After two fights, one reality show, and a lot of ratings, Kimbo Slice is done in the UFC. Following his loss to fellow TUF 10 alumni Matt Mitrione at UFC 113, UFC president Dana White said that he will likely cut Kimbo Slice. Could it be the end of the road to one of the biggest of draws in MMA history?
It was big news a few years ago when Kimbo Slice emerged from a You Tube sensation into a sanctioned MMA fighter. After a submission win over Ray Mercer in 2007, Slice went on to become one of the first MMA fighters to headline an MMA event on network television. The biggest news broke a little less than a year ago when word leaked out that Kimbo Slice had joined the UFC to compete on The Ultimate Fighter. In just a few short years Kevin Furgeson went from the back alley to the grandest stage in all of MMA.
[adinserter block=”1″]Dana White took a ton of criticism for picking up Kimbo Slice due to White’s own comments about Slice over the years. In the end, Dana White swallowed a little humble pie and wound up picking up one of his biggest short-term draws in the history of the UFC. Slice walked into The Ultimate Fighter 10 as the obvious star of the show. A couple of fights later and one win, the big news this week may be the last news we hear of Kimbo Slice in the world of MMA, as his UFC career looks to be over.
“That’s probably Kimbo’s last fight in the UFC,” Dana White said.
Outside of the octagon, Kimbo Slice was an unequivocal success. Kimbo Slice vs. Roy Nelson shattered records on The Ultimate Fighter 10 by grabbing 4.1 million viewers. Even after being dominated in a one-sided fighter to Roy Nelson, fans came back for Kimbo Slice’s first live UFC fight. Slice’s first live UFC fight against Houston Alexander on the TUF 10 finale grabbed 5.2 million viewers. On top of that, Dana White was able to grab Kimbo Slice for the UFC Undisputed 2010 video game. Finally, the addition of Kimbo Slice was a big subtraction to Strikeforce who would have likely used him in a CBS main-event.
Inside of the octagon was a different story when it came to Kimbo Slice. Kimbo Slice cut a great promo before every fight talking about how he couldn’t wait to throw down. Instead, it looked like he couldn’t wait to fall down. The explosive Kimbo Slice fans expected to see in the UFC never showed up. Slice looked slow, old, and tired in all three of his UFC fights. The Ultimate Fighter 10 did him no favors by putting a target on his knee. In the end, I just think Kimbo Slice’s age and bad knees never allowed him to develop the cardio he needed to compete with the big boys in the UFC. Dana White felt the same way and saw enough after he was dismantled by “Meathead” at UFC 113.
[adinserter block=”2″]The future of Kimbo Slice will be something to keep an eye on for sure. It will be interesting to see whether Dana White outright cuts him or keeps him under contract without booking him in fights. The advantage to this would be to keep him indefinitely in the UFC Undisputed video game franchise. At this point I don’t know whether it matters or not if Strikeforce signs him because it looks like the CBS deal is done. I am sure someone in Japan will throw a crazy amount of money for Slice to fight, because there is a big market for freak show MMA fights. Either way I would be surprised if Kimbo Slice never fights again.
I would be surprised if Kimbo Slice ever wins again.
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Just seems like Kimbo isn't up to the same level as the rest of the UFC. I love Kimbo, but I can understand that he was cut. Give someone else that spot. I hope there is a cooling off period and Daley gets a second chance. Cutting him forever seems too harsh, even though that was a split second super stupid move.
.-= Cheryl from thatgirlisfunny´s last blog ..Paris Hilton vs Roxanne Modafferi Demonstrating Different MMA Training Styles =-.
Wait a minute! Two competitors both black cut in one night by a guy named "White" and NO ONE is calling Racism? Well on behalf of the Overactors Society I gotta say I'm Outraged!
Yeah I can't say this is a good business decision by White…but it's his business and he doesn't want Kimbo.
There is two things about kimbo he has an over the top personality and he is probably one of the biggest flops in UFC history. I do have to have to give him some credit for appearing on the reality show. Now he is going to do like these guys who get cut and do a whole bunch of appreances and fight tomato cans at these smaller shows. Kimbo will do ok money wise outside the ufc. He will do a movie or two and be a bodyguard for the reality kings