Kimbo Slice TKOs Thompson During EliteXC Main Event
Published: Sunday - June 1, 2008
Words by Randall Stevens
The mixed martial arts (MMA) realm was thrust into primetime Saturday night (May 31) when EliteXC made its network TV debut, thanks in part of the massive buzz of famed internet street fighter Kimbo Slice.
Slice was the night's main event, as he faced James "The Colossus" Thompson, and it proved to be a challenge for the still inexperienced MMA star who rose to fame via YouTube. The main event lasted until the third round, the first time Kimbo pasted the first round in his short MMA career.
Kimbo Slice landing an uppercut on James Thompson at EliteXC heavyweight bout on Saturday Photo: AP
Thompson came out strong in the first round, taking Slice to his back -- again a first in Slice's career -- but Slice showed poise, displaying some of his jiu-jitsu learned under trainer Bas Rutten.
However, late in the second round he was taken down again by Thompson who smothered him against the cage. Slice lie helpless taking blows to the face, not doing much to try to escape, showing that his ground game needs a lot more work. Luckily, he was saved by the bell.
Entering the third round, both 200+ pound heavyweights were fatigued, and with the momentum leaning toward Thompson, Slice landed massive right to the left side of Thompson's head, striking him on his badly cauliflowered ear, which split wide open and began to bleed. Like a vicious dog, Kimbo smelt blood and went in for the kill, landing a vicious uppercut and several more unanswered punches, prompting referee Dan Miragliotta to call the fight.
Slice looked good out there, but not good enough against a less than elite contender in Thompson. Kimbo definitely, as he said in his post fight interview, has a lot to learn and a long road ahead of him.
"I would have liked to have finished him," said Slice, who recently landed on the cover of ESPN magazine. "He was tough. He was much stronger than I expected."
Will his skills match the hype surrounding him? Only time will tell. One thing is certain, more hours in the gym training is needed if he's to develop into an elite fighter one day. He's still a new fighter though, with just three professional MMA bouts under his belt.
Also on the Elite XC card was a female fight between the popular Gina "Conviction" Carano and Kaitlin Young, a definite crowd favorite of the evening.
Carano dominated throughout the fight, but both ladies were out to please the crowd, exchanging kicks and punches back and forth up until the end of Round 2 when Carano flurried with jabs and crosses to the face of Young. After which Carano was awarded a TKO when ringside doctors determined that Young could not continue.
The undefeated female fighter, whose record improved to 6-0, garnered chants of "Gina" from the Prudential Center crowd of 8,033.
Other bouts on the night included a middleweight title bout between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith. However, despite what was a boxing battle between the two fighters, ended in a no contest when the fight was called after Smith received an accidentally thumb to the eye in the third.
"Smokin'" Joey Villasenor stopped Phil Baroni with strikes following a standing guillotine at 1:11 of the first.
Features Joe Budden: I Do It For Hip-Hop It's 2008, and guess what, Joe Budden is still here. Normally when a rapper endures personal tragedies, and label disputes, ... full story
Beyond Hip-Hop Game Review: Far Cry 2 Gone are Jack Carver, his Hawaiian shirt, and the trigens from the first installment of "Far Cry," but in comes spine ... full story
Digg It
Del.icio.us
