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Kevin Ferguson, better known by his fight nickname of Kimbo Slice, was recently in Germany for the FIBO Expo, where he sat down with GNP1.de to discuss his fight with Dada 5000, his positive pre-fight drug test, and what the future holds for him.
Slice and Dhafir Harris, aka Dada 5000, had their long awaited fight in February at Bellator 149. Slice won by third round TKO though the finish is one of the stranger and more terrifying ones in recent memory with Dada collapsing from exhaustion in the cage.
On the subject of the fight, Kimbo was less than happy with his showing. Though he admits to having accomplished his intentions of breaking Dada's jaw and ribs, he noted that he 'gassed too early' and felt he left something on the table.
'You're never pleased with your performance. You know what I mean?...You feel like you could do it better. That's the competitive part. Some people have it some people don't. I just want to embrace mine and become a little bit better. Become more of an inspiration.'
After the fight, the pre-fight drug test results were released revealing that Slice, along with UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock who also fought on the card, tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone. Slice had a T:E ratio of 6.4:1, 2.4 over the Texas limit. In the interview with GNP1.de, Kimbo delivered a slightly specious answer for how his blood sample could have possibly come back tainted.
"Maybe the [person performing the test] used the same glove from Ken's shit and touched my shit. I don't know."
Slice then went on to talk about the necessity to allow some "extra vitamins" for people in intense professions like himself.
"We're fighters man, we're a little bit older than normal, we're on a professional level of entertainment. You gotta look at athletes, like really professional athletes, and officers, and fire fighters, who really put their bodies and themselves through what's not the norm...I don't think the commissioners should really blackball fighters from having to use a little extra vitamins to perform. Because we're entertainers. We are performing on a high level. We're putting our body through some strenuous workout to entertain the public and the media."
The commission 'blackballing' Slice presents him with an interesting dilemma. In the interview, Slice assured the reporter that he intended on continuing to fight, but Slice is 42 years old and facing a year-long suspension for his positive drug test. However, a possible opponent did come up recently.
Last Monday on The MMA Hour, former Pride middleweight champion and newly signed Bellator fighter Wanderlei Silva voiced an interest in fighting Kimbo Slice, for his part, seemed amenable to the idea, visibly smiling when the prospect of the match was brought up to him.
"I like Wanderlei, I think he'll give me a good fight. He's gonna want a knockout like I'm gonna want a knockout. Dude, I don't mind getting knocked out by Wanderlei, but I don't mind knocking your ass out either, believe that! So it's gonna be like a good fight. So if he wants some, come get it."
Silva received a three-year suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for evading a random drug test in 2014 and is expected to compete at one of the Bellator events outside of Nevada, possibly the PPV event planned for the UK later this year. Setting up a fight between the two in London would work nicely around both Slice and Silva's stateside issues.
Moreover, Silva-Slice main event would likely do huge numbers for Bellator and, in the inimitable words of Kimbo Slice, "I mean, if it makes dollars, it makes sense."
Slice also talked about his son who recently started fighting and hinted at him possibly signing with a major promotion.
You can watch the interview in its entirety below.
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EXTRA CREDIT READING
The Michael Bisping Hall of Almost Fame. This is the first article in a series I'm doing for Bloody Elbow about the best fighters to have never fought for a title. It's rather long and possibly not good. Decide for yourself and lambaste or praise me as you see fit.
MEDIA STEW
Somehow missed the Tommy Toe Hold from the weekend. DC is his best character and this one has a lot of DC in it.
Bellator's In Focus series has been very good.
Very brief video but Uriah Hall looks good in it. Now if he would actually throw any of this when in the cage is another matter entirely.
Al Iaquinta talking about injury rehab and throwing mad shade at UFC lightweight Kajan Johnson over his rap video.
And here's Johnson's rap video where he calls Iaquinta out. It's...something.
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LONG WATCHES
UFC Road to the Octagon for the fights this weekend.
If you've never listened to Eugene Robinson you should definitely check him out. Also, he holds a machete this whole time so that is different.
Sam Caplan and Jason Floyd review the UFC Zagreb card and talk a little bit about regional promotions.
TWEETS
Anthony Johnson tells his side of not fighting Jon Jones.
Jon Jones responds to news that the officer who arrested him has faced several complaints previously.
This is one rematch I can get behind.
@danawhite @ufc @junior_cigano let's do it Dana would love a rematch
— mark richard hunt (@markhunt1974) April 10, 2016
Holly and Yoel grooving to Mystikal is a delight.
Condit getting his "spinning shit" ready in case he rematches Nick Diaz next.
Well played Nicolas Dalby. Well played.
Holy hell. Chris Weidman is not a small man and Porzingis makes him look like John Dodson standing next to Arlovski.
I respect this man's hustle. Don't think Punk ever fights him but I respect his gall...
The Pettis brothers and the Diaz brothers look much more alike than the Ellenbergers, and they are twins. And of course with shirts on the Noguiera brothers are practically indistinguishable.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Patrick Freire (15-7-0) vs. Edimilison Souza (15-4-0); Bellator 152, April 16.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
2000: Shooto R.E.A.D. 4 was held at Kitazawa Town Hall in Tokyo, Japan. It featured the MMA debut of future Shooto welterweight champion and current number 13 ranked UFC featherweight Tatsuya Kawajiri. It was an inauspicious start for 'Crusher' as he lost to Takumi Nakaya by rear-naked choke.
1989: WSOF featherweight Rick Glenn was born.
1987: UFC lightweight Tiago Trator was born.
1985: Undefeated Bellator lightweight Brent Primus was born.
1983: UFC featherweight Robert Whiteford was born.
1982: Former Strikeforce lightweight champion and suspended UFC lightweight Gilbert Melendez was born.
1962: Former Pride heavyweight Nobuhiko Takada was born.
Think I missed a spot? Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.
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