Slice: It’s one of my best fights
Those not interested in the Kimbo Slice-Roy Nelson showdown going down on The Ultimate Fighter 10 this Wednesday on Spike…
Those not interested in the Kimbo Slice-Roy Nelson showdown going down on The Ultimate Fighter 10 this Wednesday on Spike TV need not read any further.
Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, fielded questions from the media Monday during a teleconference call and did nothing to dwindle interest in what will probably be the highest rated episode ever for the cable network.
Slice, 35, faces arguably the most experienced fighter in the bunch in Roy Nelson, a former IFL heavyweight champion and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
I knew a little bit of Roy from the IFL, said Slice during the call. I saw him when he fought ‘Big Ben,’ Ben Rothwell. I saw when he fought (Andrei) Arlovski, said Slice. I knew he was game and he was a fighter.
Slice’s inclusion on the show can be likened to the goose that continues to lay the golden eggs. The show’s initial two episodes rated as the series’ two most-watched events thus far, as the Bahamian-born streetfighter’s notoriety seems to know no bounds. This, coupled with the fighter’s inexperience in the cage, made Slice a prime target by the remaining 15 heavyweights that joined the cast.
It wasn’t surprising that once Slice’s coach, Quinton Rampage Jackson, lost the ability to select the matchups, rival coach Rashad Evans sent Nelson after the bearded big buck.
Slice, who admitted he knew very little about the rest of the cast even if he’d had a say in selections, said he wasn’t disappointed by the order in which the matchups played out.
I wouldn’t want it no other way, man. If I have to lose a fight, I’d rather lose to a guy like that, or someone with a big name, because it just makes sense to have two big names go at it head-to-head, said Slice. That’s cool that it’s happening right now. It gets it out of the way and (for the rest) of the duration of the show, people get to see how I react and interact with others after a fight and it’s in the middle of the season, so it worked out perfectly.”
Whatever millions of viewers see on Wednesday, Slice seems to have passed the test by his own standards, at least.
This fight is very exciting, said Slice. This is probably, I would say, not hands down, but pound-for-pound a good fight, one of my best fights…I was impressed with my performance. I was impressed with everything. I’m not crying about nothing.