Scott Coker revealed via ESPN SportsCenter that Kimbo Slice and James Thompson would meet again at Bellator 158 in London, despite Slice currently being suspended in the state of Texas for failing a drug test at Bellator 138.
Fresh off Bellator MMA’s first ever international card at Bellator 152 “Pitbull vs. Souza” at Pala Alpitour in Torino, Italy, the promotion has set its sights on a second overseas destination.
O2 Arena in London, England.
First things first — 2008 called and wants its fight back. In an appearance on ESPN SportsCenter, Bellator President Scott Coker confirmed Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson will meet James “The Colossus” Thompson for a second time at Bellator 158.
“This is probably one of the most anticipated rivalries or rematches that I can think of,” Coker said. “And we’re going to put that fight together July 16 in London at the O2 Arena.”
Hold up a second — not only did Ferguson fail a drug test at Bellator 138 in Houston, he’s gone on record since as saying older fighters shouldn’t be punished for using “extra vitamins” to perform. Isn’t this potentially a black eye for Bellator?
Not according to Mr. Coker.
“He was put on a 90-day suspension outside of Texas, which will be ending some time in May, so he’ll be cleared and ready to fight by July. We go by what the athletic commission says. If there was a national federation or national association with rules and regulations across the board, that every state abided by, that’d be one thing — but for us, every state is different.”
For Thompson, the fight will be a shot at redemption not just for the previous loss to Ferguson in 2008 but for back-to-back losses to bookend 2015 at Bellator 145 and the inaugural Rizin Fight Federation show a month later.
The Scott Coker appearance also revealed a co-main event rematching Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley. Fight fans will recall that Daley took a swing at Koscheck after losing at UFC 113, and there has been bad blood between both men ever since.
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