MMA News

Props: USA Today

Quoteworthy:

“I could have stayed in mount and finished him there with elbows and punches, but my game plan was to get to the crucifix, and once I got to the crucifix, finish the fight there. First round was 44 punches to the face, and then (referee) Herb Dean doesn’t know how to ref, but we’ve seen that before. And then the next round was 22 punches. You could even see me yelling at Herb Dean, ‘Come on, ref.’ But the thing is, there’s a lot of people; there’s a lot of money. Kimbo’s the only one that I know that had an entourage there; he actually had his family there, his management, while the rest of us kind of had to suffer. The UFC made, we’ll say, different concessions for Kimbo. I think he had a media room. Kimbo’s definitely, I guess we’ll say, special. I don’t see the specialness fighting-wise, but more for TV-wise. He puts butts in the seats. So I think it was more that Herb Dean was afraid to lose his job, because there’s a lot of people with a lot of money that can have a lot of influence with his career.”

The Ultimate Fighter 10 contestant Roy Nelson sounds off on the first round of his fight against special attraction Kimbo Slice during episode three of the Spike TV reality show. “Big Country” had the former YouTube brawler trapped in a crucifix and while the damage inflicted was comparable to that of a pillow fight, Slice was still unable to defend himself, intelligently or otherwise. Was referee Herb Dean letting the fight continue out of fear of losing his job? Or is Nelson just sour over his marshmallow fists? Sound off, Maniacs.

Props: Inside The Ultimate Fighter

Quoteworthy:

“I fought Roy with caution. I did go for the kill one time, but I knew to be careful because Roy will bait you, that’s how good he is. He can look rocked, but the minute you go in for the kill, shwoop! You know what I’m sayin? He’s a smart fighter. When I felt like I rocked him I went in for the kill and that’s when I made my mistake. That’s when I realized, ah, this motherfucker was slick. But in the midst of the fight I had to figure that out. By the second round he figured out how to get in, how to play possum and get me down to the ground. That weight was hard to move. The crucifix is not my favorite position. I been in that position with James Thompson and was stuck. Roy had me also in that same position. That’s a position I would really like to know how to get out of. I know some shit on the ground. It’s not like I get down there and I don’t know nothing. I have some skills. I’ll beat Roy next time around. You’re only gonna beat me once. If I fight anybody and they beat me that one time, that’s it. You gave me your best. You didn’t beat me at my best. Now I know how you’re comin’. You ain’t beatin’ me twice. Damn right I’d rematch Roy.”

On the heels of his Episode 3 elimination from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Season 10, special attraction Kimbo Slice reflects on the mistakes he made in his losing effort against Roy Nelson and how a second encounter would yield very different results. Can Slice, who was dropped by trainer Bas Rutten for regressing to his old habits, ever become more than a hard-hitting brawler with a puncher’s chance? With a new home at American Top Team and a rumored fight at the TUF 10 Finale this December, we may get our answer soon enough.