As regular readers know, I don't have much respect for Kimbo Slice as an MMA fighter. But I do have a lot of respect for Bas Rutten as a fighter, trainer and commentator, and I was interested in some of the complimentary comments that Rutten had for Kimbo on this week's edition of HDNet's Inside MMA.A segment of the show included a question from a viewer asking Rutten to name the best fighters he's trained. Rutten mentioned several, including Kimbo, whom he has consistently praised for his natural ability as a striker and his hard work and dedication to improving his craft.
"I think Kimbo's striking really came together," Rutten said. "His boxing got better and better."
Of course, any time anyone says anything positive about Kimbo, the question remains: So why couldn't he last even 15 seconds with Seth Petruzelli?
Rutten's answer: "There's always a chance that you get hit. That doesn't say anything about his techniques."
I won't be convinced until I see Kimbo beat an opponent of some quality. But Rutten has a lot of credibility in MMA, and it says something that he's willing to put that credibility on the line in his unwavering support for Kimbo.
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