Kimbo Slice: Hope or Hype?

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson has a 3-0 record in professional MMA. While some think this is quite the accomplishment for the former street brawler, there is another side of the story that may say otherwise.

Kimbo's professional MMA debut took place on November 11, 2007 against Bo Cantrell in an EliteXC promotion.  Kimbo won the fight only 19 seconds into the opening round as Cantrell crumbled to the mat under the force of multiple strikes.

Cantrell carried a record of 10-11 into the fight, having lost his last four fights leading up to the bout with Kimbo, all of them in the first round. His last win came in December 2006 as he defeated Cal Worsham, who himself sported a less than impressive 11-9 record.

Kimbo's next match up came in February 2008 against former UFC star David "Tank" Abbott. Tank, 42, made a name for himself in the early days of the UFC, when one style of fighting was enough to get by. Abbott was 9-14 at the time of the fight. He had lost his last three fights in a row, with his last win coming in May 2005. He also dropped his last four decisions leading up to that fight.

His last consecutive wins took place on December 12, 1998 and May 15, 1999.

It was to be a classic battle between two guys known for throwing heavy leather and going toe to toe. However, it didn't quite work out that way. Kimbo connected with a bomb that brought the fight to an end only 43 seconds after it started.

Kimbo's most recent fight took place on May 31, 2008 in another EliteXC promotion. This time, it was on a nationwide stage, as CBS was broadcasting the fledgling sport for the first time on network television in prime time. His opponent was James Thompson.

Kimbo won the fight by TKO—the referee stopped the fight at 38 seconds in the third round.

Thompson came into the fight with a 14-9 record, having lost three of his last four bouts, with all three losses coming by knockout in the first round. In fact, eight of his nine career losses were by knockout, with five of those ending in the first round.

There was some controversy surrounding the fight. As Kimbo found himself taking some punishment late in the second round, some onlookers thought that Kimbo had tapped out, while others said he was signaling to the referee that he was still in the fight.

The contest ended quickly in the third round when Kimbo connected with a shot that bloodied Thompson's cauliflower ear, prompting the ref to stop the fight.

There was some speculation that the fight was stopped too soon, and that Thompson was still defending himself. Even the commentators questioned the call.

We are all left to wonder what the future holds for Kimbo.

Right now, EliteXC promoter Gary Shaw, and Furguson's trainer Bas Ruten, are doing an excellent job of keeping him out of harm's way with a series of opponents that are either passed their prime, or never really had one.

But, what happens when they run out of patsies? What happens if Kimbo has to step into the cage against Tim Syliva or Fedor Emilianenko? Will he be ready for such opponents?

Andre Arlovski just left the UFC as a free agent, as did Tito Ortiz. Both are former UFC champions, and would be good tests for Kimbo. There is already some bad blood between Furguson and Ortiz, with both men taking verbal jabs at each other.

It would be a good draw or an EliteXC event, but it may be a little more of a fighter than Kimbo's experience has him ready for at this point.

No matter what happens, one thing is for sure. Love him or hate him, Kimbo is on the map, and people are watching.