He’s Back! Bellator MMA signs the unmistakable Kimbo Slice to a multi-fight contract

SANTA MONICA – (January 16, 2015) The legend of Kimbo is back on Spike. One of MMA’s most recognizable names, the wildly popular former internet sensation Kimbo Slice has signed an exclusive, multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA and will make his promotional debut later this year.

Bellator officially announced the signing moments ago on Spike TV during the “Bellator: Pitbull vs. Straus” event when Bellator’s Jimmy Smith caught up with the Miami slugger via Skype (#technology).

“I’ve been trying to keep busy as much as possible,” said Slice. “Been boxing over the past couple of years. My current record [as a boxer] is 7-0. Bellator is up there in the tops and they’re giving me the opportunity to fight on primetime and Spike TV. You know you can’t resist Spike TV.

“You gotta think, I’m still hungry out there. I haven’t got my fill yet. Whoever steps up to the plate, they got to bring it. I’m comin to get it.”

“Anyone who has been to a Kimbo Slice fight has felt a thick, electric, tension in the air,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “The man has a proven knack for evoking excitement every time he steps inside a cage, and that fits perfectly with the kind of fights we aim to put together.”

Born in the Bahamas and raised in Florida, Slice started his combat sports career on the streets of Miami, where he competed in unsanctioned prize fights on camera. The bouts were viewed by millions on the Internet, establishing Slice as a true viral sensation.

Slice turned his attention to mixed martial arts in 2007, picking up a submission win over former WBO heavyweight boxing champion Ray Mercer in an exhibition contest to begin his career. He would go on to compete professionally for both the UFC and EliteXC, where he would notch wins over MMA legend Tank Abbott, as well as fellow sluggers Houston Alexander and James Thompson.

Slice walked away from the sport in 2010 to focus on a career in boxing, where he went undefeated in seven professional contests. Six of those wins came by knockout.

Nearly five years after his final MMA appearance, Slice now returns to the sport, where the 6-foot-2 heavyweight slugger again looks to stand toe-to-toe with anyone willing to put on a pair of four-ounce gloves and trade blows in the pocket.