Kimbo Slice talks about ‘The Ultimate Fighter’
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Even if “The Ultimate Fighter 10” cast includes four former NFL players, there was no doubt at last weekend’s UFC fan expo who the star of the show is: Kimbo Slice.
The former YouTube street fighting sensation who helped take MMA to the masses on CBS stood in front of the 15 other cast members, flexing his muscles, flashing his gold teeth and wearing a ‘do-rag atop that imposing bearded face.
How scary is Slice? A Spike TV makeup artist was telling me she once had to sit alone in a room with Slice as he stared at her. “You better say something or I’m gonna [wet] my pants,” she told him.
Although shooting of living arrangements and fights has begun, UFC and Spike kept the fighters quiet about what has transpired so far in advance of the show’s September premiere. The final fight will be Dec. 5 at The Palms hotel in Las Vegas.
Kimbo, too, was mum, telling reporters, “You’ll see. It was interesting. I have no regrets.”
He said the task of being stuck into a house with other fighters was “like taking a lion out of the jungle and putting him into captivity.”
Was he happy with how he fought? “You know what? I come to fight, no holds barred. I’m going to knock the guy ... out or get knocked out.”
UFC President Dana White, principal owner Lorenzo Fertitta and matchmaker Joe Silva declined to say if Slice will remain in the UFC win or lose in “The Ultimate Fighter,” which guarantees its champion a six-figure UFC contract.
Slice’s popularity is such it’d be hard to deny him entry even if a “The Ultimate Fighter” heavyweight disposes of him before the finals. He said he wants to continue fighting in the UFC.
“I’ll leave that to the big boys,” Slice said. “I don’t sugar-coat it. People know my characteristics. I don’t play games or sugar-coat anything. This is me.”
-- Lance Pugmire
