MMA fighter Kimbo Slice dead at age 42
Kimbo Slice, who rose from obscurity to become one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts (MMA), died Monday at a Florida hospital. He was 42 years old.
The cause of Slice's death was not immediately disclosed. Yahoo Sports reported that Slice had suffered a medical emergency at his home in Coral Springs, Fla. and was rushed to Northwest Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Coral Springs police spokeswoman Sgt. Carla Kmiotek said Slice's death was not under investigation and no foul play was suspected. Kmiotek said officers were dispatched to his home with the expectation that a crowd would gather there.
"We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family," Scott Coker, the promoter's president, said in a statement. "One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that trancended the sport."
Born Kevin Ferguson in the Bahamas, Slice initially gained fame after videos of him streetfighting went viral. He signed with MMA promoter ProElite in 2007 and made his debut in an EliteXC event the following year.
Slice appeared in seven UFC matches in 2009 and 2010, winning five. He also went undefeated in seven boxing matches between 2011 and 2013.
Slice signed with Bellator in 2015 and beat Dhafir “Dada 5000” Harris in February in what would be his final fight. He tested positive for steroids, however, and the result was overturned into a no-contest.
Slice had been set to make his return at Bellator 158 on July 16 in London.
No comments