Some call him a hero, some call him a fluke. Some call him cash cow, golden goose, or even golden boy. No matter what he is called, Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson is definitely a polarizing figure. He hasn’t fought many fights that have been sanctioned by the sport of MMA, but already he has dominated legends, plowed through soup cans, and has been tested by questionable talent. Ferguson is obviously the poster child for a company that is floundering and fighting for its very existence. To date, Ferguson has yet to be tested by anyone with notable skills and has yet to fight anyone of any significant MMA talent. That will soon change because on October 4, 2008 Ferguson will face an older, but still dangerous “World’s Most Dangerous Man,” Ken Shamrock. The event will air live on CBS.
Some are saying that Shamrock is simply a shell of his former self. The 44 year-old Shamrock, loser of his last five fights, hasn’t won since he beat Kimbo back in June of 2004. Yes, that’s right; I said he beat Kimbo, Kimbo Leopoldo, that is, not Kimbo Slice. If that doesn’t sound bad enough, over his last 10 fights, dating back to August of 2000, Shamrock has a record of 2-8, with 1 loss coming by way of decision (Don Frye) and the other seven losses coming via KO or TKO. Ken definitely leads with his face, which is why some fans are saying that Shamrock has been hand-picked for the strike-happy/strike-only Ferguson.
So, who better to throw in front of your punch-happy golden boy who has no ground game, than a man who can’t defend a jab or a right hook? “Not so fast” Shamrock implied as he told ESPN’s MMA Live that he believes Ferguson has been gift wrapped for him and not the other way around. Later, when asked by Kenny Florian if he was afraid to stand with Ferguson, Shamrock said that he believed Kimbo Slice was overrated and the guys he (Ferguson) has fought have either “gassed out,” have had limited skills, or didn’t have “the will to want to fight.” Shamrock went on to say that he didn’t feel that Ferguson was a threat to him anywhere in the octagon.
Any way you paint it, Ferguson has never fought a fighter the caliber of Shamrock, aged or not. Even creeping up in the years, Shamrock still has a better ground game than all the fighters Slice has faced…combined! Ferguson was exposed on the ground when a bag of tuna fish and coffee grinds named James “The Colossus” Thompson almost stole the show, and a win, from Kimbo Slice. Look for Shamrock to take Ferguson to the ground and attempt several submissions. If this fight does go to the ground expect Shamrock to teach Ferguson a valuable lesson in MMA-ology, but if Shamrock continues to consider stopping strikes with his face an actual defense, you can expect the Kimbo Slice legend to grow, at least until he faces another aged, slightly past-his-prime fighter.
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