Kimbo Slice Joins TUF Season 10

by Robert Sargent

Passing on a chance to compete in Strikeforce, former EliteXC superstar Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson has instead opted to take on an opportunity first given to him in jest by UFC President Dana White, as he joins The Ultimate Fighter.

Ferguson (3-1-0), a street fighter who rose to superstar status in EliteXC on CBS, will join a cast of heavyweights that includes ex-NFL players and former world champions.

Opting out of a Strikeforce deal that would have paid him significantly less than his EliteXC contract, Ferguson instead chose to get right back to fighting. Taking up an offer that was originally made as a joke by Dana White, Ferguson will attempt to fight his way into the UFC by winning Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show.

Already an Internet legend for the videos of his boatyard brawls and no-nonsense attitude, Ferguson began training for mixed martial arts under MMA legend "El Guapo" Bas Rutten. He debuted in EliteXC on November 10th, 2007, to huge fanfare. Defeating opponent Bo Cantrell in just 19 seconds, Ferguson went on to score another first-round victory over ex-UFC brawler David "Tank" Abbott in February of 2008.

Controversy broke out in Ferguson's next bout, however, when he faced former PRIDE and Cage Rage mainstay James "The Colossus" Thompson at EliteXC: "Primetime" on May 31st. The event, which aired live on CBS in front of a massive mainstream audience, ended with Ferguson picking up a highly contentious win over Thompson. After being dominated on the ground throughout the first two rounds, a questionable referee stoppage in round three saved Ferguson's star status for one more night, but many immediately labelled the former street fighter a sham.

Ferguson returned to competition at EliteXC's third CBS event, "Heat," on October 4th, where he was knocked out in just 14 seconds by last-minute light heavyweight replacement Seth "The Silverback" Petruzelli. The sad spectacle led to the demise of both Ferguson and the EliteXC promotion.


Now looking to make a fresh start, Ferguson has joined what is rumoured to be one of the toughest casts to date. Four ex-NFL stars have been confirmed, while former UFC heavyweight contender Wes Sims is rumoured to also be part of the show.

In a puzzling story that is hopefully untrue, it has been reported that final IFL Heavyweight Champion Roy "Big Country" Nelson is set to be a member of the cast. This is either an incredible insult to Nelson or a genius marketing ploy by the UFC. Nelson's résumé speaks for itself, and he should be welcomed into the UFC with open arms. To force him to compete on a reality show in order to earn a contract would be a slap in the face.

However, it is possible that Nelson (and possibly Sims) is being brought in as a "hired gun" to demolish Ferguson and make him, as well as the former EliteXC promotion, look foolish. This could very well be the case, but time will tell as to how the latest season of the show plays out. With coaches Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "Sugar" Rashad Evans, there are sure to be fireworks.


Showing indifference to the harsh criticisms that Dana White has thrown his way in the past, Ferguson seems legitimately focused on growing as a fighter and competing on the biggest stages again, and this could very well be the chance that he needed.