Ken Shamrock, Kimbo Slice will have to pass out-of-competition drug tests before Bellator fight

A fight between Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice was scheduled for seven years ago and didn’t happen. For it to go down this time, there will be some hurdles.

Shamrock and Slice are set to meet in the main event of Bellator 138 on June 20 in St. Louis. But the bout will not go off unless the two men pass random, out-of-competition drug tests, MMAFighting.com has learned.

Missouri Office of Athletics director Tim Lueckenhoff told MMAFighting.com that both contestants will need to undergo “additional testing” and will, of course, need medical clearance before they are granted a license to compete in the state. Lueckenhoff, who is also the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) president, would not go into details about the tests, but Bellator confirmed that it would be similar to how Nevada and California have been testing out of competition. It is unknown if there will be blood and urine tests done or just urine.

Medical clearance and drug testing are of the utmost importance in this fight, because both men are at an advanced age. Shamrock, one of the pioneers of MMA, is 52 years old and Slice, the YouTube streetfighting sensation, is 41. Also, Shamrock tested positive for three anabolic steroids — norandrosterone, noretiocholanolone and stanozolol — after a win over Ross Clinton at WarGods: Valentine’s Day Massacre on Feb. 13, 2009 in Fresno, Calif.

Shamrock was supposed to meet Slice in 2008 under the EliteXC banner, but sustained a cut on his face just before the fight. Seth Petruzelli, one of Shamrock’s protégés, took the main event on short notice — and knocked Slice out in 14 seconds. Soon after, EliteXC, which had built itself around Slice and his star power, folded.

Both men fought another two years after that with Slice appearing for the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter reality show and two bouts thereafter. But Shamrock and Slice each retired from MMA in 2010 and have not fought since. Slice has competed in a handful of boxing matches since 2010.

Shamrock (28-15-2) was in the UFC 1 tournament and is a former UFC Superfight champion. He’s in the UFC Hall of Fame and one of the men who helped build the promotion. Slice (4-2) drew big ratings on CBS and remains wildly popular.

A fight between Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice was scheduled for seven years ago and didn’t happen. For it to go down this time, there will be some hurdles.

Shamrock and Slice are set to meet in the main event of Bellator 138 on June 20 in St. Louis. But the bout will not go off unless the two men pass random, out-of-competition drug tests, MMAFighting.com has learned.

Missouri Office of Athletics director Tim Lueckenhoff told MMAFighting.com that both contestants will need to undergo “additional testing” and will, of course, need medical clearance before they are granted a license to compete in the state. Lueckenhoff, who is also the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) president, would not go into details about the tests, but Bellator confirmed that it would be similar to how Nevada and California have been testing out of competition. It is unknown if there will be blood and urine tests done or just urine.

Medical clearance and drug testing are of the utmost importance in this fight, because both men are at an advanced age. Shamrock, one of the pioneers of MMA, is 52 years old and Slice, the YouTube streetfighting sensation, is 41. Also, Shamrock tested positive for three anabolic steroids — norandrosterone, noretiocholanolone and stanozolol — after a win over Ross Clinton at WarGods: Valentine’s Day Massacre on Feb. 13, 2009 in Fresno, Calif.

Shamrock was supposed to meet Slice in 2008 under the EliteXC banner, but sustained a cut on his face just before the fight. Seth Petruzelli, one of Shamrock’s protégés, took the main event on short notice — and knocked Slice out in 14 seconds. Soon after, EliteXC, which had built itself around Slice and his star power, folded.

Both men fought another two years after that with Slice appearing for the UFC on The Ultimate Fighter reality show and two bouts thereafter. But Shamrock and Slice each retired from MMA in 2010 and have not fought since. Slice has competed in a handful of boxing matches since 2010.

Shamrock (28-15-2) was in the UFC 1 tournament and is a former UFC Superfight champion. He’s in the UFC Hall of Fame and one of the men who helped build the promotion. Slice (4-2) drew big ratings on CBS and remains wildly popular.