UFC president Dana White has sensationally offered Kimbo Slice a short-term contract with the promotion.
The former Elite XC star - who made his name after releasing a host of street fighting videos on YouTube - will be one of 16 heavyweight hopefuls battling to win a six-figure deal on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter.
Slice has a 3-1 professional MMA record but has been mocked by many commentators, including White, for his lack of martial arts skills.
Although a decent boxer, Slice has only basic levels of wrestling and jiu-jitsu and has been derided by fans and pundits alike for his lack of ability.
Speaking last year, White said: "Slice is a street fighter and he actually fought Sean Gannon and lost in one of those internet street fights.
"Gannon came into the UFC and fought someone [Branden Lee Hinkle] that nobody had ever heard of or has seen again since and he got hurt so badly he was in the hospital for two weeks.
"Slice would get murdered in the UFC."
While his motives remain unclear, White now appears willing to give the man he derided a chance.
Talking to Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole regarding the capture of Slice, he said: "It should be interesting, given some of the things I've said about him."
Although a popular draw during Elite XC's brief existence, Slice has not faced any top-level competition since he turned pro in November 2007.
White has repeatedly mocked him and insisted the only way he would fight inside the Octagon would be by securing a contract after winning TUF.
And the UFC supremo has been true to his word after thrashing out terms with Slice - real name Kevin Ferguson - to appear on the latest series of the hit show.
Former light-heavyweight champions Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Rashad Evans will be team captains on the show, which begins shooting on Wednesday.
But despite the bad blood and simmering feud between Evans and Jackson - who will face off for the No1 contender spot at the end of the season - it is the inclusion of Slice which could provethe biggest draw for casual followers of the sport.
Slice made a winning debut against Bo Cantrell in Texas in November 2007. The fight lasted just 19 seconds with the American tapping out to strikes.
He then faced former UFC fighter Tank Abbott - who has a pro-record of 10-14 - in February 2008 and knocked the veteran out cold 43 seconds into their fight.
But the 35-year-old's most controversial bout to date occurred last May at the Elite XC: Primetime show.
He appeared in the main event of the first MMA card shown on network television in America when he fought Britain's James Thompson on May 31, 2008, on CBS.
Slice won by third-round stoppage in a bout that attracted a record 6.5million viewers and remains the most-viewed MMA bout in history.
But the encounter was highly controversial. Thompson - who at the time had a 14-8 record - entered the fight with a considerably swollen cauliflower ear.
Yet the 30-year-old was able to dominate the opening two rounds with effective ground and pound by taking advantage of Slice's lack of ground skills.
And many believed referee Dan Miragliotta should have stopped the fight in the second period after Thompson landed over 50 strikes in a 70-second ground-and-pound assault which Slice was unable to defend.
