“Kimbo Slice” has found a new home.
Sources close to the situation have advised Combat Press that Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson will join the Bellator roster, with an announcement expected to take place during the Bellator 132 telecast on Jan. 16.
Ferguson, who shot to fame through a series of street-fight videos that were posted on the internet, made his MMA debut under the EliteXC banner in 2007. The promotion went all in on Ferguson as the face of the company, and it paid off at first with Ferguson reeling off three straight wins. However, it all came crumbling down when Ferguson fought Seth Petruzelli in 2008. Petruzelli knocked out Ferguson in 14 seconds, shattering the fighter’s aura of invincibility.
After appearing on The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights in 2009 and suffering a TUF exhibition loss to Roy Nelson, Ferguson went 1-1 in the UFC, notching a victory over Houston Alexander and then later suffering a loss at the hands of Matt Mitrione.
Following his departure from the UFC, Ferguson undertook a career in boxing which saw him win seven fights in a row and maintain an undefeated record. Bellator reportedly pursued Ferguson in 2014, but the two sides were not able to reach a deal at that time.
An official date and opponent have yet to be determined for Ferguson’s Bellator debut, but a match-up is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.
Bellator has made waves with some of its recent moves, including the signing of Stephan Bonnar and the pairing of Bonnar with Tito Ortiz to headline Bellator 131 in November. Bellator has also come up in recent rumors surrounding pro-wrestling superstar Brock Lesnar.