Fighters like Jason Delucia,Maurice Smith,Oleg Taktarov & even Mark Coleman came to the Lion`s Den for training.
I think that Kens Lions Den in Modesto Ca has recently become Premier MMA training center.Although I`m not positive.
Legend of Lee Murray - Any one have any more Lions Den photo's?
RIP Bob.
Lion's Den would have been a good team for years to come if they learned BJJ sooner. I heard they hired some Brazilians to train them but it was way later in the game. They were ahead of their time because they concentrated so much on conditioning when nobody else really was.
Lions Den of the 90's in my mind is probably one the best teams to ever exist. Awesome roster
TTT for more Lions Den photos
Don't forget Alex Andrade and Joe Hurley.
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Richard Montoya also fought out of the Lion`s Den.
^^^
Damn.. Ken would have killed Tito back then.
Good thread.
Got to talk to Tre for a brief min after Strikeforce in Houston and got a pic with him. Was very cool. I've got some old pics from that Tito V Jerry fight, I was in the 2nd row behind Jerry's corner
CompanyBlue - Lion's Den would have been a good team for years to come if they learned BJJ sooner. I heard they hired some Brazilians to train them but it was way later in the game. They were ahead of their time because they concentrated so much on conditioning when nobody else really was.
LOL at them hiring Brazilians. Didn't happen and they were beating Brazilians. The decline of the Lions Den had much more to do with personalities than styles.
They were the first real team of mixed martial artists who trained like pro athletes.
If I remember correctly the guy in the left in the train track picture is Ken's brother, Robbie Kilpatrick.
crowbar - Who remembers Shamrock 2000?
I think Valeri Ignatov was part of that.
Loss Matt Hughes Decision (Unanimous) UFC 22 - There Can Be Only One Champion 9/24/1999 3 5:00
Loss Evan Tanner TKO (Elbows) UFC 19 - Ultimate Young Guns 3/5/1999 1 2:58
You are correct about Ignatov.He was billed as a leglock specialist.
Lion's Den were interesting in that they took Japanese shootfighting and applied to the new sport of NHB (not MMA). I think they took that emphasis on conditioning from Funaki and Suzuki, who in turn took it from Gotch and other Catch trainers.
Ruiz MMA -onepunchJD - ^^^
Damn.. Ken would have killed Tito back then.
Good thread.
With what a hurracarana from the top turnbuckle? Cmon now ken was roiding and tito still beat it up
LOL.. what?
Ken was roiding in the WWF, not for the Tito fight that happend years later.
The Ken in that picture would have smashed that Tito, or any Tito for that matter.
Anyways, there are other threads for that topic.
PETEY MY FIGHT TEAM!
PrideGP is The GAME - Guy Mezger was the best fighter the Lion's Den produced. He could still be a top fighter today with the skills he had.
He outwrestled Saku, Outstruck Liddell, and was beating Rogerio until he gassed out.
Mezger was awsome, I agree.
But other than Ken, Id have to say Frank was the best Lions Den fighter.
And Mezger didnt really outstrike Liddell, he was playing pattycake and Chuck was baiting him. Chuck is famous for that.
That was always one of my complaints about Mezger.. as good as he was, alot of times his standup looked like he was sparring. He tried to outpoint guys instead of put them away.
That said.. he really did let lose in the Wand fight. That was a great fight and one of my personal favorites. Both fighters impressed IMO.