| 28 September 2009
I can't believe it has come to this. I'm actually more excited about this Wednesday's edition of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter than I am about the most recent string of UFC PPVs. Part of this is due to the UFC trotting out guys like Rich Franklin, Brandon Vera and Mauricio Rua and expecting us to accept them as main event talent. But the main reason for the excitement over TUF is of course due to one man - Kevin Ferguson (but you can call him Kimbo).
Kimbo Slice and the cast of TUF 10: The Heavyweights have already delivered record-breaking ratings for the UFC and Spike TV through the first two episodes of the show. And this Wednesday's episode will no doubt top those ratings, as Kimbo's match versus Roy "Big Country" Nelson has been duly hyped and much anticipated. The biggest name on the show versus the favourite to win it. The street fighter versus the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. As much as I'm looking forward to this match, it never should have happened. This is because Kimbo Slice never should have been forced to appear on TUF.
The UFC should have signed Slice and had him headlining PPVs immediately, instead of having him jump through the hoops of competing on a reality show. The man is a proven star attraction, appearing on the cover of ESPN The Magazine and pulling in crazy television ratings every time he appeared on a MMA show. Kimbo Slice delivers action packed fights that are must-see-TV for both the casual fan as well as the hardcore MMA fan. What more could the UFC want from a main event talent?
But instead Dana White felt the need to have Kimbo kneel and kiss his ring. And the reason for this is due to Kimbo still being associated with street fighting. Because Slice still relies on brawling when he is in the cage he is considered an embarrassment to MMA. No, the real embarrassment to MMA is a former WWE pro wrestler, with only four MMA bouts under his belt, becoming the UFC heavyweight champion (not to mention cursing, insulting sponsors and having a boring fighting style). Brock Lesnar has only fought one more MMA match than Kimbo Slice. Yet Lesnar, after only fighting one MMA match, was signed by the UFC and immediately given a push to the top of the heavyweight heap. And the reason for this, of course, is due to the snobbish attitude in the MMA world in regards to wrestlers versus punchers. Guys with wrestling backgrounds are considered legit athletes - brawlers are sideshow freaks who drag the sport back to the dark ages. I thought MMA was supposed to be a clash of styles - one fighting technique versus another, best man win. Brock Lesnar should have had to prove himself just like Kimbo Slice is having to, wrestling background be damned.
As the early episodes of TUF 10 prove, Kimbo is not a thug or disrespectful to the sport. He is humble and excited to be given the chance to compete in the UFC. He claims to just be an ordinary Joe who is trying to feed his family (seriously, look in the mirror Kimbo - you aren't an ordinary dude!). The fact that he has had early success in MMA and become a superstar should not be held against him - all he did was take advantage of the opportunities presented to him, just like any of us would have done. But, due to jealousy, Kimbo now has a huge bulls-eye on his back. Which is cool with me - I like rooting for the underdog!
The trials that the UFC is putting Kimbo through is good for the MMA fan, however. We get the excitement of seeing him on TUF with the promise from Dana White that, win or lose, Slice will be fighting for the UFC once the show is over. And, love him or hate him, we all will be watching.
