Whether it takes days or years, fighters eventually figure out that promoters make the real money in the sport. Continuing a weeklong series on athletes who decided to erect their own ring rather than toil in someone else's:
Frank Shamrock
Résumé: Former King of Pancrase and UFC middleweight champion, legendary hype man.
Brand: ShootBox, a contest held in a concave circular bowl with no walls that was every bit the hot mess it sounds; loose inspiration for the YAMMA Pit, an idea that didn't grow any better with time. Life span: approximately three hours in 2003.
Evaluation: Shamrock's self-promoting prowess is second to none, but it didn't translate into the branding of an entire event. You can, however, still buy the T-shirt. Own a piece of history. Like silverware from the Titanic.