Throughout his 15-year MMA career, two-time UFC tournament champion Don Frye put on numerous timeless fights that, to this day, are hailed as some of MMA’s biggest fan-favorites.

But, if you ask Frye (20-9-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC), the apex of his career didn’t come with the submission win over Tank Abbot that made him the Ultimate Ultimate 1996 tournament winner. Or with the memorable beating of Yoshihiro Takayama at PRIDE 21 in 2002. Or even with the brutal Ken Shamrock bout at PRIDE 19 that left both men dealing with the damages for years to come.

“Being inducted in the UFC Hall of Fame – that’d be the pinnacle of the sport,” Frye told MMAjunkie. “This is a big privilege and honor for me.”

Frye’s impending Hall of Fame induction as an MMA pioneer was announced on June 4, during the UFC 199 pay-per-view broadcast. And, interestingly enough, “The Predator” found out about it the same way as everyone else.

“We were all sitting there watching the fights,” Frye recalled. “We’re all smoking cigars and drinking beer and they announce Bob Meyrowitz and (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira and then they said, ‘The third guy is,’ and they showed a picture of Dan Severn and I walking up to the octagon. I thought to myself, ‘You bunch of dumbasses, Dan Severn is already in the UFC Hall of Fame. Don’t they talk to each other over there?’

“Then they showed another picture of me, and then another, and then I went, ‘Holy (expletive), I think that’s me!'”

* * * *

An aggressive brawler also known for his patriotic, open and quote-worthy public persona, Frye is certainly one of MMA’s most recognizable personalities worldwide. However, given his years-long squabble with UFC President Dana White, some wondered if he would ever make it to the promotion’s Olympus. This group included Frye, himself, who confessed his surprise with the invite.

“I didn’t think it would ever happen,” Frye said. “It shocked the hell out of me. I mean, Mr. White and I got into a pissing contest on the internet seven or eight years ago. It kept going – I don’t know why – and now all of a sudden he’s opening the door. Last year, they opened the door and let me into the UFC Fan Expo, and I guess it went good enough that it made the other door open.”

Frye went on to brush off any lingering bad blood with White, who praised the soon-to-be Hall of Famer as “a legend in this sport and one of the toughest guys to ever compete.”

“We don’t send each other Christmas cards, but you know,” Frye said jokingly. “Nothing on my side.”

Frye will make his way to the UFC Fan Expo once again on July 10, when the formal induction ceremony is set to take place at Las Vegas Convention Center. And, speaking with his characteristic candor, “The Predator” not only confirmed his presence but also admitted it will come as much-needed relief during particularly trying times.

“I tell you, the timing couldn’t be better,” Frye said. “I need this more than anything. Nothing good is going on in my life. My horse died back on Labor Day. My wife betrayed me and is taking the kids with her, so I got nothing. This is a breath of fresh air.”

Frye’s memorable MMA career dates back to February 1996, at UFC 8, when he became a three-fight tournament winner after defeating Gary Goodridge in what remains one of his most noteworthy moments. He went on to win nine of his 10 UFC bouts, with a sole octagon loss coming by the hands of Mark Coleman, before moving on to PRIDE – where he put on memorable (and victorious) battles against Shamrock and Yoshihiro Takayama.

* * * *

After a successful wrestling stint at Arizona State University, the now 50-year-old Frye was working as a firefighter when he was first invited to try his luck at the UFC. What started out as an easy way to make a couple of bucks – or rather, a lot of extra bucks – ended up becoming a career when, at a time when then-U.S. Senator John McCain was actively campaigning against the sport he referred to as “human cockfighting,” Frye was forced to choose between his two occupations.

“I was a fireman down in Bisbee, Arizona,” Frye recalled. “On my days off, I’d shoe horses and I’d just been through a really bad divorce, and going through an even worse one right now. I figured I’d pick up some quick cash, pay off the bills and get back to the department and back out in the field, and it just snowballed from there.

“I had to quit (the job as a firefighter). (Bisbee Fire Chief) Jack Ernest, God bless him, he’s a good guy. He asked, because they called me up for UFC 9, and I asked Jack for the time off and he went to the city manager and the city manager said no. Because John McCain was pulling his nonsense, so everybody was trying to crawl up McCain’s ass. He said no. poor Jack, he was upset, had to tell me. He says, ‘You have to make a decision, fire department or fighting’ I said, ‘All right sir, thank you very much. I’m going to miss you all.'”

Frye’s main motivation to keep doing the face-punching gig was pretty clear from the start.

“The money,” Frye said flatly. “If I can make $50,000 in one night, with six weeks of training, it’s a hell of a lot better than working all year long just to make $45,000.”

Widely recognized as one of the first fighters to successfully combine various styles into a well-rounded MMA game, “The Predator” looked back on the reasons behind his early octagon success.

“I had more than just wrestling or boxing,” Frye said. “I had competed in front of crowds before. That was Dan Severn’s and mine advantage. I had three different skillsets, and I didn’t get stage fright.”

Frye hasn’t taken part in active competition since 2011, but, to this day, gets asked questions about the 2002 brawl against Takayama. Proud of the scrap, he doesn’t mind answering them – but asks that you please do him a favor beforehand.

“They always say ‘that big, blond Chinese guy,'” Frye said. “One, he’s Japanese. Two, learn his (expletive) name. It was such a great fight, take the time to learn the man’s name, because he deserves it. Looking back on it, it was just a hell of a privilege to be involved in something like that.”

So, if you see Frye around Las Vegas during International Fight Week, be sure to shake the man’s hand and let him know you appreciate what he accomplished during his legendary career. After all, with the rest of his life not doing so well, “The Predator” could use the encouragement.

Oh, and he’s got a special request, as well.

“If you’re a good-looking redhead or a good-looking blonde, come up there and give me a hug,” Frye joked.