With Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter coming to a close tonight in Las Vegas, it’s time to begin preparing for Season 10, something I was far from looking forward to until one man was announced as a participant: Kimbo Slice.
The man born Kevin Ferguson is a walking MMA sideshow attraction and let’s be honest, we all love sideshow attractions. Just like the car crash you can’t turn away from, the spectacle that is Kimbo Slice is something we’re all drawn to, at least a little.
How could you not be? From porn company bodyguard to Internet street brawler to the unfortunate poster boy for MMA on network TV, Slice’s rise to prominence is everything that the 21st century is about and now he’s getting an even bigger stage to perform on.
What really strikes me about Kimbo, or more precisely the reactions people have to Kimbo, is how many people continue to label him as a joke; a gimmick with no talent and no business being in the sport, yet alone on The Ultimate Fighter.
I’m certainly not the biggest Kimbo Slice fan in the world, as I thought his big push with EliteXC was horrible for the sport, but I’m also not close-minded enough to not give the man his due.
Dana White laid out the invitation and Kimbo accepted it and that alone takes guts. How many people do you know that would put themselves in a position where they would allow all of their detractors and doubters to witness their potential failure, not to mention the millions of other viewers who will be tuning in as well?
Beyond that, it’s not as if Kimbo has been back on the street, fighting guys in parking lots and whatever over the last few years. The guy has been training, including spending a great deal of time working with Bas Rutten and Randy Khatami. Last I checked, Bas Rutten was a pretty damn good fighter and could surely impart some wisdom on a blank slate like Slice.
Now, I’m not saying the guy is a highly-skilled MMA practitioner by any stretch, but he’s about the same green-ness level as some of the guys we see on the show from season to season and it never hurts to have big, heavy hands either.
Here is where I piss you off.
Anyone who wants to ramble on about his 14 second loss to Seth Petruzelli, remember this: Georges St-Pierre got his ass handed to him by Matt Serra once too and GSP is one of the Top 5 fighters on the planet.
Shit happens and it can happen to anyone. One loss, regardless of speed, skill level of your opponent or how many people lost their jobs because of it doesn’t change that it’s only one loss. No one – save for Lyoto Machida – stays undefeated.
Besides, Kimbo demolished Ray Mercer in his first trip into the cage and we all saw what Ray Mercer did to Tim Sylvia last week, didn’t we? Doesn’t that mean Kimbo would actually kill Sylvia in a fight?
Of course it doesn’t, but hopefully you know what I’m trying to say.
Dislike him all you want.
Personally, I’m a bigger fan of Kimbo Slice today than I was during his rise to fame and he’s the one I’ll be cheering for when Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter kicks off later this year.
Personally I think he accepted Dana's invitation NOT because he's a "stand up" guy, but because he needs the money. He has even mentioned in a few posts that he's worried about making enough money to take care of his family.
Oh – and he hasn't been training with Bas for quite some time now. Bas won't work with him anymore, and fired him as a client, because Kimbo refused to listen to his advise.
I know he's not working with Bas anymore, but even when you don't listen to your teachers, you still pick things up. How do you think I made it through University?
I too think he is doing this for the money and there shouldn't be anything wrong with that. Chris Lytle talks to his opponents about having standup wars so they can earn fight of the night bonuses…
All I'm saying is that this guy, IMO, isn't the villain he gets made out to be. He's not just a dude off the streets anymore and has as much of a chance as most of the guys on the show, save for maybe Big Country who should be the heavy (no pun intended) favorite.
Even if he is just a dude off the streets, he doesn't deserve ANY of the hate he gets. He's not responsible for the way EliteXC marketed him.
Speaking as a coach – there's nothing worse than putting your neck out for a guy, training the heck out of him, putting your stamp on him…and then when he steps in the ring he doesn't do a thing you've taught him, nor does he listen to a thing you tell him during the fight. Makes you look like a dufas for a coach and screws with your reputation. If he's not going to bother listening to you, then why bother with him.
I wouldn't call Kimbo a villain, but he keeps getting into MMA for all the wrong reasons, and it degrades the sport for those people who are in it for the right reasons. (Well…right IMHO.) But that's another blog.
He won't get hate from me; for sure EliteXC was way out of line for touting him to noobs as "the face of MMA" – but he won't any respect from me at this point.
Oh – here's something from Bas Rutten: I have zero respect for Kimbo Slice’
What are the "right" reasons and the "wrong" reasons IYHO?
I can't help but think dictating the right and wrong reasons for someone to compete in combat sports is the antithesis of humble.
BR's comments seem a bit nit picky to me.
When exactly did he stop training Kimbo?
Hey Eric – as I wrote my "right and wrong reasons" statement I figured I'd be hearing from you. Hahaha…remember that long email conversation about the subject of traditional MA, etc? That's pretty much what I'm referring to.
His comments might seem nit picky, but per what he told me, he doesn't feel at liberty to go into much more detail publicly. When I interviewed Bas – it was back the beginning of April 2009, and for sure he had stopped training Kimbo way before then.
This professional combat sports. People are fighting for money. As long as someone want to fight for money, its presumptuous to dictate what constitutes and acceptable reason for getting into MMA. The UFC is not a dojo and shouldn't be equated with one.
Did B.R. publicize that he wasn't training Kimbo prior to EliteXC: Heat in, which took place on 10/4/2008?
Hey Eric – as I wrote my "right and wrong reasons" statement I figured I'd be hearing from you. Hahaha…remember that long email conversation about the subject of traditional MA, etc? That's pretty much what I'm referring to.
His comments might seem nit picky, but per what he told me, he doesn't feel at liberty to go into much more detail publicly. When I interviewed Bas – it was back the beginning of April 2009, and for sure he had stopped training Kimbo way before then.