The ATT Family and South Florida community lost a legend today. No. "The guys who are holding the titles, heavyweight and light heavyweight, these guys are awesome," Slice told the AP in a 2010 interview before his second UFC fight. Would Jones be willing to take another fight in the meantime as he enters a new division? Usman rocks Burns to retain UFC title by TKO, UFC 258's Robertson-Maverick off due to illness, White: Jones will fight Miocic-Ngannou winner, White to meet Khabib again, hopeful he returns, Chimaev still reeling from virus; Edwards bout off, Edgar recounts KO loss, eyes summer return, Khabib says Poirier 'deserves to be a champion'. At this point, I think it's reasonable to say Ferguson is going to have a hard time holding those guys off and maintaining his spot in the pecking order. For all of his glowering in-cage swagger and outsized fame, Slice was extraordinarily honest about his fighting abilities. Book Miocic-Ngannou in March, hope the winner isn't too banged up, and then give us Jones fighting for the heavyweight belt this summer. UK coronavirus variant most likely to spread among this age group, study suggests 0 shares A new study suggests who may be most at risk for contracting B.1.1.7: Those under 20 years of age. Paige Michelle VanZant (née Sletten; born March 26, 1994), is an American mixed martial artist, author, and model. Prior to his fight last week against Charles Oliveira, I, like many others, said it was a crossroads fight for Ferguson at age 36. Yuta Watanabe (Toronto Raptors) with a block vs the Charlotte Hornets, 01/14/2021 And he got dominated in the fight. Maybe it was just a mix-up of communication. Suddenly the guy who couldn't lose had trouble even winning a round in 2020. "I'm really just having happy days in the midst -- being among them, fighting on the undercards, just contributing to the UFC and the sport. Dalcha "Champion" Lungiambula (11-2-0) is a Pro MMA Fighter out of Cape Town, South Africa and the #43rd ranked Top Middleweight MMA fighter. Nurmagomedov stopped McGregor in the fourth round via submission in their UFC title fight at UFC 229 on Oct. 6, 2018. Nurmagomedov has said the only thing the UFC could offer him to fight McGregor again is a boatload of money, but Nurmagomedov has shown time and time again he puts his personal principles above the almighty dollar. He was the team’s 2nd round draft pick in 2019. Why risk that now, especially because Jones has looked human as of late and we don't know how he will fare with the big boys? "He carried himself as a true professional during his time in our organization," the promotion said in a statement Monday night. Ferguson saw his 12-fight win streak end against Justin Gaethje in May, and he was waxed by Charles Oliveira at UFC 256 on Dec. 12. Lopez rallied from two sets down to beat Italy's Lorenzo Sonego 5-7 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-4 and book a place in the Australian Open third round … Go back and listen to and read old interviews -- from years ago -- with Nurmagomedov and his late father Abdulmanap. Professional mixed martial artist Kimbo Slice died Monday at age 42, Bellator MMA announced. It's the fight to make. Namajunas has won four of her past five fights and is coming off a July victory over Jessica Andrade, the woman who took the belt from her last year. The Associated Press contributed to this report. That's really what I want to do. But he has now been dominated in back-to-back fights, and he was dominated in two very different ways. He doesn't see any competitive reason for a McGregor rematch. Now, when you consider Miocic has averaged one fight per year for the past three years and Ngannou -- through no fault of his own -- seems to fight for about 30 seconds a year, this should be a welcome plan for everyone. Slice, birth name Kevin Ferguson, was a former backyard brawler and internet sensation. The two Bellator events Slice competed in, Bellator 138 and Bellator 149, set new ratings records on Spike TV. He defeated Dhafir Harris, aka Dada5000, in a three-round decision. UFC real or not: Kamaru Usman's next title defense will be a rematch vs. Jorge Masvidal? In 2009, the UFC booked Slice as a contestant on "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series. In fact, she won the belt with a submission win over none other than "Thug Rose." Feliciano Lopez is only second to Roger Federer when it comes to longevity on the Grand Slam circuit and the Spanish veteran, at the age of 39, proved on Thursday he still has plenty of gas in the tank to win a brutal five-set contest. Kimbo Slice, a former backyard brawler and internet sensation who parlayed his popularity into a career as an MMA heavyweight, died Monday at age … "While he will never be forgotten for his fighting style and transcendent image, Slice will also be remembered for his warm personality and commitment to his family and friends.". "His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo's friends, fans, and teammates.". I think the only fight that would get Nurmagomedov back into the Octagon would be a legacy one against Georges St-Pierre. Namajunas has earned her title shot, and according to what her fiancé/coach, Pat Barry, told ESPN last week, she wants that shot. He flunked out of college at Bethune-Cookman University and was homeless for a brief time. I'm not looking ahead to winning a title or anything like that. UFC takeaways: 'Wonderboy' proved he's still a title threat; who should he fight next. ESPN's expert panel of Ariel Helwani, Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi and Jeff Wagenheim discuss these topics and more, breaking down what's real and what's not real. Raimondi: Extremely real. Slice won the fight via TKO in the first round, after nearly being submitted by Shamrock in the opening minutes. Meanwhile, Tony Ferguson is another veteran great whose future is a bit unclear. In 2021, even with Esparza on a four-fight winning streak, she does not belong in a championship fight while Namajunas is walking the planet, waiting for hers. The weight wouldn't even matter. The result was later changed to a no-contest by the Texas commission, after Slice tested positive for anabolic steroids and an elevated testosterone ratio. He last fought at Bellator 149 on Feb. 19 in Houston. She's so solid in every aspect of the game, from skills to grit, and with just five UFC bouts on her resume, it feels like she is just scratching the surface of what she can become. Jones vs. the winner of Miocic-Ngannou is a massive fight. 1 contender at strawweight, the division in which she used to reign. Flipping the script to put the onus on the athlete is a clever way to unleash social media scorn on someone who doesn't fall in line. ", Monday through Friday, host Pablo Torre brings you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the top reporters and insiders on the planet. Namajunas is the No. Slice is survived by six children, and he credited his MMA career for allowing him to send them to college. In a perfect world, the UFC would like for the winner of that fight to defend the belt against Jones in the summer, sources said. Robert Littal is The Founder BlackSportsOnline and BSOTV. Le Batard: Kimbo Slice fought his way toward a better life (2:38). Outside the cage, we have loved ones. The Mets signed Josh Wolf out of St. Thomas High School in Houston, Texas. Usman rocks Burns to retain UFC title by TKO, UFC 258's Robertson-Maverick off due to illness, White: Jones will fight Miocic-Ngannou winner, White to meet Khabib again, hopeful he returns, Chimaev still reeling from virus; Edwards bout off, Edgar recounts KO loss, eyes summer return, Khabib says Poirier 'deserves to be a champion'. "We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family," Bellator president Scott Coker said in a statement, calling Slice "a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport. One of his three sons, Kevin Ferguson Jr., made his MMA debut in March. Jason Owens is a blogger for Yahoo Sports who has worked as a writer and editor covering professional and college sports since he graduated from the … If he loses, the big money fight of Jones going for a second title is lost. Slice made his professional MMA debut on Nov. 10, 2007, for the now-defunct promotion EliteXC, knocking out Bo Cantrell in just 19 seconds. May God Watch Over You. Shamrock tweeted about Slice's death Monday night. He's simply a fighter looking to get back on track. UFC real or not: Jones' heavyweight debut will be for title; Ferguson's days as a contender are over. Cory James Sandhagen (born April 20, 1992) is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Slice had been hospitalized earlier Monday in Margate, Florida, for undisclosed reasons, according to Coral Springs police, who had been dispatched to his residence to prevent a potential gathering outside. He trained out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. He ultimately fought for the UFC twice, compiling a 1-1 record, before taking a leave of absence from MMA to compete in professional wrestling. He was not embraced by much of the MMA world as it attempted to go mainstream, with UFC president Dana White famously saying Slice would not last two minutes in the Octagon. I'm just enjoying each fight as it comes.". The Nurmagomedovs put St-Pierre on a pedestal. Wagenheim: The first part of this should be real. Helwani: He most certainly should, and the UFC would prefer he would, as well. VanZant was signed to the flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.In August 2020, VanZant signed a contract to fight exclusively in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. pic.twitter.com/sjs8ctyJMd. With Nurmagomedov sitting now at 29-0, what better way to finish a career than taking on St-Pierre, the former UFC middleweight and welterweight champion, with a chance to make it a perfect 30? How can I come back this week and still call him a lightweight contender? In 2015, Bellator signed Slice and promoted him in a main event against MMA pioneer Ken Shamrock. REST IN PEACE KIMBO SLICE. Nurmagomedov has been pretty clear on this. RIP Kimbo. It also doesn't seem like Jones is campaigning or itching for a fight before he fights for the heavyweight title. In fact, UFC representatives met with Miocic recently in hopes of finalizing the title fight. View complete Tapology profile, bio, rankings, photos, news and record. In his mind, the UFC lightweight champion doesn't think he has anything more to prove from a sporting standpoint against the UFC's biggest star. Suffice to say that a lot of scorn would come bouncing back at White if he opted to book the alternate 115-pound title fight he suggested: Zhang vs. Carla Esparza. A professional competitor since 2015, he has also competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance.As of October 12, 2020, he is #2 in the UFC bantamweight rankings. He acknowledged being an MMA newcomer with much to learn, never claiming to be anything but a big puncher providing for his family while constantly working to learn the sport's other disciplines. I'm not completely counting him out moving forward. It wouldn't shock me to see Namajunas step out of the Octagon that night with the belt, but I have to pick Zhang. Now, if Ferguson does have a comeback year in 2021, will I be shocked? No longer is Ferguson in the title picture. I can see Ngannou making that quick turnaround, but historically, Miocic hasn't liked doing so. Khabib believes GSP is the best fighter in MMA history. Because UFC president Dana White had earlier told BT Sport, "Rose does not want to fight for the title. We battled inside the cage, warrior vs warrior. It would be a huge mistake to book Jones against a non-champion at this point. He played middle linebacker at Miami's Palmetto High and showed the potential to play in college before Hurricane Andrew caused Palmetto High's season to be cut short and his scholarship offers vanished. He should be ready to compete in a few months from now in his desired shape, but will he? They said no foul play was suspected. View complete Tapology profile, bio, rankings, photos, news and record. I really believe that, at least for right now, Nurmagomedov will stay retired unless the UFC can lure St-Pierre out of retirement for what would be an absolute megafight. Like Namajunas, Esparza is a former champ. He was badly outstruck by Justin Gaethje in May, and badly outgrappled by Oliveira in December. Miley Cyrus challenges Julian Marquez, UFC stars react to Kamaru Usman's TKO of Gilbert Burns at UFC 258, UFC 258 results: Grasso ruins Barber's return; Gastelum snaps skid, Diaz eyes Poirier or Oliveira, wants 2 fights in '21, Six weeks, six title fights: Ranking the UFC's top bouts during a historically busy stretch, How to watch The Ultimate Fighter on ESPN+, The inside story of how 'The Ultimate Fighter' saved the UFC 15 years ago, Kimbo Slice will be remembered for his improbable rise to popularity, Kimbo Slice's death draws plenty of reaction on social media. He has been one of the best lightweights in the world for some time now, and nothing that happened this year has changed my mind about how good he was during that time, but as far as talking about him at the championship level, those days very well might be over. He has stated he weighs around the 240-pound mark, and at 6-foot-4, the former UFC light heavyweight champ is looking to pack more muscle onto his frame. And that's what it should want. Just don't tell Israel Adesanya about this plan ... Okamoto: It breaks my heart to say it, but I have to go with real here. It's not worth it. There was no word on the cause of Slice's death. MMA fans who have seen recent social media posts by Jon Jones know that he's nearly ready to compete at heavyweight. The only other fight that might have made sense for a Nurmagomedov return was the ill-fated Tony Ferguson bout. Dan Le Batard discusses Kimbo Slice's deep roots in Miami, how he emerged from the streets to become one of the first viral sports stars by fighting in the streets, and what his legacy is in the sport of mixed martial arts. And there are so many hungry lightweights waiting in the wings to take a spot in the top 5 that has belonged to Ferguson for years. (2:38). Champion Stipe Miocic is expected to defend against top contender Francis Ngannou, possibly in March, but that fight has not been made official. She is in the top 5 of the ESPN women's pound-for-pound rankings, one spot below the 115-pound champion, Zhang Weili. "We lost our brother today," Slice's longtime manager, Mike Imber, said in a text message to The Associated Press. I said everything was on the line for him at UFC 256. But Ferguson went 0-2 in 2020 and doesn't look like the man people wanted to fight Nurmagomedov in the first place. The team also mourned his passing on Twitter. A heavyweight at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, he had a 5-2 professional record with four TKOs. While a heavyweight championship fight for Jones, who is arguably the greatest mixed martial artist ever, makes sense, the division's title picture is somewhat cloudy. ", "Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man," Coker said. MMA pound-for-pound rankings: Is there room near the top for Kamaru Usman? Jones vs. a heavyweight contender is fun, no doubt, but without a belt attached it doesn't feel as big. It's not as if his skill set has cratered, or his ability to take a punch is gone. Here's the deal: The UFC wants Stipe Miocic to defend the heavyweight title against Francis Ngannou in March. Give Kamaru Usman the respect he deserves, and maybe a rematch with Jorge Masvidal as well, UFC 258 takeaways: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards? So I'm going to go out on what I feel is a fairly sturdy limb and predict that Zhang vs. Namajunas will navigate through some choppy communication waters and be a real thing. From starting in the UFC at age 21 to becoming the youngest champion at age 23, revisit all of the best moments for Jon Jones in the Octagon. In many cases, this could be chalked up as lip service, but not with Khabib. Slice was born in the Bahamas on Feb. 8, 1974, but grew up in South Florida. Miley Cyrus challenges Julian Marquez, UFC stars react to Kamaru Usman's TKO of Gilbert Burns at UFC 258, UFC 258 results: Grasso ruins Barber's return; Gastelum snaps skid, Diaz eyes Poirier or Oliveira, wants 2 fights in '21, Six weeks, six title fights: Ranking the UFC's top bouts during a historically busy stretch, How to watch The Ultimate Fighter on ESPN+, The inside story of how 'The Ultimate Fighter' saved the UFC 15 years ago. However, due in part to his immense popularity, Slice's third professional fight, a fourth-round TKO against Thompson in May 2008, aired on CBS, making it the first MMA fight on prime-time network television. The title fight isn't a done deal just yet, but that is definitely what the promotion wants, I'm told. Who knows whether the UFC boss was trying that with Namajunas? Slice also previously fought for the UFC. Josh Wolf-RHP-Age 20. Nevertheless, that's what the UFC wants. Why did Barry have to come out and state the obvious? And it'll turn out to be a great title bout, maybe even a classic like everybody's 2020 fight of the year, Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk. But that was back in 2014. Then again, just a few months ago White said Jon Jones didn't want to fight Francis Ngannou after Jones asked for more money to take on the heavyweight KO artist. He was signed to Bellator MMA and scheduled to headline Bellator 158 on July 16 in London against James Thompson. Listen. "Hurricane" Ike Villanueva (18-11-0) is a Pro MMA Fighter out of Houston, Texas and the #70th ranked Top Light Heavyweight MMA fighter. BSO is a Hub of Sports News, Entertainment, Social Media + Culture. This has been said numerous times, but it's true. Give Kamaru Usman the respect he deserves, and maybe a rematch with Jorge Masvidal as well, UFC 258 takeaways: Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards? UFC real or not: Kamaru Usman's next title defense will be a rematch vs. Jorge Masvidal? He worked as a limo driver, strip-club bouncer and bodyguard before rising to fame through his viral street-fighting videos. MMA pound-for-pound rankings: Is there room near the top for Kamaru Usman? But at 36, is it too late for Ferguson to become a dominant force again?
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