11/4/2023 0 Comments Kimbo slice back yard eyeTo make matters worse, Petruzelli later claimed that promoters had hinted they wanted him to stick to a fight style that was more conducive to Ferguson's style by offering Petruzelli bonuses to keep the match off the ground, with less grappling. The underdog would defeat Ferguson in 14 seconds flat. Promoters scrambled to find a replacement, and Ferguson eventually agreed to fight then-little-known Seth Petruzelli. However, hours before the match, Shamrock suffered a cut to his eye that forced him to forfeit. It was the main event of the first MMA event broadcast on primetime network television. It was also poised to be a pivotal moment for the sport. The match was scheduled to take place in Sunrise at the BankAtlantic Center. The early wins paved the way for a much-hyped match against Ken Shamrock, another fighter who had spent time on the pro wrestling circuit, on Ferguson's home turf of South Florida. It was only natural that MMA promoters would seek to capitalize on his viral fame.įerguson made his debut for the now-defunct EliteXC in 2007 and scored wins in his first three matches (including one versus former professional wrestler Tank Abbot). ![]() That's just not how it works it most sports.Ĭombining the legitimate rules of other combat sports with the myth-making and story-building of professional wrestling, MMA was becoming increasingly popular at the time Ferguson's backyard fight videos were wracking up online views. A viral hole-in-one shot has not cleared anyone's way to win a green jacket at the Masters. No one uploads a video of themselves sinking 100 baskets in a row and snags an NBA contract because of it. Though it varies somewhat by sport, young athletes begin training in childhood - often in pee-wee, high school, and other youth circuits - and then develop in college or the minor leagues before attaining glory in the pros. While the internet has disrupted the conventional path to professions as varied as pop star (think Justin Bieber and his early days as a YouTube phenom) and hired car driver (think Uber), the road to sports stardom has remained relatively untouched. What happened next was unprecedented and might never truly be duplicated. Already fighting under his child nickname of "Kimbo," the "Slice" moniker was added, contributing to his online legend.įerguson could win thousands of dollars for each of his backyard knockouts, but what mattered in the long run were the millions of views each of his fights would rack up. In his first uploaded fight, his bare-knuckled punch left his opponent with a bloody slice to the face. Ferguson dominated his opponents and gained a cult following on the internet. The matches were videotaped and uploaded online. In the early 2000s, Ferguson participated in loosely organized brawls held in the backyards of Miami suburbs. While working far behind the camera in the online porn world, he found himself starring in other taboo internet videos that would propel him to notoriety: backyard fight videos. ![]() He later worked as a bodyguard for a locally based internet porn business. According to a 2008 ESPN profile, he lived for awhile in his a beat-up SUV but eventually found work as a strip club bouncer. He ended up attending Bethune-Cookman University but flunked out. The story goes that an actual hurricane - 1992's Category 5 monster, Andrew - cut Palmetto's season short, wrecked his family home, and dashed his college dreams. His dream was to play for the Miami Hurricanes. ![]() He was a standout linebacker at Miami Palmetto Senior High with hopes of winning a college scholarship. He was perhaps the first athlete to compete in the highest league of his sport based on the success of his viral internet fame.īorn in 1974 in Nassau, Ferguson moved with his family to Miami when he was a child, and the future star grew up in Cutler Bay. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, a Bahamian-born mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter who grew up to achieve internet fame in Miami-Dade, died last night at the age of 42 after being admitted to a Broward County hospital.ĭetails of his death are not yet clear, but Ferguson leaves behind a unique legacy telling of the times.
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