A year ago, Gary Shaw was promoting Kimbo Slice as the next big thing in mixed martial arts, while UFC President Dana White was mocking Kimbo as a street fighter with no athletic skill. What a difference a year makes.

Now White has given Kimbo a spot on The Ultimate Fighter, and Shaw told FanHouse Tuesday that he’s shocked and disappointed, because Shaw was hoping to promote Kimbo as a boxer. But Shaw also said that he considers Kimbo a friend, and that he gives White credit for making a smart business move by hiring a fighter who, in Shaw’s words, has “the it factor.” The full interview is below.

Michael David Smith: What’s your reaction to Kimbo going on The Ultimate Fighter?

Gary Shaw: It shocked me when I heard, especially after Dana dissing him for two years and saying the nastiest things about him. So it surprised me, knowing who Kimbo is, that he would succumb to working with Dana. It shows that whatever comes out of Dana’s mouth is not always the truth.

Are you disappointed on a personal level? You put a lot into promoting and marketing Kimbo.

Sure. I just don’t think it’s a big enough platform for him. I think it’s a step back. I think he’s bigger than that.

Do you consider Kimbo a friend?

Absolutely.

read full interview…