ZenRhino's MMA Blog: 10 Questions with Drew & Albert

Drew Shannon & Albert Cameron

Sundays at noon on ABC23 (WATM)

Greg Sirb - Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission

If you've attended a Complete Devastation event, you may have seen the cage announcer Drew Shannon and his commentary co-host Albert Cameron cageside. Or maybe you've seen them on the weekly show on MMA in Central Pennsylvania the MMA RunDown. If you haven't seen the show... what are you waiting for? The MMA RunDown airs Sundays at noon on ABC23 WATM - or check out their YouTube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/MMArundown . You can email questions to the show at hosts@themmarundown.com or send Albert questions via Twitter @CameronRundown (http://www.twitter.com/CameronRundown) You can check out the show's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mma.rundown and read Albert's blog at http://albertcameron.wordpress.com/

If you haven't seen the show... please check it out. If you have, please send the info & links to your friends. These guys really support local MMA and they make watching the Complete Devastation dvds better to watch with their commentary. I've had the pleasure of seeing them do what they do first-hand... and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to interview them both. So here's 10 Questions With Drew & Albert of the MMA RunDown.

1. What is your job title and what do you do at GoTime Promotions / Complete Devastation MMA?

Drew: I am the co-host of The MMA Rundown, as well as ring announcer and commentator for Complete Devastation MMA. I also do voice over work for the Complete Devastation ads on TV and Radio, as well as Secure Connect.

Albert: It’s hard to say about a job title in particular; things are pretty liberal when it comes to the production of the MMA stuff. I have been identified as a producer and co-host for the MMA Rundown and Commentator / Play-by-Play for the Complete Devastation events.

2. How did you get involved with commentating/announcing MMA events?

Drew: While I was working for 105.9 QWiK Rock (where I am still employed as On-Air Talent from 10A-3P and Production Director), I met Jason Davis and Mike Kessling, who were interested in advertising a local pro wrestling event in State College (AON Pro Wrestling). I was asked to be a guest ring announcer for the evening, and I jumped at the chance to do it! It's always been a dream of mine. I was then asked to make a guest appearance on the AON Rundown, their local TV show. From that appearance, I was asked to be part of the group, starting as a "bad guy" commentator / ring announcer, transferring to a "good guy" and eventually my character became the General Manager of the organization. It was while I was with AON that Jason and Mike started Complete Devastation MMA, and they asked if I would be the official ring announcer. I was honored to have been asked and agreed. I have been announcing fighters inside the cage ever since!

Albert: By being consistently in the right place at the right time. Drew has been my mentor and friend for a long time and has taught me everything that I know about broadcasting. Drew was ring announcer and general manager for a professional wrestling outfit and so I’d go to these wrestling shows to support him and his endeavors. The guys who ran the wrestling show (Go Time) are also very nice and asked if I wanted to run a camera for the show that night. One show turned to several and as Complete Devastation 2 was drawing close, I was asked if I wanted to shoot for that. I am not a small man by any stretch and I climbed up on a tree stand to get the crucial angles. When I said to the Production Director about my concerns of breaking the stand he said “Those things are built for hunters and hunters aren’t small people.” The guys at Go Time knew I had an affinity for Pro Wrestling but had no idea that I was so into MMA than when I was talking to Dan Severn at the after show reception. I was calling the fights the very next event and have done so since.

3. How did you get involved with co-hosting a show on MMA?

Drew: After AON folded, I was approached by Jason and Mike to do an MMA show. To be honest, I didn't really know much about MMA. I've seen only a handful of PPV events, and done the ring/cage announcing for CDMMA a few times. But when they said I'd be co-hosting with Albert Cameron, who I met years ago when he interned for Magnum Broadcasting (who owns 105.9 QWiK Rock), I knew that I was in good hands as far as learning a few things...which is ironic, because at one time I taught him about the radio business, and know here he is later teaching me about MMA!

Albert: There are times when I feel like I’ve found my circle of friends and colleagues a couple seasons in to a hit TV show; the plans for the MMA Rundown were in motion before I stepped in to the spot. I can remember Drew saying to Mike (Kessling; Production Director at the time) “I’ll do the show, but Albert has the knowledge of MMA” and that’s just Drew being the friend that he is. Drew got me my first gig on the radio, Drew helped me get in to the pro wrestling stuff and Drew was very instrumental in getting me on the Rundown and behind the mic. The original plan (I think) was to have the MMA Rundown be a segment on the TV show “Project Fitness” and then Project Fitness was going to be a segment on the Rundown; that all molded and changed into what we have now.

4. What was your favorite match-up at a Complete Devastation event?

Drew: I would have to say Darrell Horcher vs George Sheppard. It was a great fight with a surprising outcome! Now Horcher is on his way with a win at Bellator 77! It just goes to show that anything can happen!

Albert: Good Lord, there are so many. Each fight for Complete Devastation has made me felt a different way. Clark Young vs. Adam Smith-Urbany made me feel fear (namely because there was so much mass flying around the cage I thought I was going to go flying from the tree stand); Darrell Horcher vs. George Sheppard was a jaw dropper; Corey Hill vs. Darryl Madison was electric; Tyler Combs vs. Andrew Osborne sticks out. It’s so hard to pin down one fight because everyone who steps into that cage fights like they are fighting for their lives, they don’t leave anything to regret. I have seen a lot of fights and I have seen some great fighters give away a fight because they are being cautious; I have yet to see that at Complete Devastation.

5. What was your best experience for a Complete Devastation event?

Drew: I honestly have to say that every event has been a great experience! To work with people who have become my best friends, as well as witness great MMA action and talk with not only the future of the business, but the legends as well, has been an experience that I could have only dreamed of years ago! If I had to single out one experience, it would be meeting and hanging out with Dan "The Beast" Severn. We got a chance to talk with him after Complete Devastation 2 at the after party. He told us a few stories about his MMA career, as well as about his time in pro wrestling. It was something I will remember for years to come!

Albert: Probably meeting Dan Severn or Corey Hill. I’ve seen these guys fight on TV and they are in this echelon of warriors that have ascended people you may meet on the street. In my head, Dan Severn was this unstoppable monster that couldn’t be reasoned with. I had seen him knee Oleg Taktarov in the head like Oleg owed him money. So, I meet Dan Severn with the impression of watching his fight with Taktarov and I don’t think I’d ever been more wrong in my life. Dan was humble and appreciative of the support. Corey Hill was the same way, I’d say to people “Hey, have you met my friend Corey?” and Corey played right along with it, and he too thanked me for my support. I am amazed by high-profile athletes that are like that. I don’t watch MMA to get thanked for supporting my favorite athletes, in fact I think all of the guys who fight should be thanked for doing what they love to entertain folks. To anyone who has stepped in the cage and reading this now: Thank You!

6. What was the first MMA fight you remember seeing?

Drew: I remember a UFC PPV back in the early days of the sport. I couldn't tell you who fought on it (I think Ken Shamrock was on the card), but I remember my friends and I were in awe! It was totally different from what we were used to, as we were all wrestling fans.

Albert: Dave Beneteau vs. Asbel Cancio at UFC 5: Return of the Beast. I was really into Jean Claude Van Damme movies like “Bloodsport,” “Lionheart” and “The Quest.” So I’m cruising the Martial Arts section of the video store and come across “The Ultimate Fighting Championship.” Style vs. Style, it was going to be a real live Bloodsport Tournament!!! …except, it wasn’t. I will whole-heartedly admit that because I didn’t know about the ground game, I didn’t understand it and initially I didn’t like it. I was the prototype fan who didn’t understand the ground game and essentially hated it. I grew to love the ground game after I wrestled in high school for a year; now I had a grasp on the grappling concept and it became clear to me.

7. What was your favorite MMA fight of all time?

Drew: To be honest, only having seen a few fights on PPV and the rest at Complete Devastation MMA, I'm going to have to go back to Horcher vs Sheppard at CDMMA 5. The knockout of Sheppard came from out of nowhere and I think it was instrumental in propelling Horcher into the world of Bellator. Plus, the crowd was ELECTRIC after it happened! I don't think anyone was sitting down it the building!

Albert: Griffin vs. Bonnar. I have said it quite a few times, the greatest fight in MMA History. That fight, on the Ultimate Fighter Finale, put our sport back on the map. I have yet to watch a fight that comes close.

8. What match-up would you like to see at a Complete Devastation event?

Drew: The match up I'd like to see is actually going down in a few weeks...Charlie Gathers vs Tyler Saltsman at CDMMA 7 in Altoona. These guys have a genuine dislike for each other and is has come to a point where these guys have to get inside the cage and duke it out! As I've gone on record saying before, this won't just be a fight, this is going to be a war! I can't wait to see what happens!

Albert: Jason Royer vs. Jesse Busfield 2. The ending to that fight (Royer got cut and they stopped the fight between rounds) didn’t sit well with me and I think both guys were really primed to put on a great fight. That ending left me without closure and I truly feel that they should throw down again. Recently I’ve heard that the fight won’t come together right now because of one thing or another, but that’s for managers and promoters to hash out.

9. What MMA celebrity/fighter would you like to see at an upcoming Complete Devastation event?

Drew: I'd have to say Ken Shamrock...mostly because I want my buddy Albert Cameron to be happy. Maybe Jessica Alba and Mila Kunis as guest ring girls...although they're not MMA celebrities, but who cares? It's Jessica Alba and Mila Kunis!

Albert: “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock. I watched Ken when he was in the WWF and he reminded me what I liked about the UFC and really solidified my fandom. Even if Ken doesn’t fight, just to have him in town to do a clinic or an appearance would be awesome.

10. Who would you most like to have as an interview subject/guest for the MMA RunDown?

Drew: Any fighter or promoter who wants to get their promotion out to the masses and who wants their fights shown on TV. We want to get local MMA noticed on The MMA Rundown and we'd like to see any fighter or promoter come onto the show! As far as legends, I think I'd like to have the chance to talk with Dan Severn again for the show. He was a great guy and I think we'd fill the entire half hour with some of the stories he has to tell.

Albert: That’s a tough question. Ideally, I’d like to talk to everyone. To sit down and talk to? Don “The Predator” Frye. Don used to do this segment for the IFL called “Dear Don” and I thought it was genius. I think Don and I would have a good chemistry and dynamic; he’d be the hard-ass and I’d be the free spirit kind of thing. I’d like to get him on the “What’s Eating Albert Cameron?” segment. That would be fun!