Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock, two of the biggest novelty attractions of this or any other MMA era, are scheduled to square off June 20 for the Bellator promotion.
Bellator officials announced the pairing Thursday, according to a report from Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com.
Neither of the two heavyweights—combined age 92 years old—has fought since 2010.
Nevertheless, Bellator’s interesting piece of matchmaking could draw big eyeballs, as the two remain the subject of interest even at this late stage of their athletic careers, thanks to their charisma and fascinating career paths.
Crazy. pic.twitter.com/PnriGuHVap
— Josh Sánchez (@jnsanchez) February 26, 2015
“Ken, I owe you this a– whooping,” Slice (real name Kevin Ferguson) said in a statement released to Okamoto. “No more running! No more hiding!”
That’s a clear reference to 2008, when the two men were originally set to meet in the now-defunct EliteXC promotion. Shamrock ultimately pulled out of the contest on the night of the event, leading to widespread ridicule.
Shamrock (28-15-2) is now 51 years old but has been working on the fringes of combat sports for years. In January, Shamrock was connected to a bareknuckle boxing match in Ireland, though it is unclear when or whether such a bout might actually materialize. For the most part, major promotions have been reluctant to take a chance on Shamrock, despite his relative fame, most likely because of his age.
I am back. It’s good to be performing again for my fans,” Shamrock said in the statement, according to the ESPN report. “I feel great and my health is great. Age should never be a factor if an athlete is healthy, in great shape and has the drive to continue their sport. I will quit fighting when I want to. Kimbo Slice and I have some unfinished business. I am a fighter. That’s who I am.”
No matter what happens in June, Shamrock’s place in MMA history is secure. The first King of Pancrase lost at UFC 1 to Royce Gracie and was technically the UFC’s first belt-holder, donning the open-weight Superfight Championship back in 1995. That title later became the UFC heavyweight championship.
Slice’s place in the sport is a little more nebulous. The 41-year-old Florida native (4-2) came to fame by winning backyard street fights that were posted on YouTube. The thick-muscled, thick-bearded knockout artist oozed charisma and was given a chance with EliteXC. In his second bout for the promotion, however, Slice was knocked out in 14 seconds by Seth Petruzelli.
Slice later got a shot in the UFC, where he competed on the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter and went on to post a 1-1 record in the promotion.
Scott Harris covers all aspects of MMA for Bleacher Report. For more, follow Scott on Twitter.
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