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Where do I start?First off, I watched the show Saturday like most longtime MMA fans probably did. I was hoping to see a fraud get exposed.Mission Accomplished...

Memo to Seth Petruzelli: Thank You!

by John Falcetta (Columnist)

5

590 reads

Editorial

October 06, 2008

MMA, Ken Shamrock, WWE, Sports & Society, Editorial

Where do I start?

First off, I watched the show Saturday like most longtime MMA fans probably did.  I was hoping to see a fraud get exposed.

Mission Accomplished.

The show started with the announcement of Ken Shamrock being pulled out because of the cut over his eye in training the day of the fight. My first thought was: Here we go again.

Another bogus show from a bogus promotion. Another Ken Shamrock flame out.

Then when the announcement came that Seth Petruzelli was the last minute sub, I thought: Okay, I'll tune back in and hope for the best.

I got it.

I make no bones about the fact that while I hold no personal grudge on Mr. Slice, I find this whole circus around him to be quite annoying and disturbing. It is supposed to be like Mike Tyson's glory days of the 80's—but more resembles the train wreck of the last decade of his career.

Kimbo Slice was thrust into an impossible situation and, to his credit, made the best of it. He has trained hard and done the best he could do while others made money off his blood sweat and tears.



I think a lot of "hardcore MMA fans" have mistakenly focused their anger on him and not the promoters, where it belongs.

That being said, I was glad to see him lose Saturday night. If that makes me a jerk than I am guilty as charged.

I heard all the excuses first from the broadcast team—which was horrible beyond words—that he should get a mulligan because he had so little time to prepare. Seth Petruzelli had just as little time to prepare and, oh yeah, he gave up almost 30 pounds.

Now comes the low blow theory.

This is the worst garbage of all. If it was a low blow, I ask one simple question. Why didn't Kimbo complain about it? If I got kicked low in the groin I would yell from the heavens about it. Kimbo did not.

Theory debunked.

To his credit, Kimbo seemed to take his loss like a stand up guy, except for walking out on the post fight interview and being late to the post fight presser.

But, hey, no one is perfect.

All the complaints are coming from the Internet fans who rode his jock until the bitter end.

This day was coming folks. It had to happen.

Kimbo finally went up against a fighter who had real skills and was not afraid...look what happened.

Petruzelli is no Ray Mercer or Tank Abbott and certainly not Bo Cantrell who tapped out to a grazing shoulder punch in a fixed fight. He's not James Thompson either who had him beaten.

He is a true Mixed Martial Arts Fighter who stepped up and got the job done. This may be the best thing in the long run for Kimbo Slice. He will no longer have unrealistic expectations of him from people who either want to profit off him or know nothing about MMA (ESPN and CBS.)

Thank You Ken Shamrock for going Ken Shamrock and not living up to the hype again.

Thank You Seth Petruzelli for stopping this circus dead in its tracks once and for all.

Author Poll

Is Kimbo Slice Finished in MMA?

  • Yes
  • No
  • He can go to TNA
vote to see results
Author Poll Results

Is Kimbo Slice Finished in MMA?

  • Yes

    25.0%
  • No

    58.3%
  • He can go to TNA

    16.7%
  • Total votes: 12
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comments (5) write a comment »

  1. If you seriously believe that Kimbo Slice is done or will lose even one ounce of popularity of mainstream fans because of that loss, you don't follow the industry very closely.

    1. I do not recall saying he would lose his fan base just the opposite they have rallied to his defense with lame excuses. He got beat they should take it like he did.
      If he got kicked in the groin why did'nt he say so. I know any man would. That stuff hurts.
      Thanks for the read and comments
      BTW I have followed MMA since UFC 1 I used to work out at the same gym as Keith Hackney in Arlington Heights Illinois. Great guy pretty good early UFC Fighter as well

  2. BTW, you're lucky for getting Alaska for your duty station. I had Fort Hood and Fort Bliss.

  3. You could add Kimbo Slice fans to CBS And Elite XC as those who know nothing of MMA as a sport.
    I believe Kimbo can still fight but will now have more realistic expectations in the sport, as does Houston Alexander the slugger of UFC fame.

    1. Exactly great point I think this will force Mr Slice to work his way up from the bottom and not main event anymore. Which he was clearly not ready to to. Thanks for the read and the comment.

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Edit this Article Article History

About the Author John Falcetta (columnist)

  • 58 articles written
  • 249 comments posted
  • 11 fans

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