After making a successful MMA (exhibition) debut against former WBO Heavyweight Champion Ray Mercer at CFFC 5, Kimbo Slice would be called out by none other UFC Veteran David Tank Abbott which would set up the main event for CFFC 6 – Heavy Hands in Atlantic City on October 12th 2007.

Unfortunately seven days before the bout CFFC president Felix Martinez would release a statement that the event was cancelled due to the loss of a major investor for this show who decided to pull out at the last moment.

Not too long after the cancellation, EliteXC signed Kimbo Slice to make his professional and promotional debut on their November 10th card EliteXC: Renegade against Bo Cantrell.
After dispatching the journeyman in 19 seconds, the Tank vs Kimbo bout was resurrected and set as the main event for EliteXC: Street Certified on February 16th 2008 in Kimbo’s hometown of Miami. It was the streets of Miami vs Huntington Beach.

Leading up to the bout was quite a colourful press conference with Tank and Kimbo going back and forth but from Gary Shaw’s viewpoint, he knew he had found his next promotional star.

Despite his age Tank definitely was banking on experience I tell you one thing, if Kimbo was back in my era, stomping around Orange County, Calif., he would have been long gone a long time ago. I’ve been swinging around wrestling rooms for over 30 years and I’ve been in boxing gyms for over 20, and I’ve been in the street a lot longer than that.

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I kind of look at it like a chick that does porn. Just because she did 100 porn scenes, that doesn’t mean I’m going to be afraid to **** her. Kimbo responding to Tanks experience.
Walking out to his home crowd in what would be his first sanctioned bout in Miami, Florida, the internet star certainly did not disappoint in the main event.