Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Jack Shore retired from professional MMA fighting in December 2024
ByGareth BaileyBBC Sport Wales- Published2 hours ago
Nearly two years after retiring from fighting in professional mixed martial arts, Jack Shore's name is back on a combat sports poster.
The former UFC fighter from Abertillery remained in the sport as a coach but now turns his hand to fight promotion.
The first iteration of Shore's new Stand and Bang venture is on Saturday, 22 August when 23 bouts will take place inside a 20-foot boxing ring.
It will feature only striking, with no takedowns or grappling, at Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre.
Shore is hoping to make the show a success with the Welsh MMA scene at "an all-time high".
He told BBC Sport Wales: "It was always going to be hard to jump into an MMA or pure Thai show.
"I thought, 'what's a little niche in the market that I can kind of go after?'
"I'm a big fan of ONE Championship and I don't always know the guys fighting but I'll always put it on because it's exciting."
Shore says his event is shaped by friends coming to shows when he was fighting.
He said: "All my mates used to say that if I wasn't fighting, they wouldn't come because they didn't understand the grappling and it was a bit boring.
"To the untrained eye it is, what's more fan friendly than essentially an MMA fight but with no grappling and no wrestling?
"That's what we're trying to do, stand-up fights. Most of them are going to be in MMA gloves so it should make for an entertaining night."
Shore hopes the points scoring makes it easier for the public to follow who is ahead.
He said: "If one guy is inflicting more damage, the average Joe can look at that and say, 'well, that guy's winning'.
"Don't get me wrong, ring control scores and good defence scores. I daresay a flashy move will score a little bit higher than maybe a jab.
"But ultimately the judges are being told that we're scoring on damage."
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Fighting for the fighters as a promoter
Shore has been "riding the wave" since the fight night was announced in March and has aimed to put on a fighter-friendly show.
He said: "I know what it's like coming up as an amateur or as a new pro and to have promoters think they're better than you and almost look at you just as if you're funding their pocket.
"As much as I'm running this show to help make a bit of a living, I also want to put the fighters first.
"If I've got to sacrifice a bit of money to make sure this guy is well looked after or make this guy get a fight on short notice, then I've always been more than prepared to do so.
"Being a fighter who has gone into promotion is a big thing because you know what it's like to be on the other side of the coin."
It has been a steep learning curve for Shore, who has had to rebook fights after late withdrawals.
"In my eyes, it's already a success because we've got to the fight week," he said.
"The fact the show is going to go ahead, and I can say that I've promoted my own show, is brilliant.
"It's not even about breaking even or making money or losing money. A success for me will be to just put on a show that the crowd enjoys.
"If it is a success, I promise to just get bigger and better every time."
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Offers rejected and 99% retired
Shore's retirement at 29 may have come as a shock, having risen up the ranks to the top 15 of the UFC's bantamweight division before swapping to featherweight.
It could be argued that the man affectionately known as 'Tank' still has more in the tank.
He finished with a professional record of 17 wins and three losses but the 31-year-old is happy in retirement, despite the occasional temptation.
"I'm in the gym every day with the boys and I do like the sparring," said Shore.
"I'm still young enough to compete with the lads and a lot of my coaching style is sparring with them.
"I'm still competing with the top lads in the gym comfortably, and that's not a knock on anyone.
"It's not like I'm a 45-year-old man and I've been retired for two years.
"I'll spar on a Wednesday night and I'll wake up Thursday morning and think that the last thing I want to do now is go to the gym."
Shore says he has had offers since retiring but none of them have persuaded him back.
"I've had fight offers - boxing, kickboxing, grappling - and I've got good people around me," he said.
"My missus is my main influence if I want advice on something. I usually go to her first, then I'll go to my dad.
"She tells me that if I am going to do it, go back and do it properly in the UFC.
"The reality is that I don't want to do that. I'm not going to go and do some circus show just to feed my ego.
"Mentally, I've checked out, even though now and then the demons are creeping. Never say never, I suppose, let's push it to 99% [retired].
"But it would take a lot of money and a massive opportunity to pull 'The Tank' back in."
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