CagePotato has an interview with Frank Shamrock today regarding his upcoming matchup with Cung Le and some other issues revolving around the UFC and his past problems with Dana White. It's a good read, and you should check it out. The quote that stuck out in my mind revolved around the stylistic matchup of Cung Le and Frank Shamrock:
CagePotato: How long has the fight with Cung Le been in the works?
Frank Shamrock: We really got serious about it three or four months ago. But it’s kind of been on my horizon for a while now.
Le’s a fantastic striker. How do you feel you match-up with him?
I’m hoping to stand up with him. I think MMA striking is a little bit different than traditional striking. And I don’t think he’s ready for the type of strength I can put on him. He’s going to be a good test for me.
Let me be the first to say that I think Frank Shamrock will destroy Cung Le. Why? Cung hasn't proven a ground game yet, and Frank's ground tactics are very good. As we've seen from other fighters in the past, interview answers don't exactly signal the truth.
With that said, I think Frank will come out, strike a bit, then put Cung to the floor and win easily. Cung has some good standup skills, but Frank is a veteran who still has the skills to put opponents away with both the standup and ground skills. Cung shouldn't be fooled, he will hit the mat and pay. Le should hit the ground training hard to have a good chance at winning.
Frank said before that he would fight Cung Le down the line because he wanted to see Cung progress more before they fought. At the time, I thought it was a good idea, and presently, I still believe Cung should have waited. He may have bitten off more than he can chew too quickly.