MMA Fighter Kimbo Slice Dies at Age 42

The world of mixed martial arts has lost another star.

According to reports from both TMZ as well as ESPN, former UFC and current Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died this evening at the age of 42. He had been hospitalized earlier in the day for undisclosed reasons.

Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, first made his name known through viral videos of unsanctioned, mutual combat street fights, in which he obliterated his opponents in 2003. Since then, he has fought with EliteXC, UFC and was currently under contract with Bellator MMA.

His final professional MMA victory came when he defeated former WWE Superstar Ken Shamrock at Bellator 139 on June 19, 2015, by TKO, at 2:22 of the first round.

Also spending time as a professional boxer, Slice amassed a record of 7-0 from 2011-2013.

The CEO of Bellator, Scott Coker, confirmed Slice’s passing, saying:

“We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family. One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport. 

Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. HIs loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo’s friends, fans and teammates.”

We will continue to monitor this story and will provide updates as they become available to us.

Editor’s Note:

Although I am not too familiar with Slice’s work, it’s clear by the record that he put together, as well as the outpouring of support from the community, that he was a well-respected, and beloved fighter. It’s also especially sad to see someone lose their life at such a young age.

We at Wrestling Rumors send our deepest condolences to the family of Kimbo Slice during this difficult time.

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