MMA's Latest Hottest Free Agent

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KIMBO SLICE! :P

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/slice-hits-open-market-17546

“Kimbo Slice” is officially a free agent.
Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, was released from the Pro Elite organization on May 13, according to an SEC filing.

Ferguson’s manager and longtime friend, Mike Imber, also confirmed to Sherdog.com Tuesday that his client could not come to a new fight deal with Strikeforce, who obtained an option to purchase the bearded Internet phenomenon’s contract from Pro Elite last February.

Ferguson (3-1) fought three times for Pro Elite under its EliteXC banner. Two of those bouts were main-event attractions featured on CBS and are the No. 1 and No. 3 most-watched fights in U.S. history, topping off at 7.3 million viewers.

Slice’s contract was thought to have been one of 42 fight agreements purchased by the Strikeforce promotion as part of a $3 million select assets acquisition deal with the ailing Pro Elite. The fighter acquisitions were a part of a 3-year, 16-event-per-year deal that the San Jose-based promotion struck with Showtime. The deal also leaves the door open for four live events to air on CBS, which owns the premium pay channel.

“We had an option to exercise Kimbo’s contract from Pro Elite,” Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told Sherdog.com on Tuesday. “Basically out of all those fighters we took, he was the only one that we didn’t grab –- it was an option to take [Slice’s contract.] With that option, there was an expiration date on it.”

Coker said negotiations were held over the last three months through a third party he “felt had a better relationship” with Ferguson and his management, and that he never met with Slice and Imber face-to-face.

“In the very beginning, we tried to have dialogue with them about trying to make the deal a little more realistic and we just couldn’t work it out. At the end of the day, if we would have worked it out, we would have exercised the option,” said Coker.

Imber, who went to high school with Ferguson, said that Strikeforce offered Slice a pay scale less than what was stipulated in his EliteXC contract.

Ferguson received $175,000 for his 43-second knockout of David “Tank” Abbott at EliteXC “Street Certified” in February 2008. His pay jumped to $500,000 for his 14-second loss last October at the hands of Seth Petruzelli, a light heavyweight who was pulled up from the undercard after Ken Shamrock was deemed medically ineligible to fight that same day.

“They wanted us to fight for less,” said Imber. “I wouldn’t say dramatically [less], but there were just a lot of moving parts in the contract. Once you start moving one, they all kind of got moved around. It just didn’t work out, I guess.”

Both sides expressed interest in negotiating again in the future.

“I still think that we’ll continue the dialogue and at some point, if he really wants to fight in MMA, then we’ll let him fight for us. Why not?” said Coker. “He was an Internet phenomenon that went mainstream on CBS and Showtime and the support he was given last year really propelled his popularity. Why not put him back in the mix? We just need to talk about a different arrangement, that’s all.”

Coker said he wasn’t heavily pressured by Showtime or CBS to seal a deal with the first fighter to ever appear on the cover of ESPN the Magazine.

“The name came up in the beginning, but there was a bit of a backlash on the bit of the event with the Seth Petruzelli fight, said Coker. “They saw the positive and they also saw the downside. Kimbo’s a great athlete, but [Pro Elite] threw him in a ‘baptism by fire.’”

Imber said Slice’s options remain wide open. Gary Shaw, who promoted Slice under the EliteXC moniker at one time, made overtures for the backyard brawling icon last week, announcing that Slice would make his pro boxing debut under his promotion.

Imber said no deals –- boxing, MMA or otherwise –- have been finalized. Imber added that he wasn’t certain if the 34-year-old fighter would enter a boxing ring or an MMA cage/ring next.

“I can’t give you any updates right now, but when I do you’re going to be very impressed and shocked,” said Imber. “I can tell you his MMA career is far from over. We have a bunch of other options –- Japan and others. Now that we're actually free to explore them, we’re doing it.”

With his undeniable notoriety and mass-market appeal, Ferguson could become an unlikely, but not out-of-the-question candidate for “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series on Spike TV, which is rumored to be casting heavyweights for its upcoming season. Imber wasn’t hesitant to address that possibility though.

“That’s not an option right now,” he said.

I wonder whats next for him?

DRakE

Kevin Ferguson

SuperWoody101

The Ultimate Fighter? it's heavyweight's next year.

calex71

get him in there with Bobby Lashley, that id like to see

DRakE

didnt Dana say at one stage that he'd be welcome to try out for Ultimate fighter?

i know he was probably just ripping the piss but anyone think its possible?

Professey Chin

Shave ya bollix

SuperWoody101

DRakE wrote: »

didnt Dana say at one stage that he'd be welcome to try out for Ultimate fighter?

i know he was probably just ripping the piss but anyone think its possible?

Well if Kimbo wants to keep hes name out there I think it would be the best move for him. I would hate to see him go back in to backyard fighting!

Fromvert

SuperWoody101 wrote: »

Well if Kimbo wants to keep hes name out there I think it would be the best move for him. I would hate to see him go back in to backyard fighting!

Dont have time to read the article. But

Why? Thats where he belongs fighting junkies for a few quid. He is pretty **** at MMA and I cant see him getting better, as he supposedly doesnt like Jiu Jitsu. He likes to stand and trade and is supposedly looking to get into boxing.

SuperWoody101

Fromvert wrote: »

Dont have time to read the article. But

Why? Thats where he belongs fighting junkies for a few quid. He is pretty **** at MMA and I cant see him getting better, as he supposedly doesnt like Jiu Jitsu. He likes to stand and trade and is supposedly looking to get into boxing.

I thought he was ok, he is 4-1. He trained with Bas Rutten (So he must have worked hard) the guy only lost one fight. I would like to see him in the next TUF to see what he is made of.

chopperbyrne

He'd have to qualify for TUF first and anyone he goes against will just look to take him down and make him tap.

Dana said he'd be welcome to try out for TUF just so he could show him losing on one of his TV shows.

Lashley probably should try out for the next TUF if they're looking for heavyweights. It would be a great way for him to launch his MMA career.

dunkamania

Given that he has featured in the most watched mma fights broadcasted in the US, if the best his agent can come up with is a spot on series 10 of TUF, than he needs a new agent.

calex71

dunkamania wrote: »

Given that he has featured in the most watched mma fights broadcasted in the US, if the best his agent can come up with is a spot on series 10 of TUF, than he needs a new agent.

+1

He would have been a good contender in the open weight freakfest @ the next Dream even in Japan

rovert

From the F4W board:


Made me laugh anyway

Fromvert

Id have to say any fighter worth their salt would take him down and give him the most enjoyable ground and pound im ever going to see or tap him pretty quickly.

As far as his record goes
Bo Cantrell a 40 year old can to get the hype machine going.
Tank Abbot, who as great as he was :pac: was not that great.
James Thompson, credible enough fighter who was beating Kimbo until his ear exploded. He shouldnt of been allowed fight.
Then good aul Seth came along, a light heavyweight who was told to stand and trade but still managed to win in a few seconds.
His other fight was some pro-exhibition fight, not sure if that counts on his MMA record.

The man is a freak show and that is all he ever will be. His best bet is Japan they love a good freak. But id bet he'll get beaten there too.

Maynard

I believe the Kimbo Slice hoodies on sale in Wrestling Mania in Stephen's Green are going for a steal at the minute:P

calex71

Fromvert wrote: »

James Thompson, credible enough fighter who was beating Kimbo until his ear exploded

They called it an alien in his ear , man that was nasty :eek: there was a guy on TUF from the UK this season that reminded me of that cauliflower waiting to happen