Ken Shamrock was once known as the world s most dangerous man. But that was about 15 years ago and he s clearly not the fighter he once was. Kimbo Slice was once thought to be the most dangerous man on YouTube. That might have been correct but when he actually got in the MMA ring that sense of danger turned out mostly to be a facade.
So when the two met in the Bellator MMA cage on Friday night seven years after the two were originally supposed to fight not much was expected from either Shamrock now 51 years old and considered a has been or the never was Slice.
Instead the two put on a good fight for a little more than 2 minutes and seconds after Shamrock nearly choked out his opponent Slice blasted Shamrock with a right hand knocking him out in the first round.
Conventional wisdom in the prefight buildup said that Shamrock had to take Slice to the ground in order to have a chance to submit him and win. But in order to do that he had to get close enough to Slice to be susceptible to taking his powerful punches.
Turns out that s how the fight played out.
Kimbo Slice knocked out Ken Shamrock in the first round Friday. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Neither had fought in an MMA cage since 2010 but Shamrock showed his aggression immediately after the opening bell. Fifteen seconds into the fight Shamrock had taken Slice to the mat and though Slice escaped Shamrock rushed him again and dropped him to the floor with ease.
Then Shamrock caught Slice in a rear naked chokehold and it seemed for close to a minute that Slice either would have to tap out or that he would simply pass out from the lack of oxygen. Somehow Shamrock didn t have the strength to make that happen.
Kimbo did so little to defend that choke. That s on Shamrock for not being able to finish it.
Denny Burkholder ( DennyBurkholder) June 20 2015
I ve been in this position before Slice told Spike TV after the fight. I trained my ground game very well. Tapping is not an option. It was not an option.
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