Kimbo vs. Shamrock
from proelite.com:
After much speculation about who Kimbo Slice would be locking horns with on the October 4th CBS card, it has been confirmed that Kimbo Slice will be facing MMA legend Ken Shamrock at EliteXC "Heat".
Adding the high-profile, well-known name of Ken Shamrock to a card that already includes superstar Kimbo Slice and cross-over sensation Gina Carano creates an event that is certain to appeal to the casual MMA fan-- a group that help generate the record-setting viewership for a mixed martial arts broadcast back on May 31st.
Ted's Take: You can look at this from a couple points-of-view. It's a great fight for visibility, i.e., ratings, something EliteXC needs desperately right now. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's popularity is on the rise - as long as he keeps beating up cans - and Shamrock is a legend in the sport, definitely well-known to the casual fans.
Also, it's good for EliteXC because the casual fan is not going to consider Shamrock an over-the-hill can. To them, he's probably still the jacked, shootfighting machine from early UFC, or the massive high-flying ankle-locking psychopath from the WWF. But he's not either one of those things. Not anymore.
He was, at one time, a dominant groundfighter who left the sport when it entered its dark days to earn more money. You can't blame the guy for that. When he returned years later, he found the sport had progressed. And he tried to progress with it, improving his striking game. He had an all-out brawl with Don Frye in PRIDE, when both fighters were in the twilight of their careers. But in the past few years, he's lost, and lost badly. Even to virtual unknown "Buzz" Berry. So it's good for EliteXC, because Kimbo will most likely crush Shamrock - if not for a Haily Mary heel hook - and his growing "legend" will progress.
Who suffers is the hardcore fan. Most of them want to see Kimbo get exposed: either by a skilled muay Thai striker, or a jiu-jitsu wizard. It nearly happened when James Thompson had Kimbo up against the fence and rained down numerous - and unanswered - punches and elbows. Some said the fight should have been stopped there. But I could see it the other way - there wasn't a lot behind those strikes.
So the hardcores will have to wait a little longer for that to happen. In the meantime, Shamrock has my respect - he's entering a Lion's Den, a phrase he coined for his gyms -in Slice, who despite all his hype, is a powerful puncher.
HOW THEY MATCH UP:
Equally important is that the pairing of Kimbo Slice vs Ken Shamrock presents an intriguing match up.
Despite Kimbo's undefeated record, power, and striking ability; he is still in the early stages of developing a high-level ground game. Ken Shamrock, a student of the submission grappling arts for more than 15yrs, possesses masterful ground skills.
To the casual fan, this fight presents two superstars-- one rising through the ranks and one a legend of the sport-- meeting in the cage. However, the more sophisticated fight scholar realizes that this is a fight either man can win. The outcome should be dictated by whichever fighter is able to control where the action takes place.
Standing, one has to give the nod to Kimbo for his straight punching, iron jaw, and knockout power. On the ground, the advantage unquestionably goes to Shamrock due to his vast experience & knowledge and Kimbo's relative newness to this chess-like aspect of the sport-- compromising his ability to effectively execute defenses and recognize submission setups.
In the weeks to come, it will be interesting to hear how honest each fighter is with their analysis of how they match up with one another.
One thing is certain; all eyes will be on EliteXC "Heat" on October 4th.
