Remembering this day in 2015, the legendary Kimbo Slice had one of his final fights, entering the cage for the second-to-last time.
Slice, famous online as a viral street fighter, had a brief yet notable mixed martial arts career.
Starting as a bare-knuckle boxer, Slice quickly transitioned from amateur brawler to an MMA star after joining EliteXC in 2007, following his amateur win over Olympic boxer Ray Mercer.
After starting 3-0, Slice faced a rapid 14-second knockout loss to Seth Petruzelli. EliteXC`s subsequent financial issues opened the door for Slice to move to the biggest platform in MMA.
Gaining further fame on The Ultimate Fighter, Slice compiled a 1-1 record in two UFC bouts. Following his UFC departure, the popular fighter had a 7-0 run in professional boxing, but his MMA journey wasn`t finished.
Kimbo Slice`s Dramatic Comeback Win Against Ken Shamrock in Bellator (2015)
Five years after his last UFC fight, Slice returned to MMA under the Bellator banner. He headlined Bellator 138, facing combat sports icon Ken Shamrock in a fight that had originally been planned for 2008.
Shamrock, also returning after a five-year break at age 51, managed to put Slice in a difficult situation despite his age.
Less than two minutes in, Shamrock secured a takedown and locked in a rear-naked choke. The online phenom appeared to be in serious trouble, seemingly on the verge of submitting.
Remarkably, Slice endured the choke for over 30 seconds without tapping. After escaping the hold, he capitalized on Shamrock`s failed finish, using his formidable striking power to end the fight on the feet.
Ken Shamrock`s Controversial Claim: He Released the Choke After Kimbo Tapped
The outcome of the fight, however, was not without controversy.
Beyond speculation that Shamrock intentionally lost the fight, the veteran fighter himself claimed he released the choke during the Bellator 138 bout because he believed he felt Slice tap.
Referee John McCarthy quickly dismissed this claim. However, Shamrock repeated his account as recently as a 2024 appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.
“I felt so good. I felt like I was going to destroy him,” Shamrock recalled. “I remember taking him down…it went exactly the way I thought it was going to.”
“If you watch that fight, I slip in that choke…he reaches out and he does this (slightly taps twice). … The original Ken Shamrock, I’d have destroyed him and I’d have kept holding on until they pulled me off.”
“But it was just something where I reached a point where I wanted more respect. I wanted to leave with respect. I wanted to have the courtesy of being able to choke him out, shake his hand…so I let go.”
“I eased up on him because I felt like he tapped,” Shamrock added. “He was done. It was over…I felt him go limp. … All of a sudden, he pops up and I slide off.””
The former street fighter had one more MMA bout, knocking out Dada 5000 at Bellator 149, though the result was later changed to a no contest due to a failed drug test.
Tragically, Slice passed away in Florida in June 2016, just four months after that final fight.
Gareth Pendleton