Don Fryes career took a toll on his body, but now that he is out of the hospital, he can see his two horses, Puzzle and Funk, which are his pride and joy. I need this more than anything. With his former day job, all his MMA wins and participation, as well as his acting career, Don Frye has a substantial net worth estimate of $2 Million. There, Frye took part in what is known as one of When he was doing pro wrestling in Japan, he was flying, so I went "authentically local news & community views", 2009-2023TucsonSentinel.com, Tucson, Arizona. I didnt pick it, it picked me, Frye said about fighting. The most special thing to him is his dog, he said. He took the role based solely off the plot, he added, with no monetary motivations. If youre a good-looking redhead or a good-looking blonde, come up there and give me a hug, Frye joked. different identity in Japan, said Jeff Spencer, one of Fryes close Damage CTRL, Indi Hartwell, Frye & Dawn & Shinsuke Nakamura drafted: SmackDown, April 28, 2023 . Don Frye Before Fame [ ] On 11-23-1965, Don Frye was born. That was Dan Severns and mine advantage. It shocked the hell out of me. (Photo by Andrew Lwowski/Cronkite News). Get the latest authentically local news from TucsonSentinel.com. punched me and knocked my feet out from underneath me so I had to grab Rey Mysterio tells Zelina Vega to trust her heart against Rhea Ripley: SmackDown . The UFC Now that Don Frye is out of the hospital, he can see his two horses, Puzzle and Funk, which are his pride and joy. Lwowski works as a reporter and photographer for Wrangler News and interned for Phoenix Magazine Visuals in spring 2022. that fight. everybody had their hands out. like a month and a half after my wife died.. Right: Don Fryes career took a toll on his body, but he still makes sure to care for his horses and property. They were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season. dont think I fought in the UFC until I was 30.. that time, the UFC was set up in a tournament bracket. (Screenshot courtesy of PRIDE FC), Overall, its a blur, but when you watch it, you think, Oh yeah, I remember that, Frye said in his distinctive, raspy voice. Severn has victories over the other He finished his UFC career with a 10-1 record while changing the game forever. shoulder). And it was Spencer who got Fryes pit bull, Quinn. people would like mob him. Oddly enough, those jobs set him up for his latest gig: a . Widely recognized as one of the first fighters to successfully combine various styles into a well-rounded MMA game, The Predator looked back on the reasons behind his early octagon success. We were all sitting there watching the fights, Frye recalled. Frye now enjoys a quiet life in Catalina, a rural community 30 miles the course of his career, Frye said he has had 45 or 50 surgeries, and After three rounds of what many considered to be a lackluster fight, the bout was ruled a draw. has something special with animals.. Don Frye Net Worth, Wife Mollie Frye and Kids. (Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images). The Predator had a professional MMA record of 20-9-1 with one no Don has two daughters with his wife Mollie Frye. I had a beautiful stallion. [15] He debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in August 1997, defeating Kazuyuki Fujita in his first match. There, Frye took part in what is known as one of the most iconic MMA fights of all time. Through watchdog reporting, local commentary & expert analysis, the Sentinel inspires residents to be meaningfully engaged with our community, promotes transparency & understanding, seeks solutions that empower, & holds the powerful accountable. Another rematch was on tap for Pride Shockwave 2003 on New Year's Eve, 2003 when Frye faced Gary Goodridge for the third time. martial arts promotion in the world, and on June 23, 2002, Frye and On my days off, Id shoe horses and Id just been through a really bad divorce, and going through an even worse one right now. Not listening to his body and masking the pain with medication shortened his career, he said. The Numerology of Don Frye [ ] Don Frye and Yoshihiro Nakao rematched at K-1 Premium 2004 Dynamite on December 31, 2004 with Nakao coming out on top and winning a unanimous decision, resigning the American to his sixth unsuccessful fight. about five or seven on this (left shoulder), about five on this (right On August 28, 2002, he took on Jrme Le Banner in a kickboxing match at the K-1/Pride co-promoted event Pride Shockwave, fighting in front of 91,107 people. Conclusion Despite Don Frye's challenges, he still proves to be a real fighter. I have never seen anything like it, Spencer said, recounting a story about Frye. Fyre figured the early childhood experience was just life as he My wife died in 1999, Spencer said. I was in the toilet where he met Frye. My wife died in 1999, Spencer said. When I Frye captured his first Ultimate Fighting Championship on Feb. 16, 1996 defeating Ramirez and two other opponents. He finished his career in 2011 with a pro MMA record of 20 wins. 2023 Cronkite News. Taking his first loss since fighting Mark Coleman in 1996, Frye was submitted by Yoshida via armbar in the first round. Dons former wife, Mollie took their daughters with her, leaving Don alone. The life of fighting or lack corner of the ring and exchanged right hands akin to Rock Em Sock Em appeared through his thick, burly mustache as Takayama the 6-foot-7, But one day, he suddenly disappeared from the fighting scene. He got me some fights across the country where I didnt get paid but thats pretty much how you test somebody.. His daughters help care for them and the property when he cant. Hall would later claim that Don Frye and manager Robert DePersia convinced him to throw the two fighters' semi-final match. Don Frye won his final belt in the UFC during Ultimate Ultimate 2 in 1996 before moving on wrestling and MMA in Japan. It gave me something to stay angry about and motivate me., Don Frye watches a tape of his most iconic bout, with Yoshihiro Takayama in 2002. Not listening to When the replay of the fight ended, Frye switched to a video of Takayamas current condition. Don Frye has two daughters with his ex-wife Mollie Frye. Joined: Were friends. And he couldnt believe it because everybody else that always hung around him always wanted something. My horse died back on Labor Day. Whenever Frye leaves the hospital, he stays with Spencer in Sierra Vista. moves used then are now illegal. But fighting is just one of the many chapters that altered Fryes life. Using his TV for the first time since it was given to him while he In their first encounter Frye had beaten the piss out of Hall, who'd refused to give up. Maybe not the present life, but hes got a lot of good memories, two beautiful daughters who take care of him, a beautiful bulldog, two beautiful horses, and some good friends.. His significant popularity in Japan in the 2000s might be attributed to his "good old tough fuddy-duddy" character reminiscent of sheriffs in some 1960s American movies. Family: He has two daughters with his wife Mollie Frye. Ultimate Ultimate 2 in 1996 while finishing as runner-up in UFC 10. Did you miss the debut of UFC 288"Countdown" or just want to watch it again? Takayama severed his spinal cord while performing a sunset flip for wrestling for Dramatic Dream Team Pro-Wrestling in 2017, which left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. that they didnt want anymore and so he called me and hes like, Can I At UFC 10 in Birmingham, Alabama on July 12, 1996, Frye returned to tournament format. In an interview, Frye mentions that unlike his fights where he has complete control, acting in a Godzilla film he had no control but enjoyed the experience nonetheless. Hell yeah. He departed the promotion to compete in K-1 and Hero's in 2004 but returned for the final Pride event in 2007. (Photo by Andrew Lwowski/Cronkite News). it was the wild wild West. The referee, Yuji Shimada, he was crying during the fight said it was an honor to be a part of that fight.. How do you top that?. His personal year number in 2023 is 5. I was a fireman down in Bisbee, Arizona, Frye recalled. Japanese pieces and photos of him and his two daughters fill his living When Don came back from California after his surgery and stroke, he Cronkite News is the news division of Arizona PBS. MMA Fighter Birthday November 23, 1965. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2016. Fryes cage name comes from his first English bulldog, and the first Predator movie, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Age 57 years old up there and did all the framing on the garage and put their trusses up Frye stormed into the fighting scene early, appearing as one of the He had died, then the divorce.. Frye won via technical knockout on the scorecard, but it was truly the viewers who won. When I broke the rod (in my back) the first time I didnt know it, I limped around for two, two and a half years. One, hes Japanese. Hell yeah. contest over his storied career. He retired from MMA in 1997 to pursue a career in professional wrestling with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and quickly became one of the company's leading heels. After being in Team 2000 for two years, Frye left the group and joined Keiji Mutoh's new stable, BATT, where he made a third attempt at the IWGP title in July 2001 but came up short again, falling to Kazayuki Fukita. After spending four years as one of Japan's top gaijin wrestlers, he returned to MMA with the Pride Fighting Championships in September 2001, much more muscular and sporting an American patriot persona in response to the September 11 attacks. daughters who take care of him, a beautiful bulldog, two beautiful That rage followed Frye throughout his career and beyond as he is set Frye, 56, clicked play on his TV. He was also noticeably more muscular and seemingly stronger than his UFC days, having gained 7 kilograms (15lb) in weight since his last MMA outing. 76.6K followers. He doesnt know how to go backwards, he just goes straight forward like a bull in a China closet.. You don't pull the mask off that old lone ranger, and you sure as hell don't touch Don Frye 's hat. 2023 Cronkite News. Took a big chunk out of my spirit that fighting spirit Birthplace Arizona . I never did that. living; he admitted hes a lot darker now.. That MMA fight 20 years ago was deemed so great, so fierce, that the Once a year, Frye performs this search and looks for openings or gaps that could be signs of pest activity, evidence of rodents (like droppings or gnaw marks) and termite mud tubes. His technique later became the basics of modern MMA. He perception from when he started, from divorces to injuries to making a Fryes memorable MMA career dates back to February 1996, at UFC 8, when he became a three-fight tournament winner after defeating Gary Goodridge in what remains one of his most noteworthy moments. And he couldnt believe it because everybody else that always hung Pro-Wrestling (DDT) in 2017. get paid but thats pretty much how you test somebody.. He on the matching ottoman with a sigh. Hes like an animal whisperer or something, he has something special with animals.. The induction also got him through a major back surgery, one that Last year, they opened the door and let me into the UFC Fan Expo, and I guess it went good enough that it made the other door open., Frye went on to brush off any lingering bad blood with White, who praised the soon-to-be Hall of Famer as a legend in this sport and one of the toughest guys to ever compete., We dont send each other Christmas cards, but you know, Frye said jokingly. He said no. He firstly went for the second time against Gary Goodridge, who brawled on the clinch before taking Frye down and landing headbutts, but the result was the same, as Goodridge tapped out as soon as Frye got dominant position. Follow. However, Frye had to choose between his day job and his love for boxing. It indicates that He is on life path 1. good hearted guy, and took care of people. Youre not a man anymore. Then the Road Dogg gets questioned by Chelsea Green: SmackDown Exclusive, April 28, 2023 . Don Frye made his Pride return after an almost four-year hiatus, taking on James Thompson at the last promotion's last ever event, Pride 34 on April 8, 2007. fight.. [13], After a two-year absence and at forty-six years of age, Frye was scheduled to face Mike Gonzalez for the Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight title. poor Jack, he was upset, had to tell me. Check out the main event preview now. 179 following. owes me, and Im like, Don, you dont owe me anything. Whenever Frye leaves the hospital, he stays with Spencer in Sierra Vista. Somewhere halfway between Japan and L.A., hed turn into Don The He debuted in 1996, winning UFC 8, finishing all three fights in under three minutes with Severn in his corner. The ex-wife, shed be loving and caring in front of everybody, but when we were alone, You just arent the man you used to be, not as tough as you used to be, you dont have the pain tolerance you used to have. Bio Don Frye, best known for being a MMA Fighter, was born in Arizona, United States on Tuesday, November 23, 1965. said. Four months after defeating Ken Shamrock, Frye returned to MMA to face Japanese professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama at Pride 21 on June 23, 2002. 383K views 15 years ago Don Frye has beaten up more men, for more money, in more places than you can even spell. When the replay of the fight ended, Frye switched to a video of [18], On October 2, 2005, Frye took part in AJPW's Wrestle-1 Grand Prix where he lost to Jamal.[18]. [25], For the professional wrestler who also used the ring name "The Predator", see, Later career and sporadic comebacks (2007present), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (19972002, 2004). Thats why we became good friends, because I knew him before he was Because John McCain was pulling his nonsense, so everybody was trying to crawl up McCains ass. Frye then faced Mark Hall for the third time in his career, but this fight was even shorter, with Frye getting a takedown and an Achilles lock for the give up in 20 seconds. Over the course of his career, Frye said he has had 45 or 50 surgeries, and his career started to spiral in the wrong direction when he became reliant on pain medication from his various injuries. Despite Don Fryes challenges, he still proves to be a real fighter. I had more than just wrestling or boxing, Frye said. Dan changed my life, Frye said. explosive combat fights, but what really powered his rage stems from On April 4, 1998, Frye won the Antonio Final Opponent tournament and earned the right to wrestle NJPW founder and wrestling legend Antonio Inoki in his retirement match, which took place later that night. As. In a fight that many consider to be one of Pride's most exciting matches, Frye and Takayama clinched in a hockey fight pose, each holding the head and hitting, with Takayama finally going to the body after more than a full minute of unrelenting, undefended shots. Frye captured his first Ultimate Fighting Championship on Feb. 16, 1996 defeating Ramirez and two other opponents. MMA fighting pioneer won the UFC 8 tournament and UFC Ultimate Ultimate 1996 Tournament. Irregular western flagstone paver flooring ties it all together. Oh, and hes got a special request, as well. Deep, GeneTunney7 and 15 others like this. the middle of the divorce at that time, and somebody had this bulldog [22], Frye provided the voice for the main villain Matt Ninesister in the third installment of the Stick 10: Even More Swag animated specials, The United League of Stereotypes. Her birthplace is Update Soon. Furthermore, his surgery was intended to fix two titanium rods in his back. https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2016/06/with-horse-gone-and-wife-leaving-don-frye-says-ufc-hall-of-fame-came-at-the-right-time, Twitter reacts to Mike Perry's TKO of Luke Rockhold, faceoff with Conor McGregor at BKFC 41, Eddie Alvarez def. A couple on my hand, couple on this (left) elbow, this (right) elbow, about five or seven on this (left shoulder), about five on this (right shoulder). However, he had to withdraw due to an injury and was replaced by UFC 1 entree Patrick Smith. How do you top that?. When he started getting a little bit famous, everybody had their hands out. I was in the toilet mentally, he said. He stole my soul. the most famous MMA fights of all time. Half a dozen horse saddles are stacked He didnt Frye finished his UFC career with a 9-1 record, with no fights going the distance. He found success in the sport he loved, but rooted in that journey is a dark past. [12], Following his tenure with the IFL and a one-off fight with Texas-based promotion NoLimit Fighting, Don Frye competed in his inaugural fight with the DEEP organization, fighting Japanese fan favorite Ikuhisa Minowa. He found success in the sport he loved but rooted in MMA veteran Don Frye has said he punched a UFC fan in the face after they challenged him to a fight. Don stopped doing professional fights in 2011 and has since been active in mixed martial arts. [5] In the quarter-finals, he set the record (since broken by Duane Ludwig and Jorge Masvidal) for fastest knockout in UFC history when his punches knocked down 410-lb Thomas Ramirez in just eight seconds. Old bullets, his fathers Air Force memorabilia, commemorative Japanese pieces and photos of him and his two daughters fill his living rooms wooden shelves. I was never the same after that. Find out how your news organization can use Cronkite News content. It was Fryes career and charisma that turned him into an legend He got me into the UFC when I And it just all worked out. In 2006, he made an appearance as an Aryan Brotherhood member in Miami Vice, lent his voice for The Ant Bully, and appeared in the Rob Schneider prison comedy Big Stan, along with fellow mixed martial artists Randy Couture and Bob Sapp in 2007. 247 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the "PWI Years" in 2003, This page was last edited on 26 April 2023, at 16:50. After a brief feud with Kensuke Sasaki at the end of that year, Frye joined Masahiro Chono's new stable, Team 2000, in early 1999. It was such a great fight, take the time to learn the mans name, because he deserves it. If I can make $50,000 in one night, with six weeks of training, its a hell of a lot better than working all year long just to make $45,000.. Katie Hobbs ordered. He would later win UFC 9 and Ultimate Ultimate 2 in 1996 while finishing as runner-up in UFC 10. Dont they talk to each other over there?, Then they showed another picture of me, and then another, and then I went, Holy (expletive), I think thats me!'. My friends said that horse was wild and that nobody else could even get close to it. Don Frye eased into his tan leather loveseat with a vibrant serape He's especially vigilant for any gaps where the foundation meets the rest of the building and around the sill plate. relative, and then at 10 or 11 while working as a dishwasher for a Don Frye vs. Sonny Westbrook The Samoa-born Westbrook, who was significantly older, provides security for the reality television series Dog The Bounty Hunter, and is a respected, even beloved trainer at Kona Boxing Club in Kailua, Oahu, Hawai'i. UFC on ESPN 44 results: Vintage Max Holloway outpoints gritty Arnold Allen MMA Underground staff Don bought everybodys lunch, hes a real admires for staying with him through the divorces, help with care of the Don Frye & Sonny First Fight djextreme808 70 subscribers Subscribe 512 Save 710K views 15 years ago Notice Age-restricted video (based on Community Guidelines) Almost yours: 1 week of TV on us. Frye stopped his opponent's takedowns and land punches, knees and elbows, and used a judo ude-garami on the jiu-jitsu champion, something that was unusual at the time. Find a staff list and description of our beats here. Spencer admitted he doesnt have many friends, and he doesnt like a biggest. this horse we were on this 10-acre thing, and it was on the other After joining, Frye would spend most of 1999 and early 2000 feuding with Scott Norton over the unofficial title of Gaijin Ace, took part in the G1 Tag League in 1999 with Chono, and make two challenges for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but was unsuccessful in each attempt. Reseda Country Club, Reseda, California, U.S. Wins the Ultimate Ultimate 96 Tournament. The daily news products are produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. The former mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, and actor married entrepreneur, Mollie Frye. Ever since Severn coached him at ASU, he knew Frye would do well. Spencer, a retired Battalion chief for the Frye Fire Department (no That year, he also assembled and coached the Arizona-based Tucson Scorpions in the International Fight League, but on November 9, 2007 announced on TAGG radio that he and the IFL had parted ways. The 56-year-old, who earnt himself a fearsome reputation across his illustrious . Don Frye will celebrate 58th birthday on a Thursday 23rd of November 2023. He got me some fights across the country where I didnt CATALINA, Ariz. Don Frye eased into his tan leather chair, loosened his back brace and rested a leg on the matching ottoman with a sigh. You get ripped off for a few million dollars, betrayed and lied to Then we just started punching.. When he started getting a little bit famous, Although he fought for 11 different debuted in 1996, winning UFC 8, finishing all three fights in under When Frye came back from California after his surgery and stroke, he was in a bad place, Spencer said. [16] He lost out to Keiji Mutoh in his first title shot in April 1999 and was defeated by Kensuke Sasaki in his second in February 2000. Don Frye was born on 1965-11-23. I didnt think it would ever happen, Frye said. The money, Frye said flatly. The life of a UFC Hall of Famer has sculpted Fryes life and experiences in his youth, and it still fuels him to this day. As Don Frye watches his famous bout with Yoshihiro Takayama, his emotions at the time flood back. I shouldve retired after the Takayama fight, said Frye, who had a storied 15-year career. He moved on to New Japan Pro-Wrestling and PRIDE FC, based in Japan, after his UFC career. The video covers the Top 10 FINISHES of Don "The Predator" Frye. He lives a simple life on a quaint 2-acre property backing up to the Catalinas. First at 6 by a family friend, then at 8 by an adopted family relative, and then at "10 or 11" while working as a dishwasher for a hotel in Sierra Vista. He's way too young to be having all these problems. Could overturning of Roe v. Wade impact athletic recruiting at Arizona universities? What started out as an easy way to make a couple of bucks or rather, a lot of extra bucks ended up becoming a career when, at a time when then-U.S. doesnt know how to go backwards, he just goes straight forward like a that the Japanese always talk about. His first fight, with Yoshihiro Nakao at K-1 MMA ROMANEX on May 22, 2004 ended in a no contest when Frye could not continue due to a cut sustained from an accidental headbutt early in round one. Despite his accomplishments, he retired from MMA in 1997 to pursue a career in . Don Frye was involved in one of the most memorable fights in MMA history, but his journey to get there wasnt always easy. Both fighters exchanged something more than just blows to the face. Don Frye departed Pride on the back of four consecutive losses and next appeared fighting under MMA rules in K-1. I thought to myself, You bunch of dumbasses, Dan Severn is already in the UFC Hall of Fame. If you can not make it to the visitation and service on Monday, you can send condolences and gifts of appreciation to Lee Ann Frye at 1001 Sherwood Avenue, Marysville, OH 43040-1340. Donald Frye (born November 23, 1965) is an American former mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, and actor. In his final boxing match, Frye lost via technical knockout to David Kilgour of Somis, California at the Reseda Country Club in Reseda, Los Angeles on December 11, 1990, bringing his professional record to two wins, five losses and one draw. and got it all framed in for him. the role purely based off the plot, with no monetary motivations, he Senator John McCain was actively campaigning against the sport he referred to as human cockfighting, Frye was forced to choose between his two occupations. Who won? said Dan Severn, who wrestled and coached at Arizona State Prior to him losing his wife and daughters, the fighter also lost his horse of 24 years. However, if it were not for Severn, Frye may have never graced the wrestling, Judo and boxing. Hell yeah. From there, he signed with Shark Fights stateside the following year. Overall, its a blur, but when you watch it, you think, Oh yeah, I many chapters that altered Fryes life. A lot of people that were around Don always wanted something from him, Spencer said. Soleil Moon Frye's daughters Jagger, 10, and Poet, 12, might follow in her footsteps when it comes to pursuing a career in show business. However, at the finals of the event, Frye faced Mark Coleman, who was considered the "godfather" of the ground and pound strategy Frye often followed. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. Readmore, In 2022, while was running for U.S. Senate, then-Attorney General Brnovich suddenly agreed to execute Aaron Gunches - even though he had not carried out any executions in the first seven years of his term - but the new regime had concerns about how executions were carried out. His pride and joy come from a cigar, his pitbull, bring it home? and Im like Yeah. Swear to God, as soon as that dog
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