Don Frye
MMA legend Don Frye is the newest member of the UFC Hall of Fame.
UFC officials today announced that Frye (20-9-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) will be inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame as part of this summer’s International Fight Week festivities along with heavyweight legend Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and UFC co-founder Bob Meyrowitz.
“Don Frye is a legend in this sport and one of the toughest guys to ever compete,” UFC President Dana White stated. “He was known for putting on incredible fights like his one with (Yoshihiro) Takayama in PRIDE, which is still to this day one of the craziest fights I’ve ever seen. Congratulations to Don Frye for being selected to the 2016 Class of the UFC Hall of Fame!”
Frye, 50, hasn’t appeared in active competition since December 2011. Following a successful wrestling career at Arizona State University, “The Predator” went on to have a 15-year MMA career, competing under the UFC, PRIDE and K-1 banners, among others.
He first graced the UFC’s octagon at UFC 8 in February 1996, winning the event’s tournament championship. Notable wins over the course of his UFC career included Tank Abbott and Gary Goodridge.
Frye would later take his talents to Japan where he would participate in one of the most memorable brawls in MMA history against Yoshihiro Takayama at PRIDE 21 in June 2002. He also earned victories over the likes of Ken Shamrock and Gilbert Yvel while competing with the now-defunct promotion.
Fighters previously inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame include Stephan Bonnar, Mark Coleman, Randy Couture, Royce Gracie, Forrest Griffin, Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, Pat Miletich, Tito Ortiz, B.J. Penn, Bas Rutten, Dan Severn and Ken Shamrock.
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