Report: Kimbo Slice to headline Bellator tentpole event in February

Kimbo Slice is coming back to your television set.

The ratings phenomenon and former YouTube street fighter will be headlining a Bellator tentpole event Feb. 19 in Houston, according to a report by Jeremy Botter of the Houston Chronicle on Thursday. Bellator officials were not able to confirm the news with MMA Fighting.

No opponent was eported for Slice yet, though Bellator MMA president Scott Coker teased multiple announcements at Bellator 145 on Friday night in St. Louis. That card and the one featuring Slice will air on Spike TV.

Coker said in a recent interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani that the winner of a Bellator 145 fight between Bobby Lashley and James Thompson could meet Slice.

"We're going to fight him early next year and I think next year, you're going to see Kimbo Slice fight three times in Bellator," Coker said. "We might take a look at maybe the winner of that fight (Lashley vs. Thompson) and Kimbo. I'm not promising, I'm just saying."

We last saw Slice (5-2) when he knocked out MMA legend Ken Shamrock in the first round of a main event bout at Bellator 138 in June. It was his first fight in five years after retiring from the sport following a failed run in the UFC. The former EliteXC and The Ultimate Fighter star owns wins over Houston Alexander, James Thompson and Tank Abbott.

Slice, 41, is arguably the biggest television ratings draw in the history of MMA because of his charisma and look, though his skills and experience in the sport have not come close to reaching that apex. The Miami native is currently training out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla.