From Undefeated UFC Champion To Cannabis Entrepreneur: The Frank Shamrock Story

Frank Shamrock, the former undefeated UFC champion, made quite a name for himself and the mixed martial arts world in the 1990s. In recent times, it’s no longer sports that are attracting attention to his character. Instead, it’s cannabis where Shamrock is focused.

So how does a high-level professional athlete become a marijuana entrepreneur?

A Transformational Colorado Trip

A troubled kid coming from a broken home, Shamrock said he used cannabis from a young age. But it was during his years as a professional athlete that Shamrock started using marijuana as medicine — not only to treat pain, but also to help him cope with the stress of his job.

And it was only when California legalized cannabis that he could come out of the so-called cannabis closet.

“Then I started meeting a lot of people who were consuming cannabis and who were looking to get medical cannabis and its derivatives,” Shamrock told Benzinga. “So, I decided to get in the space by partnering with a friend and going out to meet the people in Colorado."

Shamrock and his business partner returned from the Colorado trip with a new view of cannabis and "the ailments it was fighting, and its ability to help and support your brain cells," he said.

Before visiting the recreationally legal state, Shamrock said he didn't have an understanding of the science of cannabis.

"But after seeing the Crohn’s patients, and cancer patients … it all changed for me. This made me realize that this is a plant and it's medicine. So it should not be illegal. Anything else is just ridiculous. My biggest takeaway from that trip was: I can't believe we're not educating people how to use this plant.”

‘All In On Cannabis’

Whenever Shamrock is asked about his involvement in the cannabis industry, he likes to say he’s “all in on cannabis.”

Shamrock and celebrity nutritionist Robert Ferguson host a cannabis-focused educational show called “The Bakeout,” which can be seen here.

“With 'The Bakeout,' what we were trying to do was create the ESPN of weed,” he said. “It started as an educational show, but it’s evolved into a digital education cannabis network.”

The former fighter will soon release a series of celebrity-branded products as well as his own line, Shamrock Medicines, this year.

“We are also looking for strategic partners and investors in our digital cannabis network. Our vision is becoming the YouTube of cannabis medicine.”

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UFC champion and cannabis entrepreneur Frank Shamrock. Photo by Javier Hasse.