"I'm just commentating. I am retired. I tell you man, I had enough of it. I decided I'm just going to get drunk and get fat and watch everybody else fight. That is the best way to live, the retired life (laughing). If I get paid not to get punched out, then why the heck wouldn't I do that and not get punchedÂ…I hope I don't screw it up and I hope I can be half as good as Bas because I tell you what, he is the best color commentary guy out there. He is the guy everybody can shoot for and strive to be. Bas is the man," stated MMA legend Don Frye as he talked more about his recent decision to retire from fighting to instead continue his MMA career behind the microphone as a commentator. Check out what else he had to say about the upcoming UFC 109 clash between Randy Couture and Mark Coleman and much more.
PC: How is everything going Don?
DF: Good partner, good. I'm just running a new fence line today. My Stallion's tore down their gates and busted out and got together last night. I walked out to go take a leak and there they were, so I had to rig the fence line last night to just get through the day.
PC: Big news on your end. Shark Fights just signed you to a 10-fight commentary gig. How excited are you about that?
DF: I'm real happy about that. Any time I can get somebody to pay me to talk, you can't beat that, can you?
PC: You surely can't, but it can be a dangerous thing to put you behind a microphone.
DF: They're going to find that out. We will see if it lasts longer than one fight. They may get booted off of the networks or whatever they have nowadays.
PC: You are very educated on the fight game and you are more than qualified for the job. Do you think we need more fighters and ex-fighters with commentating gigs?
DF: Hell yeah because I tell you what it's like. Having a broad in a football locker room, there is just no place for them in there. People that have done the sport can see stuff that nobody else can see and they can talk about stuff that someone who hasn't fought would understand. If you have never cooked before in your life, why are you going to do a cooking show?
PC: Where does this commentary job put you as a fighter? Will you still fight for the promotion as well?
DF: No, I'm just commentating. I am retired. I tell you man, I had enough of it. I decided I'm just going to get drunk and get fat and watch everybody else fight. That is the best way to live, the retired life (laughing). If I get paid not to get punched out, then why the heck wouldn't I do that and not get punched?
PC: What was the final straw that made you say you have had enough?
DF: I was tired of it. I was tired of all of the backstabbing and tired of the nonsense with Herschel Walker, Jose Canseco and every other moron out there jumping in. They don't know anything about it and they're getting paid more than the people that put in a decade, half a decade or two decades. It just doesn't make sense. There is no respect for the sport and that's starting off with the dog gone promoters doing crap like that. It's an insult when a guy like Kimbo Slice can come into an established organization and make more money than some of these guys who have dedicated their life to this. Sure, he is an internet sensation and he ran down Florida and beat up a bunch of crack heads, but jeez Louise, who can't do that?
PC: We have 2 old school guys coming up at UFC 109; Mark Coleman against Randy Couture. Who do you like in that fight?
DF: I like them both. I think it's going to be one hell of a fight. It will be the best fight on that card, that's for sure. You got 2 old boys that's going to throw some blows in that fight. They are skilled, top athletes, Olympic-caliber athletes and you really can't call it if they both show up healthy, but unfortunately for Mark, he has had trouble showing up healthy for the last couple of years. If they are both healthy, you are going to see the fur fly.
PC: They have been showing the best of Pride and recently showed some of your fights. What do you miss most about the organization?
DF: The show was top notch and they treated you with respect. They didn't stand there and cuss at you at yell at you. They made you feel like a professional athlete and they made you feel like a success. They made you proud to be involved with the company as long as you went out there and gave 100%.
PC: You were a pretty intense fighter. How do you separate that from Don Frye the commentator?
DF: I don't know. It's going to be interesting, I tell you that much. I used to commentate a few shows and I used to go off on there about guys. I'm retired now, so I don't have any reasons to talk trash about anybody. I'm just going to be like everybody else; happy to be alive and happy to be there.
PC: Best of luck to you in retirement and as a commentator. I look forward to speaking with you once you have gotten a show under your belt. Is there anything you want to say in closing?
DF: I hope I don't screw it up and I hope I can be half as good as Bas because I tell you what, he is the best color commentary guy out there. He is the guy everybody can shoot for and strive to be. Bas is the man.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]