Tag: Ken Shamrock

The Question: Is Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice the Biggest Fight of 2015?

The moment has finally arrived. After seven years of waiting (and one dead fight promotion), Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock will finally step in the cage on Friday night.
Slice and Shamrock are older men now, and neither has competed in mixed martial art…

The moment has finally arrived. After seven years of waiting (and one dead fight promotion), Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock will finally step in the cage on Friday night.

Slice and Shamrock are older men now, and neither has competed in mixed martial arts in quite some time. For Slice, it has been just over five years since a loss to Matt Mitrione sent him packing from the UFC; for Shamrock, it will be five years in November.

Both men are long past their primes, and there is every chance the fight will be absolutely awful.

And still, we are beyond excited for what may ultimately (and improbably) be the biggest fight of 2015, at least from a viewership perspective.

To discuss all things Slice vs. Shamrock, our intrepid duo of Jeremy Botter and Jonathan Snowden—Bleacher Report’s version of Cagney and Lacey—teamed up to answer The Question: Is Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock the biggest mixed martial arts fight of 2015?

Jeremy: Jonathan, you were able to spend a little time with Shamrock in San Diego last month, and I tagged along. During that time, we spoke of our excitement for this fight, but we also talked about how smart a play it is for Bellator. This is a promotion that must do something to be different. It can’t be UFC Light, because UFC is already doing a great job at watering down its own product.

Bellator has to do things differently. It has to attract attention somehow, and then hope to turn those eyeballs toward some of the more talented fighters it has on its roster. Millions of people tuned in to see Tito Ortiz vs. Stephan Bonnar, and they were exposed to Will Brooks in the process.

I am convinced that Scott Coker has hit a winning formula here. Kimbo and Ken are old men. This fight will probably be horrible. But I have to say that I don’t care one bit, and I think this fight has the ability to attract a mainstream crowd like no other fight on the docket this year. I have friends who never watch MMA, and they are excited for Slice/Shamrock. If they are any indication, this is going to be a massive viewing audience for Spike on Friday night.

 

Jonathan: Scott Coker is kind of the anti-Dana White. Most of the time, when you talk to him, he barely changes expression. He’s the type of guy whose heart rate never gets above 80 beats per minute. The next time he calls somebody names in public will be the first.

But, Jeremy, I swear on the almighty Fedor Emelianenko himself—when I sat down with Coker at the last Bellator event he seemed genuinely excited by this fight.

Coker calls it a “fun fight,” the term he’s devised to replace “freakshow” in the MMA lexicon. It’s also something more.

This is a true grudge match, the kind you hear about often but witness rarely. When you look Shamrock in the eye, you can see this is personal to him. Sure, he has all of his pro wrestling tricks working. But they are working in service of something real.

In the cage, no one will mistake this for top-level MMA. But while the two men may be a combined 92.7 years old, they are evenly matched. That’s the difference between being sad and being interesting.

This one is interesting. Despite the Kimbo friendly odds, I think it’s a pick-em fight.

Jeremy: I think you’re right. When I saw Kimbo opened up as a -405 favorite with oddsmakers, I was shocked. But then, I also had the opportunity to see Ken’s Padres jersey barely containing his massive, rippling biceps when you and I went to a baseball game with him a month ago. Clearly, the man is in fantastic shape, and not just for someone who is 51 years old; he is in fantastic shape, period.

There are people out there who will pretend this fight is embarrassing, because they think they’re some sort of purist and that this kind of fight is beneath them. You know the type. We all do.

But if you consider yourself a purist, answer me this question: Would you rather watch Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice do their thing on free cable? Or are you happier watching two men you’ve never heard of on a Fight Pass stream?

Even if someone answers “Fight Pass,” you just know they’re going to be tuning in on Friday night. They might not admit it, but they’ll be watching alongside the rest of us, because at the end of the day, we are all marks.

Jonathan: Like you, I love the spectacle and the ridiculous pomp and circumstance. Everyone who’s been to one of their live quarterly extravaganzas raves about these Bellator tent-pole shows. It’s going to be an incredible event.

But, and call me crazy if you must, I’m also super intrigued by this as an athletic contest. I know neither of these guys is ever going to be a world champion—and that’s OK. What’s important here is that they are an appropriate level of competition for each other.

Shamrock vs. Slice, in many ways, is an old-school throwback, a return to a time when MMA was a battle of styles. Shamrock is the submission master. At lunch one day he told me all about why leg locks are the ultimate counter to the guard.

He still believes.

Kimbo is a street fighter, a hard puncher who has learned just enough in the gym to make it interesting. He can end Shamrock’s night with a single punch.

That’s exciting to me. Am I weird?

Jeremy: You’re not weird. I mean, you are weird. But not because you’re excited for this fight.

I was also perversely excited for Tito vs. Bonnar back in November. And I felt this way even though I knew—I just knew—it was going to be a terrible fight. And honestly, the odds of Shamrock and Kimbo going out there and putting on a fight of the year candidate? They’re pretty small. I think we can agree on that.

But still, I’m excited for the fight, because this is an evenly matched bout between two old people. And also because of what you mentioned: It is a battle of styles, a throwback of sorts to the old-school time when we’d see a jiu-jitsu master facing a boxer.

The fact that Shamrock was the guy participating in those style fights back then? Well, it makes it that much better!

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VIDEO: Spike TV’s “Finally: Kimbo vs. Shamrock” Documentary

Now that we’re all in agreement about the undeniable awesomeness that is the Bellator 138 main event, SpikeTV has released their full, unedited documentary on the grudge match 7 years in the making between 51 year-old Ken Shamrock and 41-year-old Kimbo Slice. In what’s basically being billed as “Father Time vs. Spring Chicken”, Spike takes an in depth-look at the now infamous night that Shamrock vs. Slice were originally supposed to throw down back in 2008, as well as what each guy has been up to since. For Shamrock, it’s living in a van Winnebago down by the river tire store, and for Slice, it’s balancing an ever-growing family with an ever-baller-as-f*ck lifestyle.

“Finally: Kimbo vs. Shamrock” debuts tonight on Spike TV at 11 p.m. ET/PT.

The post VIDEO: Spike TV’s “Finally: Kimbo vs. Shamrock” Documentary appeared first on Cagepotato.

Now that we’re all in agreement about the undeniable awesomeness that is the Bellator 138 main event, SpikeTV has released their full, unedited documentary on the grudge match 7 years in the making between 51 year-old Ken Shamrock and 41-year-old Kimbo Slice. In what’s basically being billed as “Father Time vs. Spring Chicken”, Spike takes an in depth-look at the now infamous night that Shamrock vs. Slice were originally supposed to throw down back in 2008, as well as what each guy has been up to since. For Shamrock, it’s living in a van Winnebago down by the river tire store, and for Slice, it’s balancing an ever-growing family with an ever-baller-as-f*ck lifestyle.

“Finally: Kimbo vs. Shamrock” debuts tonight on Spike TV at 11 p.m. ET/PT.

The post VIDEO: Spike TV’s “Finally: Kimbo vs. Shamrock” Documentary appeared first on Cagepotato.

Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice: Bellator 138 Predictions and Pre-Fight Comments

Looking to bring eyes to its product, Bellator MMA is bringing back Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice to headline Bellator 138 on Friday.
An MMA pioneer, Shamrock has far more experience than his opponent. However, he hasn’t competed in more than four years…

Looking to bring eyes to its product, Bellator MMA is bringing back Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice to headline Bellator 138 on Friday.

An MMA pioneer, Shamrock has far more experience than his opponent. However, he hasn’t competed in more than four years and is now 51 years old. There aren’t many 40-year-olds who are having success in this sport, let alone 50-year-olds.

Now 41 years old, Slice is no spring chicken either. The UFC veteran hasn’t stepped into a cage since he was released by the world’s top MMA promotion more than five years ago. With only six professional MMA bouts, he was never able to evolve into more than a brawler.

With this peculiar bout approaching quickly, here is a look at what both men are saying heading into the Bellator 138 main event.

 

What Ken Shamrock Is Saying

At his age, Shamrock was bound to field questions about why he is still competing in MMA.

After suffering knockouts in seven of his past nine appearances, Shamrock’s health is a concern. He last picked up a win in October 2010, so MMA seems to have passed him by.

Shamrock seems to understand the criticisms surrounding his return, telling Luke Thomas at MMA Fighting in May that he can’t say his detractors are wrong given his most recent performances.

Although he is cognizant of the fact that his age could be holding him back, he doesn’t seem to have any doubt in his mind that he will beat Slice on Friday. Shamrock recognizes that he’s accomplished much more than Slice in the MMA world and doesn’t believe his opponent can beat him despite being 10 years younger.

In a recent interview with Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden, Shamrock said: 

I’ve been saying forever that I needed to do this again. Inside of me, I knew I had something more. People who are given second chances often squander them. This is my second chance, and I promise you I am going to go into that ring and give everything I have. 

And it’s not just about winning. It ain’t about winning a three-round decision. It’s about finishing him in the first round. It’s not a fight I want to go to a decision. I want to finish this guy because I can.

Shamrock has never been short on confidence, and it’s hard to blame him for believing in himself heading into this matchup. Even with his advanced age, Shamrock has 39 more professional MMA bouts than Slice, which should give him an edge at Bellator 138.

 

What Kimbo Slice Is Saying

While Shamrock has been fielding questions about his decision to return, Slice has been the more aggressive verbal promoter in this matchup.

In 2008, Slice and Shamrock were supposed to meet under the Elite XC banner. However, a Shamrock cut caused the bout to be cancelled.

Slice has not been shy about using that withdrawal as trash-talk ammo, as he did during the Bellator 138 conference call:

I just hope they f—-n pad his hands up, so he don’t cut himself, and they keep all sharp objects away from him this time. Like what is he gonna do next time, gonna shoot himself in the foot? I don’t know what Ken’s gonna do man, I just hope he fights and takes this fight. Dude, you do s–t like that when you’re scared, when you’re afraid, as close as it comes to committing suicide. 

I hope he don’t p—y out, cause if he doesn’t bring it, I’m taking it to the dressing room and we just gonna do an old-fashioned bare knuckle (fight) right there, right then and there in St. Louis. F–k it.

To be honest, it is absurd to suggest Shamrock pulled out of that contest intentionally. However, Slice is doing what he does better than most in the MMA world: getting his promotion game on.

 

Prediction

Given that he has been out of MMA action even longer than Shamrock, I was shocked to see Slice open up as such a heavy favorite in this matchup.

According to Odds Shark, Slice started out as a significant favorite (-390), while oddsmakers didn’t give Shamrock (+270) a good chance to win. For good reason, the odds have narrowed, but Slice (-250) remains the favorite over Shamrock (+195), and I’m still not sure why.

Yes, Slice is much younger and a more dangerous striker than Shamrock. However, those things don’t give him a significant edge in this matchup.

Shamrock is still a much better grappler and recognizes he’ll need to get this bout to the ground. More importantly, this fight means a lot more to Shamrock than it does to Slice, considering MMA has been a much bigger part of the former’s life and legacy.

For that reason, I’m betting on Shamrock to avoid Slice’s hands and win this on the canvas with one more signature leglock.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bellator 138: Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock Fight Card, TV Info and Predictions

Bellator 138 will feature a main event seven years in the making in Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice. 
In 2008, the heavyweight bout was supposed to take place in front of a national TV audience on CBS. The now-defunct EliteXC promotion planned to hav…

Bellator 138 will feature a main event seven years in the making in Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice. 

In 2008, the heavyweight bout was supposed to take place in front of a national TV audience on CBS. The now-defunct EliteXC promotion planned to have the Internet sensation and former UFC superfight champion headline a card that featured Jake Shields, Andrei Arlovski and Roy Nelson. 

Instead, Shamrock infamously suffered a cut, and Seth Petruzelli stepped up to fight Slice on the shortest possible notice. It didn’t end well for Slice. The Silverback scored the win of his career with a TKO victory in just 14 seconds. 

EliteXC shut down operations a little over a month later. 

Slice moved on to the UFC, where an unsuccessful run on The Ultimate Fighter led to a 1-1 run in the organization. He was cut in 2010 and moved on to professional boxing. Shamrock went on to fight in smaller promotions until 2010. 

Both will return to the cage to headline the event. But Bellator CEO Scott Coker isn’t just putting on a one-fight card. The event will also feature a featherweight title fight as Patricio “Pitbull” Freire looks to defend his belt against Daniel Weichel. 

Here’s a look at the complete fight card and predictions for the biggest bouts. 

 

Bobby Lashley vs. Dan Charles

Bellator 138 was supposed to be Bobby Lashley’s shot at redemption. The former WWE star was set to avenge one of the two blemishes on his 12-2 professional MMA record against James Thompson. Unfortunately, Thompson was forced out of the bout just a little over a week before the bout, per MMAjunkie.

In his stead will be a relatively unknown commodity in Dan Charles. Don’t mistake unknown for non-threatening, though. If Petruzelli-Slice taught us anything, it’s that the fighter who is “supposed” to win doesn’t always win. 

Charles comes in at 2-0 in Bellator, with both wins coming in 2014. Seven of his nine wins have come by way of either (T)KO or submission. 

Lashley still should be the favorite here. Lost in the out-of-the-cage fame that comes with his pro wrestling career is the fact that the 6’3″ 241-pound behemoth was a former four-time NAIA All-American wrestler. That ability should negate the chances of a stunning upset from Charles. 

Lashley has won four of his last five fights by submission. That’s a trend that should continue here. 

Lashley by second-round submission. 

 

Patricio Freire vs. Daniel Weichel

Truth be told, Patricio Freire is the most talented fighter on the Bellator 138 card. At least, up to this point. Daniel Weichel’s road to this championship opportunity makes him one of the hottest fighters in the organization. 

Like Charles, Weichel is actually taking this fight on short notice. Georgi Karakhanyan was originally slated to challenge for the belt, but an ACL injury took him out of the event, according to Brian Martin of the Los Angeles Daily News. 

Unlike Charles, Weichel might be a more viable threat than the man he replaced. The 30-year-old German is enjoying a seven-fight win streak and is unbeaten in his four Bellator bouts. With 21 submissions to his name, this fight could get interesting if it hits the ground. 

Freire isn’t going to let that limit his approach to the fight, though. “He’s got a good submission game, but I haven’t seen him submit any really good guys on the ground,” Freire said via Mike Sloan of Sherdog. “I respect his ground game, but I accept the challenge to fight him on the ground. I’ve been doing jiu-jitsu since I was a kid and I have no problem going on the ground with him. I’m pretty sure I’m able to submit him.”

That makes for some good pre-fight fodder, but it’s not likely that’s the way this one plays out. Freire is a dynamic striker with knockout power. Expect him to use that to make sure Weichel struggles to get close enough to get this to the mat. 

Freire by third-round TKO.

 

Ken Shamrock vs. Kimbo Slice

Short of a brawl breaking out in a nursing home, this is about as old a matchup as you’ll see. Reed Kuhn of Fightnomics put some context to the age and layoff for each of the combatants heading into this fight:

Neither have competed in MMA since 2010, but Slice continued boxing professionally until 2013. He showcased the power that made him an Internet star with a 7-0 (6 KO) run from 2011-2013. However, watching his last bout against Shane Tilyard, concerns about his striking defense still exist. 

He ultimately won by knockout in the second round thanks to a hook to the body—but not before getting hit cleanly multiple times in the first and second rounds. 

Now, he’ll take on a fighter in Shamrock who might be 51 years old but appears to still be in a bit better shape than Tilyard. Shamrock posted this picture via Twitter:

Oddsmakers must see Slice’s more recent activity as a plus. According to Odds Shark, the 41-year-old Slice opened up as a 10-39 (-390) favorite, but he has since moved to 5-13 (-260). For those unfamiliar with the way lines work, movement toward the underdog usually means the action favored the underdog. 

That movement might be thanks to those who are looking at this from a purely stylistic standpoint. For all the power Kimbo might have in the stand-up department, his ground game has been troublesome, to say the least. 

As one of the originators of ground-and-pound in MMA, it’s an area he believes he can expose:

When fighters haven’t fought for a combined decade, it’s hard to tell what’s going to happen. When they’re almost a combined 100 years old, it’s that much more difficult. 

Every result is on the table. From Slice pulling his own version of Petruzelli’s 14-second knockout to history repeating itself all over again. Still, it’s wise to take the more complete MMA fighter in a matchup like this one. 

Shamrock by first-round submission.

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Kimbo Slice Promises Ken Shamrock a Bareknuckle Fight Backstage If He Withdraws

It has been seven years since Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock fell apart, but the Bahamian brawler is still sore about the circumstances surrounding their scuttled bout. Speaking with the media during a conference call to promote Bellator 138, Slice had s…

It has been seven years since Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock fell apart, but the Bahamian brawler is still sore about the circumstances surrounding their scuttled bout. Speaking with the media during a conference call to promote Bellator 138, Slice had some choice words for The World’s Most Dangerous Man.

“I hope they pad his hands up so he doesn’t cut himself. Keep sharp objects away from him this time…I mean, what’s he going to do this time? Shoot himself in the foot?,” he asked. (You can listen to the full call, courtesy of Sherdog.com and, warning, there is a tad bit of NSFW language). “I don’t know what Ken’s going to do this time, I just hope he fights…I mean, who cuts themselves? People do [expletive] like that when they’re scared.”

The implication, of course, is that Shamrock faked an injury to get out of their 2008 bout, which was scheduled to take place at EliteXC: Heat. Shamrock controversially withdrew from the fight just hours before the card went on-air after sustaining a cut over his left eye during warmups. Shamrock would be replaced by UFC veteran Seth Petruzelli, who would knock Slice out in just 14 seconds, sending the promotion into a tailspin that eventually ended in bankruptcy. 

Slice would eventually go on to join the UFC after a competitively unsuccessful, but insanely lucrative, run on The Ultimate Fighter. He would appear at the TUF 10 finale, defeating Houston Alexander by unanimous decision, but would be released from the promotion after posting a lackluster performance opposite Matt Mitrione.

Shamrock would never compete in EliteXC, and took his show on the road after its closure, picking up one-off fights in various promotions until seemingly retiring in 2010.

The infamous backyard pugilist made it clear that he wants to settle the score with the former UFC heavyweight champ, and plain and simple won’t be denied the opportunity. “I hope he doesn’t [expletive] out,” he said, “because if he does, I’m going to his dressing room and we’re going to do old fashioned bareknuckle right then and there.”

Bellator 138 is scheduled to go down Friday, June 19. The card also features a featherweight title bout between Patricio Freire and Dan Weichel, as well as a compelling heavyweight rematch between Bobby Lashley and James Thompson. Keep an eye on Bleacher Report over the coming days for more updates on the card.

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Kimbo Slice: I’m Going to Knock Shamrock’s Ass out

When the UFC released Kimbo Slice in 2010, he knew his days in mixed martial arts probably weren’t over.
What mattered was the opportunity. The man once known as The King of the Web Brawlers, who became an instant hit and launched mixed mart…

When the UFC released Kimbo Slice in 2010, he knew his days in mixed martial arts probably weren’t over.

What mattered was the opportunity. The man once known as The King of the Web Brawlers, who became an instant hit and launched mixed martial arts onto the prime-time airwaves for the first time, had been given just such an opportunity by the UFC a year earlier. UFC President Dana White had famously said that if Slice wanted to fight in the UFC, he’d have to work his way into the promotion by competing on The Ultimate Fighter reality show.

This was back when the UFC had the world at its fingertips, before it started signing pro wrestlers with zero fighting experience simply because of the name value they bring.

But Slice didn’t mind; he agreed to join The Ultimate Fighter and try to work his way into the UFC. Things didn’t go all that well for him on the show; he lost to Roy Nelson in just about the worst style matchup he could have faced in the entire house.

Still, Slice graduated from the TUF house and fought twice in the UFC, beating Houston Alexander in a bout that was only memorable for Alexander’s fleet feet before losing to Matt Mitrione. After his release, no opportunities presented themselves to Slice, and so he decided to take up boxing. He fought seven times from 2011 to 2013, scoring six knockouts.

But then Bellator President Scott Coker approached Slice earlier this year with an offer: How would he like to come back to mixed martial arts and face Ken Shamrock?

“That was definitely a no-brainer,” Slice told Bleacher Report on Tuesday. “S–t, I was on board from that right there.”

The mention of Shamrock’s name still brings out a fire in Slice’s voice, because they have a history together that has never been fully resolved. And that’s why the promotional name of Bellator’s June 19 show headlined by Slice and Shamrock is subtitled Unfinished Business. For Slice, there is most certainly unfinished business.

“We have history. We went through something in the past,” Slice said. “That was the start of me losing my first fight in EliteXC. And to have the opportunity to make up for that? I feel like he was the reason for all of that happening. Now I get to pay his ass back.”

The “all of that” Slice is referring to is this, in case you haven’t heard: On October 4, 2008, Slice and Shamrock were scheduled to headline an event for EliteXC in Florida. Hours before the fight, Shamrock allegedly suffered a cut while warming up for the bout. At the time, rumors circulated that Shamrock had attempted to hold up the promotion for more money and, when not granted his wish, had one of his cornermen or manager cut him intentionally.

With Shamrock out of the fight, the promoters scrambled for a replacement. What they found was Seth Petruzelli, an unheralded fighter who was more than willing to take on the late challenge. Keen observers knew that Petruzelli was better than Slice at mixed martial arts and would likely win the fight.

But Petruzelli still shocked most of the world a few hours later when he knocked out Slice just 14 seconds into the first round. It was also the beginning of the end for EliteXC, which put all of its eggs in the Slice basket and went out of business just a few weeks later.

It is clear Slice still holds a grudge from that night so long ago and that he relishes the opportunity to pay Shamrock back in the most violent way possible. But he also notes that Shamrock’s inability to fight that night, regardless of how it happened, might have been the best thing for The World’s Most Dangerous Man.

“Shamrock would have just been another one of my victims,” Slice said. “I really would have beat his ass like I’m gonna do now.”

Slice said that he has improved dramatically in mixed martial arts as a whole. Though he did not participate in MMA training during his short-lived boxing career—because, in his own words, he “would have been tempted to kick someone or take them down when we were supposed to be boxing”—he continues to train daily at American Top Team in Florida and said that Shamrock may have missed his opportunity for a win.

“I was still a young wolf back then. I didn’t have much of a mixed martial arts fight game,” he said. “So if he had an opportunity to whip me, it would have been back then. Definitely not now. I have evolved over the years. I have developed a ground game. I’m just ready to go.”

Slice said that the animosity between he and Shamrock is not manufactured. Even after seven years, he’s still got a score to settle. At a recent press conference, Slice and Shamrock exchanged words, and afterward, Shamrock accused Slice of being disrespectful, though he would not share exactly what Slice said that angered him.

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, man. He just needs fuel for his fire,” Slice said. “I’m dying for him to try and do whatever stupid s–t he’s going to do, so I can knock his ass out. I’m going to put his s–t out and sit his ass down. That’s what I’m going to do.”

 

Jeremy Botter covers mixed martial arts for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.

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