As. 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. Took a big chunk out of my spirit that fighting spirit Age 57 years old One, hes Japanese. lot of people, but Frye has always been there, even during the toughest 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. couple on my hand, couple on this (left) elbow, this (right) elbow, By 1998, Frye began to rise in the ranks as he quickly became one of the company's lead heels. A They were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season. everybody had their hands out. However, Frye had to choose between his day job and his love for boxing. After a quick technical knockout of Sam Adkins in the semis, taking him down and landing hammerfists to the face for the TKO, he met with Gary Goodridge in the final, and forced the Trinidadian to submit simply by gaining dominant position at the 2:14 mark, though not without landing multiple uppercuts standing and punches on the ground. He finished his UFC career with a 10-1 record while changing the game forever. Spencer, a retired Battalion chief for the Frye Fire Department (no The video covers the Top 10 FINISHES of Don "The Predator" Frye. around for two, two and a half years. My wife died in 1999, Spencer said. Fyre figured the early childhood experience was just life as he Furthermore, his surgery was intended to fix two titanium rods in his back. 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. I already knew he had a bone-headed attitude, Severn said. He found success in the sport he loved, but rooted in that journey is a dark past. appeared through his thick, burly mustache as Takayama the 6-foot-7, Well, the audience because they witnessed something that they will probably never, ever witness again. That still blows me away," said Greyhound Soul's stalwart leader Joe Pea ahead of this weekend's gigs marking the band's nearly three decades of music. Half a dozen horse saddles are stacked When I It indicates that He is on life path 1. He departed the promotion to compete in K-1 and Hero's in 2004 but returned for the final Pride event in 2007. kicker was when she says, I dont think you can provide for the family It was Fryes career and charisma that turned him into an legend After all, with the rest of his life not doing so well, The Predator could use the encouragement. Don has two daughters with his wife Mollie Frye. He lives a simple life on a quaint 2-acre property backing up to the Catalinas. 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. Nothing on my side.. 76.6k Followers, 179 Following, 188 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Don Frye (@donthepredatorfrye) donthepredatorfrye. From October to November 2004, Frye returned to NJPW for two appearances as a member of Masahiro Chono's Black New Japan stable, teaming with Chono in a tag match defeating Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Yuji Nagata and then teaming with Scott Norton and Manabu Nakanishi in a winning effort against Shinsuke Nakamura, Yutaka Yoshie, and Blue Wolf. Both men paid a price for that.. Don Frye is a guy who enjoys his life, Frye said. 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. However, Frye was a pioneer in the sport, one of the first true mixed martial artists with backgrounds in wrestling, judo and boxing. When Frye came back from California after his surgery and stroke, he was in a bad place, Spencer said. Took a big chunk out of my spirit that fighting spirit that the Japanese always talk about. Her birthplace is Update Soon. The O.C. You don't spit into the wind. 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. You get ripped off for a few million dollars, betrayed and lied to and all that, it will change your opinions on a few things, Frye said. Frye won by way of technical knockout on the scorecard, but it was truly the viewers who won. He got me into the UFC when I Pro-Wrestling (DDT) in 2017. He defeated Mark Hall by stoppage, slamming the Moo Yea Do specialist and working his side with body punches until the stoppage, and then defeated Brian Johnston, again leading the action to the mat and landing elbows to the head. I tell you, the timing couldnt be better, Frye said. [1] He boxed under the name J.R. Frye in several matches after being forced to change his name due to a contractual dispute. Creative Commons, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Frye now enjoys a quiet life in Catalina, a rural community 30 miles In MMA, he was one of the sport's earliest well-rounded fighters and won the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments and finished as runner-up UFC 10 in his first year of competition. performing a sunset flip for wrestling for Dramatic Dream Team I mean, Mr. White and I got into a pissing contest on the internet seven or eight years ago. "Don Frye is a guy who enjoys his life," Frye said. the course of his career, Frye said he has had 45 or 50 surgeries, and It's really good to see Don Frye visiting the Hawtness in the hospital after the Hawtness was paralyzed a few years ago Their fight is forever one of the GOAT moments in MMA . Bio Don Frye, best known for being a MMA Fighter, was born in Arizona, United States on Tuesday, November 23, 1965. According to Mollies LinkedIn account, Dons ex-spouse, Mollie Frye is currently handling her home office organization and management business in Arizona. brawls with The Viking Raiders: SmackDown highlights, April 28, 2023 . UFC Hall of Famer Winner of UFC 8 , UFC 9, the Ultimate Ultimate 2 '96 New Japan Pro Wrestling, Co-host of Dan and Don's Toxic Masculinity Podcast. Id like to kill those f that did that to me, Frye said. Gallery: Duel Fyre's gag email turned into a hand modeling gig. It shocked the hell out of me. Irregular western flagstone paver flooring ties it all together. Frye hasnt taken part in active competition since 2011, but, to this day, gets asked questions about the 2002 brawl against Takayama. And I get pretty pissed off when people try to take advantage of him.. him, Spencer said. We were all sitting there watching the fights, Frye recalled. MMA veteran Don Frye has said he punched a UFC fan in the face after they challenged him to a fight. Akebono spent much of the fight clinching with the much smaller Frye and pushing him into the ropes, but Frye was able to knock the former sumo wrestler down and secure a guillotine choke submission in the second round. When he started getting a little bit famous, Hall says that since Tank Abbott had already advanced to the final after two relatively easy wins, Frye who'd logged eleven minutes of cage time already that night wanted to save his energy for the championship match. He mentions his bulldog is the only thing keeping him going, his daughters are doing their own thing so they don't talk much apparently, and he's in pain 90% of the time and on morphine. Frye stormed into the fighting scene early, appearing as one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC at the time, Severn said. 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. : Unfortunately, this night was the second time I felt I was refereeing a fixed bout. All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week. My horse had died. possibility of a successful marriage and left him broke., I didnt have the money (when I didnt fight), Frye said. Somewhere halfway between Japan and L.A., hed turn into Don The Predator Frye rock star, Spencer said. Like I said, the back is a mess., Many fans remember Frye and love to interact with him, like at this UFC International Fight Week Legends Panel in Las Vegas. From there, he signed with Shark Fights stateside the following year. him by the scruff of his neck to keep from falling. A successful celebrity in Japan due to his pro wrestling career, Don Frye made his comeback to mixed martial arts when he signed a multi-fight contract with the Pride Fighting Championships in 2001. after his UFC career. It seems like Dons family chooses a life behind the spotlight. Big 12 Conference remains open for expansion after Pac-12 merger talks end, As sports betting grows, states tackle teenage problem gambling, Former Arizona stars Mathurin, Terry, Koloko impress in NBA Summer League debuts, 2 kid-friendly films to wrap up Tucson summer Movies in the Park. Don Frye Net Worth, Wife Mollie Frye and Kids. The MMA legend that helped pave the way in the early days of mixed martial arts has suffered in recent years, going through a divorce and having several surgeries done which caused a brain hemorrhage which forced him to be put into a medically induced coma. Hell yeah. I shouldve retired after the Takayama fight, said Frye, who had a storied 15-year career. During his brief MMA hiatus, Frye made a one-off appearance as a pro wrestler in Inoki Genome Federation, losing to Josh Barnett via keylock submission on September 8, 2007. At the end, after Coleman secured side mount and dropped punches and headbutts onto Frye's face, the referee stopped the action, handing Frye his first loss in seven fights. Although his close friends knew him as J.R. Frye, he had a different identity in Japan, said Jeff Spencer, one of Fryes close friends. And it just all worked out. When the UFC was started in 1993 and even up until the early 2000s, it was the wild, wild West. (Photo by Andrew Lwowski/Cronkite News). Get To Da Choppa, Dec 1, 2021 #5. being in a medically induced coma from brain hemorrhaging. While Frye did not tap out, the referee stopped the bout in fear of serious injury. (Photo by Andrew Lwowski/Cronkite News), Left: Many fans remember Frye and love to interact with him, like at this UFC International Fight Week Legends Panel in Las Vegas. The life of fighting or lack there of led to a pair of divorces that ended his belief of the possibility of a successful marriage and left him broke. I had competed in front of crowds before. CATALINA - Don Frye eased into his tan leather chair, loosened his back brace, and rested a leg on the matching ottoman with a sigh. I never did that. And it was Spencer who got Fryes pit bull, Quinn. He stole my soul. up there and did all the framing on the garage and put their trusses up Youre not a man anymore., Then the kicker was when she says, I dont think you can provide for the family anymore. Ah, OK, theres the truth.. horses, and some good friends., Zach Yentzer, one of two independent candidates vying to challenge Regina Romero as Tucson's mayor in November, said his campaign was ending after losing a challenge over his petition signatures. Ever since Severn coached him at ASU, he knew Frye would do well. Did you miss the debut of UFC 288"Countdown" or just want to watch it again? his body and masking the pain with medication shortened his career, he After the tournament win, Frye left NJPW and returned to MMA. Frye took seven months off following the losses to Le Banner and Yoshida, and next fought at Pride 26 on June 28, 2003 to try to avenge his loss to Mark Coleman. But, youd get off the plane and it was just crazy, the Before becoming a professional fighter, Don Frye worked as an EMT and firefighter. It was Fryes career and charisma that turned him into an icon overseas. Katie Hobbs ordered. The Predator had a professional MMA record of 20-9-1 with one no Predator Frye rockstar, Spencer said. I had three different skillsets, and I didnt get stage fright.. Joined: The most special thing to him is his dog, he said. The fight between Don Frye and Yoshihiro Takayama in Japans PRIDE 21 was so intense that the referee had tears in his eyes. get paid but thats pretty much how you test somebody.. make you or break you, and I got lucky it made me. Luke Rockhold at BKFC 41: Best photos, BKFC's David Feldman: If Conor McGregor vs. Mike Perry never happens, it 'doesn't really matter', Chad Mendes explains decision to retire after BKFC 41 loss: 'I just don't need to be doing this sh*t anymore', Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. [4], In 1995, Don Frye helped train Dan Severn for the Ultimate Ultimate 1995, accompanying Severn's entourage to Denver. of times. 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. He didnt Takayama, God bless him, man, he said. Family: He has two daughters with his wife Mollie Frye. I also knew both fighters were managed by the same guy.[8]. around him always wanted something. His Head down, tail up and charge mindset produced explosive fights, but what really powered his rage was experiences in his youth, and they still fuel him today. He finished his career in 2011 with a pro MMA record of 20 wins. (Photo by Andrew Lwowski/Cronkite News). was in a bad place, said Spencer. Tucson Sentinel's independent nonprofit newsroom learns from & informs Southern Arizonans about the community challenges & unique culture of our Borderlands. dont think I fought in the UFC until I was 30.. reliant on pain medication from his various injuries. If youre a good-looking redhead or a good-looking blonde, come up there and give me a hug, Frye joked. price for that.. In 1987, he won the freestyle and Greco-Roman events during an Olympic qualifier. Japanese pieces and photos of him and his two daughters fill his living (Screenshot courtesy of PRIDE FC. Birthplace Arizona . poor Jack, he was upset, had to tell me. His technique would later become the basics Don Frye is 56 years old in 2022. 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. When the UFC was started in 1993 and even up until the early 2000s, 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. He jumped on When he was doing pro wrestling in Japan, he was flying, so I went Don Frye won his final belt in the UFC during Ultimate Ultimate 2 in 1996 before moving on wrestling and MMA in Japan. Don Frye dominated the world of mixed martial arts for 6 straight years. But, youd get off the plane and it was just crazy, the people would like mob him. has something special with animals.. Although he fought for 11 promotions, the UFC, PRIDE FC and New Japan Pro-Wrestling were among the biggest. "Maybe not the present life, but he's got a lot of good memories, two beautiful daughters who take care of him, a beautiful bulldog, two . After being given a standing eight count early on, he was forced into a corner and knocked unconscious with a right hook at the 1:30 mark of the first round. 2023 Cronkite News. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Then, he was asking me how much he Frye had mentioned in an interview prior to the fight that (besides knee strikes) he had never thrown a kick in his life and his disadvantage was obvious as he couldn't use his wrestling skills and was repeatedly thrown when he tried to tie up with Le Banner. punched me and knocked my feet out from underneath me so I had to grab 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. 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. Don Frye Obituary. making it to the UFC. His submitted Ritch Moss at Shark Fights 4 in May 2009 but suffered a quick TKO loss at the hands of Dave Herman at Shark Fights 6: Stars & Stripes four months later. Get the latest authentically local news from TucsonSentinel.com. Its not fair. However, given his years-long squabble with UFC President Dana White, some wondered if he would ever make it to the promotions Olympus. Don Frye will celebrate 58th birthday on a Thursday 23rd of November 2023. He wasnt doing real good, he was in the middle of the divorce at that time, and somebody had this bulldog that they didnt want anymore and so he called me and hes like, Can I bring it home? and Im like Yeah. Swear to God, as soon as that dog got here, Don started getting better.. I had a beautiful stallion. Don Frye has two daughters with his ex-wife Mollie Frye. You get ripped off for a few million dollars, betrayed and lied to 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. He Cronkite News is the news division of Arizona PBS. Your email address will not be published. it was the wild wild West. Frye lost that fight. UFC Ultimate Ultimate 1996 Quarter-Final. Hope he gets himself turned around. Upcoming Birthday. Par about tracking down and killing pedophiles, he said. However, Frye was a pioneer in the 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. There were no weight classes and many of the Reseda Country Club, Reseda, California, U.S. Wins the Ultimate Ultimate 96 Tournament. Frye lost via knock-out.[14]. Frye finished his UFC career with a 9-1 record, with no fights going the distance. Don Frye Throughout his 15-year MMA career, two-time UFC tournament champion Don Frye put on numerous timeless fights that, to this day, are hailed as some of MMA's biggest fan-favorites. After eight bouts over the next fourteen months he retired and became an emergency medical technician and a firefighter in Bisbee, Arizona. Despite Don Fryes challenges, he still proves to be a real fighter. Spencer, a retired fire battalion chief, has been like a brother to Frye for nearly 30 years. Dons former wife, Mollie took their daughters with her, leaving Don alone. And Don was still busy doing I was never the same after that. Severn has victories over the other Somewhere halfway between Japan and L.A., hed turn into Don The Download Don Frye With Daughter wallpaper for your desktop, mobile phone and table. He got me into the UFC when I asked him to. I The induction also got him through a major back surgery, one that At that time, the UFC was set up in a tournament bracket. many chapters that altered Fryes life. but what had transpired was more than anyone could have asked. I didnt think it would ever happen, Frye said. left him in the hospital for two and a half months, with most of it Well, the audience because they witnessed something [2] Frye also worked in a psychiatric ward but left that position after breaking a patient's arm while restraining him. However, his fight with Gilbert Yvel that night was controversial and resulted in Frye winning by disqualification in the first round, as Yvel repeatedly gouged his eyes and was eventually disqualified for continuously holding the ropes to stop himself being taken down. even get close to it. The UFC Readmore. that fight. That was Dan Severns and mine advantage. Two, learn his (expletive) name. Were friends. Jake Massey. Readmore, California and Arizona are currently fighting each other over water from the Colorado River, but this isnt new - its actually been going on for over 100 years; at one point, the states literally went to war about it - and the problem comes down to some really bad math from 1922.

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