Nelson: I saw Kimbo as one of the toughest tests
Roy Nelson entered The Ultimate Fighter 10: The Heavyweights as the favourite to take the whole competition. Hardcore fans know…
Roy Nelson entered The Ultimate Fighter 10: The Heavyweights as the favourite to take the whole competition. Hardcore fans know him for his impressive grappling and black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the legendary Renzo Gracie as well as his stint as the IFL heavyweight champion.
With the most impressive resume in the house, it was no surprise that he was considered the man to beat but he was astounded how the other cast-members aired their sentiments.
The guys in the house always said I was over-qualified for the season, Nelson stated. That always confused me. I don’t know how you can be ‘over-qualified’ for a show called The Ultimate Fighter. You can’t rule out some guys just because they’re experienced or have fought at a decent level before. The guys were complaining about it and yet they kept boasting about how they wanted to be the best in the world. You can’t have it both ways.
Often appearing arrogant, Nelson believed the characters in the house made the show as intriguing as it has ever been and that has resulted in the popularity so far.
His bout with Kimbo Slice was the most watched in Spike TV’s history and, despite claims of a mismatch, Nelson truly believed Kimbo was a dangerous adversary.
I saw Kimbo as one of the toughest tests in the first round. I look at everything strategically and, to be honest, Kimbo in the first round didn’t sound like a great plan for me. It wasn’t the route I would have taken if I had had the choice. There were a lot of other guys that I’d have rather faced first.