Former Power Ranger to try his hand at MMA

[jmt225]

Jason David Frank, who was once a Mighty Morphin’ Power Ranger, is now trying to use his super powers to turn into a mixed martial artist.

The former action star from the hit series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" has officially made the move to mixed martial arts, and while training with UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard, he hopes to make his real fighting experience as successful as he did on television.

Frank is hoping to fight as soon as possible.

"I was supposed to fight in 2007, but it fell through. In truth, I’ve wanted to put the work in until I’m ready," Frank said in an interview from the Suckerpunch website. "I know I have a target on my back. Everyone is going to want to beat up the Green Ranger."

And this is the moment where I weep for MMA.

Frank may just turn into a great fighter, though it’s doubtful considering that he is 35 and worried about signing a management team before trying to schedule a fight. But this just furthers the notion that MMA is a fad, and can be used as a publicity stunt for someone with a flailing career. Considering that Frank’s last acting job was a 2007 direct-to-video film called, "The Junior Defenders," he clearly needs a career boost.

At the same time, the beauty of MMA is that there is no hiding in the cage. When pretenders have tried it out in the past, they’ve been shown the floor of the cage, very quickly. Right, Jose Canseco?

Well, I for one, am excited about this and hope he does well. And I think he has a shot at doing so. He is a legit black belt in Karate, and Lyoto Machida has shown us if used properly, that kind of ability can serve you very well in the sport. However, Machida is a Light Heavyweight, so he's able to use his quickness for a HUGE advantage. I don't think Tommy will be able to do that, assuming that he fights at Welterweight or Lightweight. But if he's a natural at Jiu-Jitsu, like you would assume someone with his martial arts background would be, then he just might be able to hang in there with the big boys.

I grew up on the Power Rangers, and the Green Ranger was by far my favorite out of the bunch. So, yeah... for him bring me so many smiles and joys throughout my childhood, I will be rooting for Jason David Frank. But also, I think if he can do well, it'll help the sport with the demographic they're aiming towards. Most guys my age LOVED the Power Rangers growing up just as much as I did, and to see one of them kick some ass forreal, I think it would do well for any company who signs him.

How about you? Will you be rooting for him, or do you think he'll be a joke in the sport?

 

[NSL]

Considering he was never my favorite Power Ranger, I'd like to see him get beat up pretty good in his first fight. Not only will it help him decide if he wants to do it for real, but it'll show that not just everyone can step in and be successful.

His age doesn't concern me, as there are others that have fought into that age. Remember, he's 35 with 0 MMA fights under his belt. The other guys are all 35/36 with 15-20 fights. He's still got a younger body than them. Whether or not in converts to wins is yet to be seen.

I didn't know he was a legit blackbelt, so maybe he can have moderate success, maybe even pulling off a .500 record for a few short years before calling it quits.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

When I saw this thread on the front page as "Former Power Ranger to tr..." I became instantly excited, not because I give a damn about Power Rangers, but because my mind's eye flashed with visions of the wet dream that would be Gina Carano vs Amy Jo Johnson.

<needs a moment...>

Okay, but sadly, this is a thread about a dude. And in fact, when I did watch the show for a few years during adolesence, this guy was a favorite of mine as well. So I guess I'd say I am ambivalent. The issue I am seeing is that, even if he's not a legit fighter, this guy is likely to get billing on a televised program right off the bat. He won't be an under-card fight; his fame would make him a mid-card fight.

Besides that, if he's been training with Melvin Guillard (whom I cannot stand one iota), then how good could he really get?

 

[Lee]

I remember when he was supposed to do this a few years back but they changed the rules to an exhibition boxing rules match.

It will be interesting to see, the article seems to forget that Frank is more than just an 'actor' he is a karate legend, he's in a few hall of fames and runs four dojos, one of which is the top ten in America. So yeh I think he's pretty damned suited to try his hand at MMA.

 

[Deexter Jorgan]

Wow this is...

Basically the same concept every aging celebrity has been doing for the past year.

The only thing i find different is Jason David Frank has the experience, he has a black belt.

but we all know that the best MMA fighters are usually all rounders, fighters who have challenged the scale and have used their diverse skill set to win fights.

Don't get me wrong i was a huge power rangers fan and would love to see Tommy do it, but in all fairness i do want to see him get the crap beaten out of him because if he shows up for his next fight after being pummled to the ground by someone more experienced then it will at least give him some respect, and help him understand that MMA is not a joke.

Fingers crossed Tommy and good luck, just dont shout out "its morphing time" before your match.

 

[kingdirrtysouth1]

I never liked the Power Rangers, so I hope he gets destroyed. The Power Rangers killed my after school cartoon viewing experience due to the fact that it wasn't a cartoon. It was just cartoonish with the way too over the top costumes that the villains wore. Obviously, he couldn't cut in Hollywood in anything other than that show. So yeah, I'll see him as a joke.

 

[JenovasWitness]

It will be interesting to see what Frank can do in the cage. I have never seen him in a full contact fight, but I know that he is a very accomplished Karate practitioner, so I am certain that transitioning his traditional training into an effective stand up arsenal can be done with tweaking and a strict training regimen.

I just seriously doubt that his ground game is going to be adequate enough to hang with the main event of the premier MMA groups, let alone the guys in the upper mid card. I see him being thrown, taken down and grounded into submission after putting on a game performance on the feet.

I have a feeling that he won't make a tremendous impact in the sport, but that won't stop me from watching with interest.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

Holy MOTHERFUCKING Christ!!!!!

This is pretty sweet if I do say so myself. This motherfucker has kicked the shit out of Jose Canseco before. Frank is so accomplished in the martial arts that this should be a natural transition. He's got a strong body, and a nice array of kicks and punches. If he were to train a little bit, I dont see why he wouldnt be able to go a little ways in MMA. Maybe it's just the mark in me for anything power rangers. I do think he has a shot at doing some good though.

 

[jmt225]

Look at these recent pictures of Jason David Frank, if you will:

That's one bad lookin' motherfucker, if I say so myself.

Man... he's gained some muscle, huh? Assuming he has the technical aspect of striking down to a tee like you would expect someone of his credentials to have, to add power to that should cause some SERIOUS damage. Muscle also, of course, helps with wrestling and takedown defense. Now, on the ground... it's still to be seen whether or not he has anything to offer. But if he does.... then he just might do alright. I'm certainly rooting for him!

 

[Alex]

Look at these recent pictures of Jason David Frank, if you will:

That's one bad lookin' motherfucker, if I say so myself.

Man... he's gained some muscle, huh? Assuming he has the technical aspect of striking down to a tee like you would expect someone of his credentials to have, to add power to that should cause some SERIOUS damage. Muscle also, of course, helps with wrestling and takedown defense. Now, on the ground... it's still to be seen whether or not he has anything to offer. But if he does.... then he just might do alright. I'm certainly rooting for him!

holy shit tommy has tattoos anywayz, you never know till you try he may be great ok or just plain terrible