No Kimbo Slice fight was conventionally good in a sporting sense, and yet they were always interesting. He wound up on the cover of ESPN The Magazine not long after. Three months later, he beat an overfed Tank Abbott and assumed Abbott’s mantle as the premier brawler with no need for nuance (or guard passing). He beat 10-10 journeyman Bo Cantrell in his pro debut in November 2007. From the start, his career was manicured to keep him winning. He was a big, scary “black man” with all the racial subtext and ugly historical baggage that description carries, who promised knockouts, no man-hugging, and a dose of the outlaw past MMA tried to shed. When EliteXC made Slice the face of the organization, there was no secret as to why. The sustainability of MMA wasn’t assured, and bad impressions threatened to erase all that good will. But signs of progress doubled as reasons for self-consciousness and thin skin. The UFC was the darling of Spike TV, and rival promotions like Elite XC and the IFL had made their own inroads. The fighters strutted to the ring in t-shirts with screen-printed logos for tire and prophylactic companies looking to get in on a growing sport. State athletic commissions continued bringing MMA under its purview, betting odds for MMA were erratic and unpredictable. The Rise To MMA Stardomīy the time Slice transformed into a bona fide professional MMA fighter in 2007, the sport around him had writhed and convulsed into a delicate place one foot in the mainstream, one teetering off a cliff. Slice participated in boxing and wrestling as well. He had some brief success with the company, and went on to fight with Bellator another promotion in the sport. The popularity turned into a career in the world of mixed martial arts, landing with the UFC. His videos were among the first that we call “viral,” giving Slice instant popularity among fans. Landing a job as a bouncer in a strip club, Slice began to participate in street fights that were recorded and uploaded to various outlets, including YouTube. After a failed attempt to make the NFL, Kimbo scrambled to find a new career. He played the linebacker position for Miami’s Palmetto High and held multiple scholarships from universities before the infamous Hurricane Andrew demolished the school, causing universities to pull potential offers. Born in the Bahamas, Kimbo had the apparent track to being a top-flight football player. Kimbo’s journey to stardom had more twists and turns than a Kubrick film. RELATED: Top 5 Most Valuable UFC Fighters Of All-Time Humble Begginings He might have been a frustrating figure for idealists worried about the sanctity of sport, but even for purists, Slice was must-see TV! Slice was equal parts Greek mythology, Horatio Alger story, and sheer charisma. The bald, bearded, skull-capped mesomorph from the wilds of South Florida with bare fists to be feared, whose illicit exploits against opponents on patchy lawns and pavement became staples of the mid-2000s Internet, who leapt from fighting in front of pre-HD video cameras to fighting in front of some of the largest audiences ever to tune into a mixed martial arts fight. Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice led a fascinating life that followed an unconventional path from rags to riches. The Story of Kimbo Slice Flighting From The Streets To The Octagon Robert Garcia: “I’d Love To Invite Broner To Camp To Recover Mentally”Ĭanelo: “The Rematch With Bivol Is Very Important For My Legacy” Rodriguez: “I’m Fighter Of The Year I Went From Prospect To Champion”īigger Names Await Makhmudov Following Decisive Win Over Takam Stevenson: “I Don’t Think Conceicao Can Do Anything To Stop Me” Ilunga Makabu Could Rematch Aleksei Papin Next Parker: “I’m Very Grateful To Tyson Fury For All He Has Done For Me” Andrade v Parker WBO Purse Bid Rescheduled Againĭe La Hoya: “GGG Was Old And Canelo Can’t Hold Hopkins Jockstrap!”Īnthony Dirrell: “Plant Has Good Footwork But I Plan To Chop That Down!”
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