Kimbo Cut From UFC

[xtremebadass]

Dana White slices "Kimbo" from roster following UFC 113 loss to Matt Mitrione
by John Morgan on May 09, 2010 at 3:00 am ET
MONTREAL – Following two official fights in the organization, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's days in the UFC are apparently done.

UFC president Dana White revealed in Saturday night's post-UFC 113 press conference in Montreal that Slice (4-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) would likely be released following his loss to fellow "The Ultimate Fighter 10" cast member Matt Mitrione (2-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

"That's probably Kimbo's last fight in the UFC," White said.

A former streetfighter that took up mixed martial arts in 2007, Slice has been a YouTube sensation, network television superstar, reality show contestant and pay-per-view draw. His trademark beard and gold chain drew viewers by the millions when he was starring with the now-defunct EliteXC organization and again when he was shockingly selected as a contestant on "TUF 10."

White often blasted Slice as a freak show fighter when he was competing for EliteXC, and the UFC exec on Saturday admitted his initial evaluations of the heavyweight had been wrong.

"I didn't know Kimbo," White said. "I just knew what I saw. The first time I ever met him, I said, 'This is going to be an interesting meeting with all the [expletive] I've said about this guy over the past two years.'

"He came in, and he couldn't be a nicer guy. He took this serious, he trained, went after it."

Slice was defeated by Roy Nelson in the first round of the "TUF 10" tournament, but he was asked back to the finale to face slugger Houston Alexander. The fight fell flat as Alexander largely refused to engage, and Slice earned a unanimous-decision win in a less-than-stellar 15-minute affair.

"His first fight wasn't the YouTube fights that you saw, but he won," White said. "He won that fight, and he deserved another fight in the UFC."

That fight came against Mitrione, who used leg kicks to batter Slice, threatened with a pair of triangle choke attempts on the ground, and ultimately earned a second-round TKO via strikes after mounting the bearded brawler, who showed no signs that he would be able to return to his feet.

While often critical of the brawler in his early days, White said his likely decision has nothing to do with Slice as a person.

"I said that I have a lot of respect for Kimbo and how he's handled this whole thing – a lot of trash-talking for a couple of years, by me," White said. "He took me up on my challenge. He came in to 'The Ultimate Fighter,' and tonight he got beat by Matt Mitrione. Mitrione was 1-0, and he came in and took Kimbo out tonight.

"I've got nothing but respect for Kimbo. I like him as a person. He carried himself really well."

For complete coverage of UFC 113, stay tuned to the MMA Events section of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Well, my money will be on Kimbo going to Strikeforce back on CBS. If his Petruzelli victory wasn't controversial enough he'll go to a company with questionable post fight brawls in the cage. He will fit in just nicely, maybe he'll fight Bobby Lashley.

 

[Wordlife]

I can see Daley gone, but Kimbo? He pretty much just started, Dana is too fast on cutting talent. Sure, Kimbo wasn't going to win that fight last night, but still, give the guy another chance!

 

[nation]

Good he sucks.

 

[RC Styles]

WHY KIMBO ? WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[xtremebadass]

I don't agree with Dana here. Reason one, this is only his first loss. Very rarely do fighters get axed after one loss in the UFC. Reason two, he is a money machine. He has a huge name in the MMA world, people want to see Kimbo. You could have atleast cashed in on him for two more fights, maybe more. Plus he had nothing but good things to say about Kimbo, why cut him?

He was very light for a HW though. He came in 225. That is about Fedor weight, but Fedor can get away with it because he is a god to the sport. His fight with Alexander was at a catchweight 215 I think. If anything, they should have asked him to fight LHW.

 

[JurassicBonez]

Aw man, this sucks. I like Kimbo. He grew on me during TUF 10. Then he showed that he came a long way during the Alexander fight. I didn't see UFC 113 so I don't know how that fight went.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

It was strictly business. Dana can't have the legitimacy of his organization being jeopardized by a jabrone like Kimbo, as much of a money machine as he is. Plus Dana hates looking foolish and having Kimbo lose a second fight would have done just that, he gave him a chance, he was what Dana thought he was and that's just the way the business goes. He's lucky he got a main card fight.

 

[Jon Honcho]

It's no secret that Dana White never thought much of Kimbo. I don't either. He lost on the UF too but it was only exhibition. I did want to see him fight someone with a lot of experience like Mir or even Gonzaga. I think they would've eaten his lunch and spit it in his face.

 

[Colin Gimp]

He can't take a shot to the leg. Matt knew that, so he saved a card up his sleeve (a lethal leg kick). Matt of all the fucking dumbfucking founded people. and tried to fight him without even going to the leg strike until the end of the first round.

Which means Matt a Rookie in MMA went into there not expecting Kimbo to take him down, ground and pound. Well he went in there thinking nothing but an easy victory. And he got it, after realizing he can't beat Kimbo without going for the legs. And when he did, it got disgusting.

Can't have a guy like that in MMA

 

[NinoBrown]

I like Kimbo but at the same time, dude can't fight up to UFC standards. He got gassed out by the second round, sure he's got the hands and can slam but he's gonna have to make it through 15 minutes of fighting.

Maybe Kimbo should just do boxing. C'mon now, Kimbo has no legs and we've seen how he can use those hands. Plus boxing needs the limelight.

 

[He who knows more than Nation]

^^^If you can't make it in MMA, you sure as hell can't make it in boxing. More skill and endurance is required in boxing, plus the guy is on the wrong side of 30, he'd just be a novelty act as he is in MMA.

 

[Colin Gimp]

I don't agree with Dana here. Reason one, this is only his first loss. Very rarely do fighters get axed after one loss in the UFC. Reason two, he is a money machine. He has a huge name in the MMA world, people want to see Kimbo. You could have atleast cashed in on him for two more fights, maybe more. Plus he had nothing but good things to say about Kimbo, why cut him?

He was very light for a HW though. He came in 225. That is about Fedor weight, but Fedor can get away with it because he is a god to the sport. His fight with Alexander was at a catchweight 215 I think. If anything, they should have asked him to fight LHW.

dude after they weigh in they gain a massive amount of weight. Dude UFC ain't strikeforce they're not looking for the cashout, they're in it for the sport:thumbsup:

 

[phantomgerald]

Guys guys, I think it's real simple. Kimbo doesn't deserve to be on the main card for his next fight, but he won't take less money to fight in the undercard either. Dana White wants to keep him you can tell but there is no way he can put him on the main card without their legitimacy questioned and Kimbo will not fight in the undercard. He was left with no choice and this cutting is sort of like a thank you but we can't afford you.

 

[straight_edge76]

Maybe Kimbo should just do boxing. C'mon now, Kimbo has no legs and we've seen how he can use those hands. Plus boxing needs the limelight.

This to an extent. I was talking about this with a friend of mine. MMA was he wrong sport for Kimbo, he is a straight stand-up fighter. He has no ground game he is all punches, without taking conditioning, age or overall skill into account he would make a far more succesful boxer than MMA fighter.