Kimbo Slice silenced his detractors together with UFC CEO Dana White by sleeping one of many UFC’s pioneers.
Kimbo Slice’s path from a yard brawler in Florida, to showing on one among preventing’s greatest platforms, is one among MMA’s most remarkable success stories. He attracted the eye of thousands and thousands of viewers on-line as a avenue brawler who earned some depraved finishes in yard scraps.
After an extended profession in avenue preventing, which included the event of eventual UFC stars like Jorge Masvidal, Slice made his skilled MMA debut in 2007. He completed Bo Cantrell in simply 19 seconds in a shocking end to his first EliteXC bout.
Following the win over Cantrell, Slice confronted a steep improve in competitors in opposition to Tank Abbott at EliteXC: Road Licensed in Feb. 2008. Few believed he would carry out equally to his debut in opposition to the veteran Abbott, regardless of the latter being properly previous his bodily prime.
It took mere seconds for Slice to demolish Abbott, sending the group right into a wild frenzy.
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Kimbo Slice flattened Tank Abbott in below a minute
Slice vs. Abbott was a wild brawl for so long as it lasted. Each heavyweights opted to struggle in a telephone sales space within the heart of the cage with each Slice and Abbott sustaining heavy harm.
However Slice acquired the final chortle in opposition to Abbott, who referred to as him out following his professional debut. A crisp jab-straight mixture simply 43 seconds into the struggle despatched Abbott collapsing to the canvas face-first.
Slice’s win earned the eye of White and the UFC brass, who invited him as a shock addition months in a while The Final Fighter 10. Whereas he went 0-1 throughout his time on TUF 10 (TKO loss to Roy Nelson), he was essentially the most mentioned persona on the present and helped appeal to a brand new viewers to the UFC’s model.
Regardless of falling brief on TUF 10, Slice acquired his UFC shot on the TUF: Heavyweights Finale in Dec. 2009. He defeated Houston Alexander by unanimous determination earlier than shedding to fellow TUF 10 member Matt Mitrione at UFC 113.
Kimbo Slice’s new documentary explores his extraordinary story and life
After parting methods with the UFC following the Mitrione loss, Slice signed with Bellator, defeating one other UFC legend Ken Shamrock at Bellator 138 following a five-year absence. He ended his longstanding feud with Dada 5000 by TKO at Bellator 149 earlier than the struggle was overturned to a no-contest after Slice examined constructive for a number of banned substances.
Slice passed away on account of a coronary heart situation in 2016 at 42 years outdated. His loss of life despatched shockwaves throughout MMA, together with the UFC, after his transcendent accomplishments out and in of the cage.
Slice’s son, Kevin Ferguson Jr., was purported to return to preventing later this month at Naked Knuckle FC: Knuckle Mania 5 earlier than withdrawing on account of damage. ‘Darkish Aspect of the Cage’, an ongoing documentary sequence produced by VICE TV, will spotlight Slice’s life story in a Wednesday, January eighth episode.
Years after his loss of life, Slice’s impression on fight sports activities continues to be felt by those that compete within the cage and struggle for survival outdoors of it. Whereas the UFC has since had larger field workplace stars like Conor McGregor, Slice was one of many promotion’s early must-watch personalities.
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