The recent demise of EliteXC can be seen as prime example of unwise promotional gamblers willing to bet the farm on one horse race.
Kimbo Slice is a professional mixed martial arts fighter who is as limited in skills as he is marketable.
When part-time fighter Seth Petruzelli put the "Slice-man" to sleep in under 20 seconds in front of a worldwide prime-time audience, he also put an ass-whooping on EliteXC.
The promotion stumbled against the ropes, wobbled, and fell hard on its back, then it was rushed to the hospital. Too late—DOA.
The higher powers at EliteXC were trying their damnedest to turn Kimbo Slice into a poor man's version of Fedor Emelianenko.
They force-fed him a bunch of stiffs and then looked to cash in on the "highlight reel" knockouts. There is only one problem with that plan, however; this isn't Japan, and there are some "lower tier" fighters over here that are capable of a thrilling upset on any given night.
A lot of ill-informed people are dumping on the poor confused Mr. Slice right now; I, however, am not one of them. It's not Slice's fault that he was set-up to be the Mike Tyson of the MMA world.
It's not Slice's fault that he was ridiculously marketed as the "face of the MMA" by a cynical promotion and the clueless mainstream public.
It's anybody's guess what Slice will do next—maybe pro wrestling. With his intimidating looks and fan appeal, he could pull a reverse version of Brock Lesnar's maneuver.
It's my opinion also that he had the wrong trainer for his style of fighting; with all due respect to Bas Rutten, never do you instruct a man with great stand-up not to throw a jab.
For reasons only known to Rutten, he was afraid that if Slice threw a left jab there would be some unknown great submission specialist who would catch him in an arm-bar.
To take away Kimbo's "jab" was like cutting off his left arm. This may have explained why Slice walked strait into Seth Petruzelli's-short right cross-without having his hands up—who knows?
In my humble opinion, for a man blessed with only his "God given" talent and charisma, he did exceedingly well.
I would love to see him again somewhere down the road with a new and better trainer, in a new and better promotion.
Until then, we can all learn a lesson from the Gary Shaws and Don Kings of this world.
"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing...for inwardly they are raving wolves."
—Koran
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