals are now coaches

By Carlos Arias

The Bas Rutten-Frank Shamrock rivalry gets renewed when Rutten's Los Angeles Anacondas take on Shamrock's San Jose Razorclaws in an International Fight League event Saturday night at The Forum.

Rutten and Shamrock both are former UFC champions and legends in the mixed martial arts world. Rutten won two of the three fights against Shamrock, but this time they go up against each other as coaches.

"The rivalry that has always taken place between Frank and I, the people know about that," Rutten said. "Now, instead of Frank and I fighting, it's our troops."

The IFL started with six teams in its inaugural season and has grown to 12 teams in 2007. Four more teams will be added in 2008. The IFL has television deals with Fox Sports Net, which airs a one-hour show Fridays at 11p.m., and with MyNetworkTV (KCOP/13 in Southern California), which airs a two-hour show Mondays at 8p.m.

"In the beginning, I thought is this going to catch on," Rutten said of the team concept the IFL was trying to bring to MMA. "Now, I believe in it 100percent."

Rutten said his fighters trained on their own, then came together for the fights in the 2006 season which led to mixed results. Rutten has his team training and living together this season.

"We do everything together," Rutten said. "We train, we eat, we go to movies. We went on a fishing trip to Cabo San Lucas. It's great."

Marco Ruas' Orange County Condors take on Ken Yasuda's Tokyo Sabres in the other match on the card.

(Source)