It was on this date in 2015 that the late Kimbo Slice competed in mixed martial arts for the second-to-last time.
Slice, initially famous online for his street fighting videos, had a brief yet impactful career in MMA.
Starting as a bare-knuckle boxer, Slice transitioned from backyard fights to MMA stardom rapidly after his EliteXC debut in 2007, following an amateur win where he choked out Olympic boxer Ray Mercer.
After compiling a 3-0 record, Slice was knocked out in just 14 seconds by Seth Petruzelli. The subsequent collapse of EliteXC then led to his entry into the sport`s premier organization.
His profile grew after appearing on The Ultimate Fighter, where he went 1-1 in two UFC bouts. Following his UFC departure, the popular fighter had a seven-fight undefeated run in professional boxing, but he wasn`t finished with MMA.
Kimbo Slice`s Bellator Return in 2015 Against Ken Shamrock
Five years removed from his last UFC fight, Slice made his MMA comeback with Bellator. He was featured in the main event of Bellator 138, facing sport icon Ken Shamrock in a fight that had been planned as far back as 2008.
Shamrock, a pioneering figure in MMA, also hadn`t competed in five years and was 51 years old. Nevertheless, the former UFC champion posed a significant threat to Slice.
Less than two minutes into the bout, Shamrock secured a takedown and applied a rear-naked choke. The internet star was clearly struggling and appeared on the verge of submitting.
However, Slice never tapped, surviving the hold for over 30 seconds. Once he managed to escape, Slice quickly capitalized on the missed submission opportunity, using his famous punching power to finish the fight on the feet.
Ken Shamrock`s Controversial Claim: Slice Tapped
The outcome wasn`t without controversy.
Beyond accusations that Shamrock potentially took a dive, the MMA veteran asserted that he released the choke during their Bellator 138 fight because he felt Slice tap out.
Referee John McCarthy quickly dismissed this claim, but Shamrock repeated the assertion as recently as his 2024 appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.
“I felt so good,” Shamrock stated on the podcast. “I felt like I was going to destroy him. I remember taking him down… it went exactly the way I thought it was going to.
“If you watch that fight, I slip in that choke… he reaches out and he does this [simulates tapping twice]. The original Ken Shamrock, I`d have destroyed him and I`d have kept holding on until they pulled me off.
“But it was just something where I reached a point where I wanted more respect. I wanted to leave with respect. I wanted to have the courtesy of being able to choke him out, shake his hand… so I let go.
“I eased up on him because I felt like he tapped,” Shamrock added. “He was done. It was over… I felt him go limp. All of a sudden, he pops up and I slide off.”
The former backyard fighter had one more MMA bout, defeating Dada 5000 at Bellator 149, though this result was later changed to a no contest after he failed a drug test.
Tragically, Slice passed away in Florida in June 2016, just four months after that fight.
