Ken Shamrock Calls His UFC 9 Loss to Dan Severn the Worst Title Fight in UFC History

Ken Shamrock has some strong feelings about one of the most notable chapters of his combat sports career — and they aren’t flattering. The MMA and pro wrestling legend appeared on Busted Open to reflect on his second encounter with Dan Severn, and he didn’t mince words, calling the bout the worst title fight in UFC history.

The fight in question took place in May 1996 at UFC 9, where Severn defeated Shamrock in the main event to claim the Superfight Championship. It was a rematch of their first meeting, and while it settled the question of who held the title, Shamrock’s own assessment suggests the contest left a lot to be desired from a competitive standpoint.

Shamrock is one of the most recognizable figures in the early days of both UFC and professional wrestling. He was a founding member of the UFC Hall of Fame and went on to have a significant run in WWE during the Attitude Era, where he feuded with the likes of Bret Hart and Steve Blackman. Severn, for his part, also crossed over into the wrestling world, spending time in WWE as well as the NWA, where he held championship gold.

The candid self-reflection is notable coming from Shamrock, who rarely shies away from revisiting his career highs and lows. Whether fans agree with his harsh verdict on the fight or not, there’s no question the 1996 rivalry with Severn remains one of the more discussed chapters in early UFC lore.